(as published in the Fort Erie Observer – March 28, 2024)
On Monday, April 8, 2024, Fort Erie will experience this celestial event.
While many solar eclipses take place over uninhabited regions, the one crossing North America this April will pass over populated areas in six provinces. In Canada, the phenomenon – which won’t be seen here again until 2044 – will trace a path approximately 200 kilometres wide, from southwestern Ontario to eastern Newfoundland and Labrador.
Weather permitting, millions of Canadians directly along the route will see daylight turn to darkness as it passes overhead.
Path of Totality: Fort Erie Has Longest Duration Coverage in Canada
Depending on where you are along the path of totality and how close you are to its centre line, the duration of totality changes, explains The Weather Network on its website.
The longest duration total eclipse seen from Canada for this event will be in the location that is farthest to the southwest along the path of totality, as well as closest to the centre of the path
That distinction goes to Fort Erie, where people will be able to see the moon completely cover the sun for 3 minutes and 46 seconds. Other locations along the northeastern shores of Lake Erie and the southeastern Niagara Peninsula will see at least 3 minutes and 30 seconds of totality.
The most dramatic changes to the environment occur during the 10 minutes or so leading up to totality.
Although the eclipse will have been in progress for about an hour, there will have yet to be no obvious signs of what is about to come. This will change quickly.
As greatamericaneclipse.com describes it, “You will start to notice an eerie quality of daylight. It will diminish minute by minute and shadows will grow sharper. You will also start to notice the temperature drop.
The Canada Post website, where a new stamp celebrating the eclipse is shown, describes the experience with, “The sky turns yellow. Shadows sharpen. Leaves cast tiny, crescent-shaped shadows on the ground. In the seconds before totality, the world changes completely. The temperature drops and a breeze may come out of nowhere. You might even see what looks like a massive thunderstorm approaching – but it’s actually the moon’s shadow, racing toward you at over 1,600 kilometres an hour.”
Animal Reaction
Start to watch animal life. Birds and other animals are frequently reported to noticeably react in these minutes before an eclipse. As the sky gradually darkens, some animals begin to behave as if night is falling. In 1991, in Baja California during an eclipse, roosters started crowing. It’s not unusual to hear crickets chirp or to see birds heading back to their roosts and bats coming out to hunt, according to the Canada Post blog.
1-2 Minutes Before Totality
“Your senses will seem to become hyper-alert; something big is about to happen. Sunlight will look strangely different; not day and not night. It will seem like a dim and diffuse kind of twilight. The sky will display a gradient of colors, dark to the west and blue to the east,” as described by greatamericaneclipse.com.
WHY RESTRICTIONS ON FORT ERIE?
Officials on all levels have been meeting and planning for this event for quite some time. They’ve been developing emergency preparedness.
Emergency Preparedness is the proactive process of planning and organizing resources to effectively respond to, and mitigate, the impact of potential emergencies.
As one of several results, the Town of Fort Erie has set up a page on their website, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Fort Erie. You can find this page by going to forterie.ca and clicking on the eclipse banner, on the button, Learn More.
Here, you will find the countdown to April 8 and an outline of points included in the plan of emergency preparedness.
The following restrictions will be implemented in Fort Erie:
- Fire Ban will be in effect from Friday, April 5, until Tuesday, April 9.
- Illegal Camping will be strictly enforced from Thursday, April 4, until Tuesday, April 9.
- Illegal Parking will be strictly enforced, with vehicles being towed (if required).
- Boating is being highly discouraged due to potentially difficult water rescue.
The following closures will be in effect on April 8, 2024:
- Town of Fort Erie Town Hall
- Crystal Beach Waterfront Park
- Fort Erie Public Libraries
- All Boat Ramps and access to launching boats will be closed to discourage being on the water
These restrictions and closures are in place to establish an environment that is as prepared as it can be for the possibilities of what could occur on the days leading up to, and the day of April 8.
(photo provided by A Hackett)
WHAT CAN FORT ERIE EXPECT?
Let’s face it. We don’t know what to expect. This is all new to us. Yes, we’ve experienced eclipses before. But there are different elements to consider about April’s eclipse for Fort Erie. We are in the “path of totality”. And it’s being promoted far and wide.
Since this is new to us, all we have is to look at those who have experienced similar events in the past. All we have to do is look back, not quite seven years ago, to August 21, 2017.
On the Niagara Regional Police Services’ website, Solar Eclipse 2024, covers important points about the coming event in April. This page includes information about traffic congestion.
Traffic Congestion
According to the NRPS page, “A solar eclipse that occurred on August 21, 2017, affected 14 states across the United States of America. This event saw millions of people traveling to areas in the United States that were part of the path of totality. The millions of travelers resulted in significant traffic congestion and gridlock.
“The Monday, April 8, 2024, solar eclipse path of totality will pass through the Niagara Region and other Ontario towns. With Niagara Falls being one of Canada’s top tourism destinations, it is anticipated that people from across Ontario, Canada, and the United States may travel to the Niagara area. 98% of Niagara’s 14,000+ hotel rooms are presently booked.”
Rooms are booked at skyrocketing prices — thousands of dollars a room in some places – to drop, reflecting normality, on April 10.
“Traffic congestion is anticipated to begin in the Niagara area Friday, April 5, 2024,” according to the NRPS page, “and build until the time of the eclipse. Following the eclipse, congestion may continue as visitors attempt to leave Niagara. The congestion will affect many local Niagara roads and provincial highways.”
As part of the emergency preparedness plan, it is posted on the NRPS page, “Visitors and residents of Niagara should be preparing for the possibility that large crowds could impact traffic movement and access to supplies.
“Visitors should be prepared and have a full gas tank, extra water, and food. While there are numerous public restrooms in Niagara, visitors stuck in traffic gridlock may not be able to access one nearby. Public urination and defecation are illegal. Visitors are encouraged to plan accordingly.
“Local residents are asked to also plan ahead (48-72 hours in advance) by ensuring all of their vehicles are fueled up and having extra household supplies. In being prepared, residents will be able to limit their need to travel to areas congested by traffic.”
Nigel Hay
Nigel Hay of Ridgeway has been covering events of interest in the Niagara Region, with a focus on the Greater Fort Erie area and its wondrous waters, as the Lake Erie Vlogger for several years,
In the eclipse’s path, Nigel says after doing his research, West Fort Erie and Niagara Falls are the only spots in this area that are getting the full eclipse — 100%. “If you type in a slightly different area than Fort Erie and Niagara Falls, the map shows it’s not quite 100%.”
And this, Hay says, will bring the crowds straight to us. He says Niagara Falls has been promoting this event for quite some time
“Niagara Parks has named the grounds of the Old Fort in Fort Erie as a designated viewing area for April 8.”
Hay admits that the Old Fort is a very good location for this event. Lots of green space. The question is, he adds, where is everyone going to park?
Nigel, who’s been doing a lot of research on what happened to towns in the path of the eclipse on August 21, 2017, found that when the time came, the towns were “completely blown away by it”. No one expected what happened.
Wyoming had over 500,000 visitors come for that one day. The population of the whole state is just over 550,000.
“The biggest crowd in Niagara Falls was for a tightrope walk — Nick Willenda in 2012 — bringing in 150, 000 people.” Nigel says Niagara Falls officials are being told by professionals, they could see over a million people ascend on the town in April.” He added in suggestion, “And many will try to get closer to the lake where the eclipse will be at its maximum, mainly around the Fort Erie region.”
Nigel suggests people check out videos from August 21, 2017, to prepare for what may come.
Nigel’s Video
On the day I spoke with Nigel, he was working on his first video about the coming eclipse.
He had included footage of the 2017 eclipse in the States and asked, “How many people are we to expect at our doorstep for this amazing event?” Adding, “There’s a hope people will come,” referring to the revenue-making potential, “but if the numbers start to hit 10,000, I think people are going to start panicking if not prepared.
“I’m also going to document that entire day. If the weather’s good, I should be able to get my drone up quite a few times; just try to document how people are going to go through this.”
Nigel’s video, Solar Eclipse – The Invasion of a Small Niagara Town, to help understand and prepare, can be found on YouTube.
For Other Stories by Christine Whelan Previously Printed in the
FORT ERIE OBSERVER
Christine Whelan 