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HarbingerDawn
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Total Solar Eclipse 2017

23 Jul 2017 05:18

So, does it feel close yet?  Today is the new moon.  The next new moon is the thing!    /getready


Traffic:
It is going to be NUTS.  But some places will be impacted more than others.  If you plan on driving to the eclipse, know what you're getting into and plan accordingly.  Give yourself enough time and bring extra necessities, because you may be stuck on the road for a while, especially getting out!

Predicting Eclipse Visitation with Population Statistics (useful infographics and maps)
Google Maps - Traffic Predictions
Great resources, as always!
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Total Solar Eclipse 2017

23 Jul 2017 12:59

Give yourself enough time and bring extra necessities, because you may be stuck on the road for a while, especially getting out!
It's not a good plan, but I will need to get out of the eclipse zone in Madras immediately after totality to head back to California.  The totality zone will be like a time dilation field.  For every minute delayed in the zone, 4 minutes will pass in SF.  That is, if I waste half an hour after totality, I expect the cost to be a two hour delay in reaching SF.
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Total Solar Eclipse 2017

23 Jul 2017 14:12

Traffic:
It is going to be NUTS.
This is my worry since I cannot leave until the day of.  Its an 8+ hour drive so have to leave around 12 hours earlier.  Going to be a long day for 2 minutes of eclipse.
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Total Solar Eclipse 2017

23 Jul 2017 14:30

Going to be a long day for 2 minutes of eclipse.
but eventually worth it! have fun american friends! its one thing in a lifetime for the U.S land probably! 
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Total Solar Eclipse 2017

23 Jul 2017 15:09

Yes, it will be a glorious 2 minutes. :)

midtskogen, in your case I wonder if it might be good to get to Madras, then the morning of, break camp early and drive a bit south before the eclipse starts.  Assuming the road out is passable then, you can move many kilometers from the center line without losing very much totality duration, yet put a lot of the impending traffic behind you.
 
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Total Solar Eclipse 2017

23 Jul 2017 16:53

, in your case I wonder if it might be good to get to Madras, then the morning of, break camp early and drive a bit south before the eclipse starts.  Assuming the road out is passable then, you can move many kilometers from the center line without losing very much totality duration, yet put a lot of the impending traffic behind you.
Perhaps, but I think that is a decision to be taken in Madras.  The eclipse is of course more important than anything else, and I'm slightly sceptical about leaving a perfectly good location unless there is absolutely certain that clouds will spoil it (a lesson learned in from the 1999 eclipse).  I think I need to see the area.
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Total Solar Eclipse 2017

24 Jul 2017 21:40

Makes good sense!

I've also just acquired a GoPro for recording the period around totality in 4k.  I doubt it will be of exceptional quality in the low light conditions, but hopefully it should suffice for getting the crowd reactions and changing appearance of the landscape and sky.  Mainly I just want something I can very easily set up and forget while I take some close up shots with the DSLR.

Finally, one more bit of info for anyone interested: I've found these high res maps of the totality path, showing contours of the duration along with the road network and small towns.  Not too important if you have a site and are sticking with it, but could be quite useful for finding the best alternatives if you need and are able to relocate to avoid clouds.

These maps also use the lunar profile and elevation data, so they're extremely accurate.  
► example for Oregon
 
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Total Solar Eclipse 2017

25 Jul 2017 13:32

I've also just acquired a GoPro for recording the period around totality in 4k.  I doubt it will be of exceptional quality in the low light conditions, but hopefully it should suffice for getting the crowd reactions and changing appearance of the landscape and sky.  Mainly I just want something I can very easily set up and forget while I take some close up shots with the DSLR.
Wide angle video is a good idea precisely because that can be set up in advance and you don't have to mind it during totality.  It records not only the crowd, but also the shadow as it moves across the sky.  One thing to have in mind about the low light is that it can confuse the autofocus, so if possible, fix it to infinity.
I set up a GoPro during the 2015 eclipse, but when I tried to turn it on, the display was extremely sluggy (about 10 seconds to show a change) and the camera died when I tried to record.  I had forgot to keep the battery warm.  Fortunately, I had a second camera, but only 1440x1080i resolution, which worked until a few minutes past totality when the cold also killed that camera.  In August we wont have to worry about these things, though. :)
The most important thing during totality: Don't forget to watch the totality!  There will always be a many other people who will take better photographs anyway.
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Total Solar Eclipse 2017

11 Aug 2017 07:05

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Total Solar Eclipse 2017

14 Aug 2017 14:50

Less than 7 days to go!  Weather forecasts for eclipse time are now available:

1)  Local forecasts through the National Weather Service

2)  Long range (8 day) forecast probability for mostly clear skies
(The eclipse is Monday at around 1800 UTC, so the most relevant frame is the next Tuesday at 00z)

3)  Mid range (4 day) forecast for cloud cover (scattered, broken, overcast)
Here we'll be looking for next Monday at 18z, which should become available on Friday.

4)  Mid range (4-day) forecast probability for totally clear skies
Similar to above; should become available on Friday.

Another good source for raw model output can be found at https://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/models/, which can be useful for looking at other weather conditions, and the trends in the forecasts, as we get closer.
 
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Total Solar Eclipse 2017

14 Aug 2017 17:12

Norwegian forecast

The forecast seems to change a bit back and forth every day, but for Madras the cloud cover is generally lower in the early day.
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Total Solar Eclipse 2017

14 Aug 2017 19:50

Thanks, it's good to have more models to compare their consistency.  Right now there's some fluctuation within and between the models on the behavior of a frontal system on the west coast that day, and it's cutting it pretty close.  So we'll need to see how the system evolves in the next few days.  Here's what the current NWS forecast discussion has to say for Madras:

.LONG TERM...Thursday night through Monday night (Day 4 through
Day 7)...A dry westerly flow producing subsidence will yield mostly
clear skies Thursday night due to a ridge of high pressure moving
across British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest. Friday the ridge
moves to the Rockies resulting in flow aloft backing to the
southwest, which allows a weakening cold front to move inland in
Washington the central WA Cascades Friday afternoon. Increasing
clouds associated with the cold front will spread over Kittitas,
Yakima and Klickitat Counties in the afternoon. This will be a dry
frontal passage across the forecast area Friday night with
widespread mid/upper level clouds moving across the region Friday
night and Saturday. The front pushes east and exits the forecast
area Saturday night resulting in clearing skies initially in central
and south central WA before daybreak Sunday. Mostly sunny to sunny
skies on Sunday will be due to a longwave trough parked over the
Pacific Northwest on Sunday and Monday with an amplifying ridge of
high pressure over British Columbia, which subtlety slows down the
trough and keeps it stationary over the interior Pacific Northwest
into Monday morning. The net effect of this longwave pressure
pattern in the mid/upper levels over the forecast area is to create
a split flow aloft along the Oregon coast which is stronger east of
the Cascades thus producing diffluent flow and strong sinking motion
aloft and clear skies over eastern Oregon Sunday afternoon, Sunday
night and from daybreak to noon on Monday. At this point, sky
conditions appear favorable for viewing the Great Oregon Solar
Eclipse on Monday morning.
 
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Total Solar Eclipse 2017

14 Aug 2017 19:57

I'm SO excited for this. I'm traveling out to Nebraska, and so far the weather patterns are looking good! Has anyone here ever seen totality before? If so, do you have any tips?
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Total Solar Eclipse 2017

14 Aug 2017 20:18

Area I plan to go is an iffy area to be predicting so far in advance, gonna have to wait until the weekend to really know. 

Checked out where I plan to go in Stellarium and if it goes according to plan its going to be a spectacular sight
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Total Solar Eclipse 2017

15 Aug 2017 01:45

According to Weather.gov, for my town in MN:
Monday
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
"Partly Sunny."

So far not good for here. We'll see by Friday. Granted my area will get 82% Totality, but since I don't have the means to get to the Path of Totality, this will do.
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