Was the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse a Total Failure for us? We went to Texas for the 2024 total solar eclipse. Our trip from Tucson to our campground north of Waco, Texas, was more than 1000 miles. Now, we are back in Tucson less than a week later. A 2,000-mile trip to see dark clouds would have been SO DISAPPOINTING. Did we get to see the 2024 total solar eclipse, or did we get skunked and only see clouds?
The above photo is from inside our RV overlooking Navarro Mills Lake. The following photo is also of Navarro Mills Lake, taken from our campsite. Both were taken on the same day, about 15 minutes apart. Both were taken before sunrise, but the photos were not taken on April 9th.
Less than 24 hours before the eclipse, the forecasted weather for the time of the eclipse looked like crap. It didn’t look good for millions of potential spectators. It looked like clouds were going to be the reason for lots of disappointment. We are in central Texas, south of Dallas, camping at a wonderful lake. We’re at an Army Corps of Engineers campground called Liberty Hill. Our campsite has water on three sides. This week it was warm. For two beautiful days, it was like early summer. We had a constant breeze just enough to cool the 80-degree days.
Meanwhile in Colorado
On the same days in Colorado (where I grew up), the weather was brutal, with cold temperatures and high winds. My brother said it felt colder than when the temperature was minus sixteen last winter. He should have made the long drive and stayed with us. He said that work (he works outside) was brutal that week. I don’t know how he does it.
Weather forecasts for the eclipse
Two weeks ago, I was pretty sure that we were too far north, and the ideal viewing location would be south of us, closer to San Antonio. Three days before the eclipse, I thought southern Oklahoma would be much better than central Texas for viewing the 2024 total solar eclipse. With one day remaining, I was convinced that the clouds would be everywhere on the shadow path through Texas. We could try to change locations, but it wouldn’t be any better if I tried to run down the eclipse, which also could cause a failure. Our campsite was as good a place as any.
Location & Luck
Everyone who sees a total eclipse also sees a partial eclipse. To see the total eclipse (for most people), you will need to travel to the shadow path. The 2024 total solar eclipse shadow path was about 115 miles wide. Yes, we saw the partial eclipse, and here is the first photo I took of the partial eclipse with my cell phone. The clouds made a pretty good filter, but the phone’s focus was tricked, and you wouldn’t know this picture from any other photo that included the sun behind the clouds.
The 2024 total solar eclipse
I mentioned the Texas Star Party location in the above map because this group of astronomy buffs was camping about 30 miles west of our campsite. These eclipse watchers are very serious about viewing the eclipse. My friend Scott Hellman took a photo the night before the eclipse.
Excitement and apprehension
I have been very excited to be here for the 2024 total solar eclipse and outlined our story about the 2017 total solar eclipse more than once. Here is a link to the story about the show in 2017. Amazing 2017 Total Solar Eclipse
I told everyone where I expected to be two years ago for the 2024 total solar eclipse. Here is a link to that story. Planning for the 2024 total solar eclipse.
Three weeks ago, I told the story of how we decided where to be for the 2024 total solar eclipse. Here is a link to my previous story about traveling to the 2024 total solar eclipse. We’re going to the 2024 total solar eclipse
Two weeks ago, I warned that some people may try to see the eclipse without proper eye protection. Here is a link to that story. How to test for fake solar eclipse glasses!
In an ideal place, except for the clouds
In the previous stories, I already outlined that I thought we were in an ideal location for being close to the center of the shadow path and at a location with a low probability of clouds. As of last Thursday, the forecast for us looked pretty grim. The forecast also looked pretty grim for almost everyone in Mexico and all across the United States, with the one exception being northern Maine.
High and low clouds
In the forecast for most of the shadow path for the 2024 total solar eclipse, I expected high clouds except in Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri, where I expect both high and low clouds. Where we are in Texas, there is a possibility of morning rain showers, hopefully clearing before noon. Maybe the clouds will part during the four minutes of the total solar eclipse.
Here are some pictures from the Windy forecast showing the weather situation for the 2024 total solar eclipse. I drew the little yellow circles to represent the eclipse’s shadow path.
The 2024 total solar eclipse might be the biggest disappointment of the century.
The 2024 total solar eclipse may be the biggest disappointment of the century. Texas estimates that more than a million people came to Texas to watch it. I hope their (and my) efforts will be rewarded.
We were in a great place, and it got really dark during the eclipse. Here is a photo from our campground during the four minutes the sun was totally obscured by the moon during the 2024 total solar eclipse. Looking at the horizon, we can see places that are not on the shadow path. Would we get to see an unobstructed view of the sun during the eclipse? One cloud is all it would take to block our view. We got to see a few peaks of the eclipse as the clouds moved.
Reports from friends in different locations
Scott Hellman and the Texas Star Party camping to the west of us saw the 2024 total solar eclipse. Here are two of Scott’s photos.
Southern Texas
Viewing the 2024 total solar eclipse south of us in Waco was hit or miss. One of our friends near Kerrville had the clouds part and got a great show. South of Kerrville, other friends report disappointing news of total cloud cover.
North of Dallas
North of us, northeast of Dallas, the result was pretty much the same as our show. Some people were rewarded, but others didn’t see much of anything. There were many clouds, and some people saw a few eclipse peeks.
Arkansas and Missouri
One friend in Arkansas reported that at the last minute before the 2024 total solar eclipse, a cloud covered the sun, obscuring the show. This cloud then sat between the moon and the earth for the entire period of the total eclipse. Luck improved in Missouri and further to the northeast. Some areas got a great show.
In the Ohio Valley
Bloomington, Indiana, had a great show. Many other places saw some dark clouds.
New York, Vermont and Maine
This was the place to be. It was cloud-free. Who would have expected it to be the best viewing location a year ago?
The 2024 total solar eclipse was a dramatic show.
The clouds added lots of drama to our show of the 2024 total solar eclipse. Here are my photos. The blue tint was caused by the filter on my camera, and most of these photos were of the eclipse filtered by the clouds. The darkest areas in my photos are clouds. Also, during this period, the sun was obstructed, and we got to see some planets in the darkness of space, but I couldn’t take photos of them.
What to do if you missed the 2024 total solar eclipse
On August 12, 2026, at about 8:30 PM, Eclipse northern Spain. Leon is the best location on the mainland of Spain, but if you can stay in Palma de Mallorca, I assure you that Palma will be an amazing location to see the 2026 eclipse.
You could try to catch the August 2, 2027, total solar eclipse in southern Spain. That would be fun. In this part of Spain, cloud cover would almost be unheard of in August, so your chances of seeing the eclipse would be ideal. 2027 I might want to spend the entire summer in southern Spain. That would be great. You could go to northern Africa. I have been there and am not going back.
Annular Eclipse January 28, 2028 at sunset. The best location will be Cadiz on the southern coast. I won’t attend this one first because it is an annular eclipse, not a total solar one. An annular eclipse is when the moon centers on the sun, but the orbit is too far away to create a total solar eclipse.
Australia has four total solar eclipses coming up—2028, 2030, 2037 and 2038
On July 22, 2028, you have another chance, but you have to travel to Australia. The ideal place will be inland from Sydney on the total solar eclipse in Australia. Remember that July in Australia is winter. Still, it is a pretty dry place overall.
Don’t wait for 2044! I’m going to plan on 2027. The ideal place to see the August 23, 2044 eclipse is Alberta, Canada. The mountains in Montana will also get the show. The 2044 solar eclipse will be in the United States twenty years from now. That is a long time to wait.
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Windy.com, centered on our campground in Texas I will be using this link leading up to April 8th hoping that we are in an area without clouds.
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Loved your pics. We in North Carolina had a beautiful 80% eclipse. Happy travels.
Lots of DRAMA.
Glad you got a decent view judging from your pics.
We been to southern Spain and Portugal.
Great place to visit and Good Wine.
Safe travels my friends.
You and Tami both got some awesome pictures. The memories I shared with my neighbors who will be leaving in 6 weeks and I got to spend time with my husband my work let me leave early. I was not disappointed because of the clouds. At the moment of totality it’s like God parted the clouds and we got to see it for 3 minutes. The darkness that came over, by the way you captured it beautifully, was awesome and eerie. I wouldn’t have traded it for anything in the world. Enjoy your trip to Spain. I hope you rent an RV over there and talk about it.
Always a good storyteller! Thanks for sharing the experience. best to you and Tami.
Great article. Eclipse viewing is much like any astronomical viewing. If you do it daily for the public, you will get a sense that even in the best locations, there is about a 1/3 chance of having good viewing on a regular basis. When amateur astronomers find clouds we go to a website to talk with each other. That website is Cloudy Nights Dot Com
We were in Jessieville Arkansas and conditions were perfect while sitting in a Quartz Crystal mine digging crystals with a bunch of friends. We got lucky! I wish I could send pictures with this email.
Incredible experience.
Oh, so glad you got to see totality! I would have been so bummed if our “only” 1600-mile detour had been for nothing – those miles were totally worth it, weren’t they? We’re now back on our “New Mexico” trip plan, and heading this summer to the Pac Northwest using many of your excellent tips. Safe travels!
Glad you guys got to see it! We’re hoping to see one of the ones here when the opportunity arises.
Based on Laura’s comment, I updated my section about future eclipses in Spain and Australia. Spain in the summer would be incredible for more reasons than eclipses.
I’m for the “cup half full” thinking. You did see the eclipse, although it was imperfect. After traveling 2000 miles there and back, I can understand how you expected “perfect.”
Joe DID!!! We stayed in Granbury, TX, but he joined the group to travel to GRANDVIEW, TX. They saw it all, up on a little hillock: full eclipse, 360° view of sunset, and stars! I stayed behind for various reasons and got a brief darkness. Oh, well, maybe we’ll join you in Australia in 2028?!
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