Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - With the Total Solar Eclipse set to take place exactly one month from Friday on April 8, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and members of the City’s Eclipse Task Force, along with representatives from partnering organizations and medical professionals, provided an update on the eclipse planning efforts.
Mayor Brown is hoping residents across the city and the hundreds of thousands of visitors making the trek to Buffalo are ensured a safe and enjoyable experience when viewing the solar eclipse.
"Four weeks from today, a Total Solar Eclipse will darken the skies across Buffalo for nearly four minutes. While we want this once-in-a-lifetime cosmic event to be enjoyed, we are asking City residents today to take this rare event seriously, to plan ahead if you haven’t already, be patient and be prepared," said Mayor Brown on Friday at the Erie Basin Marina. "With Buffalo so uniquely positioned to view this celestial event, people from around the country will be flocking here to see it for themselves. Public safety is our top priority, and we will be ready to ensure it will be a safe and enjoyable experience for all."
During the afternoon on April 8, Buffalo will plunge into darkness for 3 minutes and 46 seconds, as the moon passes between the sun and Earth. Here is the expected timeline for the eclipse in Buffalo:
- Partial eclipse will begin at 2:04 p.m. ET;
- Totality will begin at 3:18 p.m. ET;
- Totality ends at 3:22 p.m. ET;
- Totality lasts 3 minutes and 46 seconds;
- Partial Eclipse ends at 4:32 p.m. ET;
- Overall eclipse duration: 2 hours and 28 minutes.
Even if conditions are cloudy during totality, it will still become dark.
With crowd estimates of half-a-million to a million people converging to the region, City officials on Friday asked residents to take this event seriously and prepare in advance, much like they would for a winter storm.
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While the goal is for everyone to enjoy this historic moment, officials want people to do so in a smart and safe manner. Here are some highlights from Friday's eclipse update, beginning with the need for everyone to plan in advance and take the necessary precautions, leading up to the event:
- Go to the grocery store, pick up prescriptions, or go to the gas station days in advance of the eclipse. It might be virtually impossible on the day of the eclipse to accomplish any of these errands.
- If you have any doctors appointments or any pre-scheduled appointment, it may be wise to reschedule for a later date.
- City residents should plan for (and anticipate) heavy traffic congestion and possible gridlock on April 8, potentially throughout the entire day and into the evening. Traffic congestion has been an issue at prior eclipse events.
- EMS services may be delayed. Make sure your loved ones have a sufficient quantity of medication on hand.
- City officials say the best place to view the eclipse is from home. There’s no need to travel or go to an elevated area. The eclipse will be viewable no matter where you are.
- If City residents plan to attend a viewing party, they urge people to attend one that is in walking distance. Whether it be at a park, at a restaurant or some other location, stay close to home and walk, if possible.
- If you need to drive to an event, like the Outer Harbor or Sahlen Field, the message is simple: Leave early and be prepared to stay late. There’s the potential for a long and slow drive home (much like winter storm traffic). Pack extra food and water in your vehicle.
Dr. James Reynolds, professor and chair at The Ross Eye Institute, issued a reminder to people to make sure they protect their eyes when viewing the solar eclipse. He and other medical professionals say that the only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as “eclipse glasses”.
Eclipse glasses are available through several organizations throughout Buffalo, including BuffaloEclipse.org.
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City officials strongly urge business owners across the region to have a plan in place for their employees. With so many visitors expected, they want these dining and retail businesses to take advantage of this opportunity, but to do so in a smart and safe way.
To non-dining and non-retail business owners, City officials are asking them to consider having their employees work from home on Monday, April 8, or close all together.
"Monday, April 8 will not be an ordinary day in Buffalo," Mayor Brown said. "It will be a wonder. It should be fun, but it’s better to plan"
Additional information on how to safely view a Total Solar Eclipse in Buffalo can be found on the City’s eclipse webpage, www.buffalony.gov/eclipse.
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