‘Some of the best conditions in the country’: Vermont’s eclipse views expected to be relatively clear

When a total solar eclipse takes place across a narrow band of North America on Monday, views of the rare astronomical phenomenon could be obscured by clouds in Texas, Ohio, New York and elsewhere. 

But in northern New England, according to forecasters, the coast should be relatively clear — particularly farther east. 

“Some of the best conditions in the country will be in Vermont,” said William Churchill, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Maryland-based Weather Prediction Center. “Northern New England is definitely among the best.”

Churchill shared that assessment around noon on Sunday, by which time the weather service was quite confident in its forecast, he said. 

The only questions, when it comes to Vermont, are how high-level cloud cover could affect eclipse-viewing and how quickly lower clouds could move in from the west. 

The path of totality — locations from which a total, not just partial, eclipse can be seen — runs in Vermont from Middlebury, Burlington and St. Albans in the west through Montpelier and Lamoille County to the Northeast Kingdom. The farther east you are along that path, the better your chances are of having a clear view of the eclipse, Churchill said. 

High clouds are more likely in the Champlain Valley all the way through north-central Vermont, but that’s not necessarily a problem. “Just because you have some high clouds doesn’t mean you won’t see any of the eclipse,” Churchill said. “Sometimes they’re so thin it doesn’t have much impact on visibility.”

Mark Breen, the senior meteorologist at the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium in St. Johnsbury, said those high clouds “won’t prevent people from seeing the totality, in terms of the moon completely covering up the sun.” But “some of the more subtle features,” such as the sun’s corona peeking out from behind the moon, could be obscured, Breen said. 

“The farther east, the more likely you are to see those subtle features,” he said. 

Also in play is the possibility that some mid-level clouds could approach the Champlain Valley during totality, posing a greater problem for eclipse-viewers, according to Churchill. 

Those waiting for the moon to fully cover the sun — at about 3:26 p.m. in Burlington and 3:28 p.m. in St. Johnsbury — will be able to do so in relative comfort. 

According to Conor Lahiff, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Burlington office, temperatures could reach the 60s throughout Vermont on Monday. At the time of the totality, they’ll be in the 50s — and could drop 4-6 degrees as the sun disappears. 

The weather service has warned that water bodies remain dangerously cold and that eclipse-viewers should stay onshore. 

State officials have been anticipating a major influx of visitors for the eclipse. As many as 160,000 people in 60,000 vehicles could enter Vermont, according to the Vermont Agency of Transportation, though inbound traffic was expected to be staggered over the days preceding the event. Officials have expressed more concern that visitors may depart immediately after the eclipse, clogging roadways. 

Vermont has activated its State Emergency Operations Center to monitor and respond to the situation. Mark Bosma, a spokesperson for Vermont Emergency Management, said Sunday that traffic was, indeed, up at the state’s welcome centers, with locations in Guilford, Sharon, Waterford and Bradford seeing the greatest volumes.   

Amy Tatko, a spokesperson for the state Agency of Transportation, said Sunday that the expected increase in northbound traffic along Interstate 89 and Interstate 91 had come to pass. She said the agency anticipated additional traffic from the west, given the likelihood that eclipse-viewing conditions in Vermont would exceed those in New York. 

The transportation agency issued an alert around 3:30 p.m. Sunday that traffic was particularly heavy at Interstate 89’s Exit 10 offramp in Waterbury. Tatko said this was almost certainly a result of eclipse-related traffic headed to Stowe. 

Evolving forecasts have prompted some dedicated eclipse-chasers to change their plans at the last minute. 

Ruben Kier, an astrophotographer from Connecticut, had decided 10 years ago to travel to Texas for Monday’s eclipse, reasoning that it had the greatest odds of clear skies. He booked a hotel room two years ago and a flight as soon as it became available. 

“I was all set, very excited,” he said on Sunday. “Then, about a week ago, disaster struck.”

With the forecast worsening in Texas and improving in northern New England, he resolved to drive to Vermont and, through a family connection, found a place to stay in Shelburne. 

Kier, who has photographed six other eclipses, said he’s not too concerned about the possibility of high clouds in the region on Monday. “The clouds can add an additional level of excitement,” he said. And precise eclipse-viewing conditions can be exceedingly difficult to predict. 

No matter what happens, Kier said, he’s happy to be in Vermont.

“You guys won the lottery ticket for astronomy this week,” he said.