(NEWSnet) – Even as the April 8, 2024, solar eclipse remained months away, emergency planners in affected states began planning for a unique one-day tourist surge.

Local and state officials in Ohio, Indiana and Arkansas are among those that did that research.

This will be “the largest tourism event in Arkansas history,” the Arkansas Department of Transportation said when issuing its eclipse traffic plan.

 

Parts of 15 U.S. states are included in totality for April 8, although two states — Tennessee and Michigan — just barely. The path in the U.S. starts in Texas, then moves into Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

Many of these states do not have recent experience with the interest and attention to a solar eclipse. For example: the last total solar eclipse in Ohio was in 1806. The last one in Indiana was 1869. The last one in Arkansas was in 1918.

And so the states that are on the path for the April 8 totality are looking to what happened along the August 2017 path for what to expect.

Totality, the point when the moon completely blocks the sun, will last just a few minutes in each location. During this time, the sky is darker than seen at any other time of day.

This is such a rare sight in the continental United States that hundreds of museums, campgrounds, amusement parks and science centers in those states have scheduled special events. Some unlikely venues such as college football stadiums and fairgrounds will even welcome locals or visitors to gather at their locations.

“We expect a heavy influx of visitors to our state to view this rare phenomenon, and we’re preparing accordingly,” said Arkansas Department of Transportation Director Lorie Tudor. “Our goal is to get everyone where they need to go as safely and efficiently as possible.”

“Because of the rarity of total solar eclipses, many thousands of people will be traveling to Indiana or elsewhere within the state so that they can be in the path of totality. In fact, it is estimated Indiana may see as many as half a million out-of-state visitors for the eclipse, boosting the state’s population by nearly 10%,” Indiana state officials said.

“This will lead to unusually high levels of traffic on roadways,” Indiana state officials added. “As seen around the country during the Great American Eclipse in 2017, traffic jams will occur, especially after the eclipse is over and people begin to travel home. Expect crowds and traffic levels to be heavy, even in rural areas.”

Because of that scenario, Indiana says it will have its State Emergency Operations Center active shortly before and during the eclipse; with the intention of coordinating first responders and public safety response when and were needed.

The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management also launched on March 1 a special website that curates emergency information for the public specific to that date.

And then there’s the weather. While those hoping to see a glimpse of the sun and moon alignment might be concerned mainly about cloudy skies, the Ohio Emergency Management Agency urges those who are traveling to also look up the National Weather Service bureaus for those regions and monitor forecasts for severe weather scenarios.

“April is historically one of Ohio’s most volatile weather months,” the state agency explained.

For those who do plan to travel, the authorities share these tips:

  • Overnight bookings should be made early. In some locations, overnight rooms and camping spaces filled up by mid-February.
  • Based on what was seen after the 2017 eclipse, emergency planners expect there will be a “rush hour” immediately after the solar event as people start to head home from their sighting spots.
  • Cell phone service might be disrupted through high volume in a given area. Those who need to reach loved ones should keep in mind that texting might work when a voice call does not.
  • Paper maps are a recommended backup for unfamiliar locations in case of detours, or if local cell phone service to digital maps is overloaded.
  • Leave your pets at home, the Indiana State Board of Animal Health says, especially if you’ll be in a crowded area.

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