When is the best time to see eclipse in Dallas-Fort Worth?

Spectators put on the solar goggles to view the Annular Solar Eclipse at the Fort Worth Museum of Science & History in October. The total solar eclipse will take place on Monday at 1:41 p.m.

Chris Torres

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Texas Total Solar Eclipse 2024

When is the eclipse? Which cities in Texas are in the path of totality? Where can you find eclipse glasses? What’s the weather going to be like? Find the answers to all these questions and more here.

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Millions in Texas are counting down the hours to midday Monday when all will crane their necks up to the heavens as a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical wonder passes across what many hope will be a speckless sky.

At exactly 1:41 p.m. Monday, for 2 minutes and 24 seconds, a shadow cast by the moon moving across the fiery face of the sun will cast a pall over Fort Worth skies, much like when the dying darkness of dawn gives way to the first expectant light of a new day.

“I cannot name any better place for a solar eclipse to happen,” UT arlington planetarium director Levent Gurdemir told the Star-Telegram earlier this year. “It is a very rare event.”

The last time North Texas had front row seats to the phenomenon was in 1878 when shouts and cheers erupted as the moon’s shadow passed over the midday sun. Two days before the eclipse, rain and clouds dampened spirits around town, many fearing they’d miss out on a rare sight.

Weather is certainly a concern again this time around, since North Texas sees more severe storms in April. The Fort Worth office of the National Weather Service reports another series of severe storms are bearing down on the area, possibly bringing hail and gusty winds by Saturday night. Whether the storms stick around to dampen the highly anticipated celestial party is yet to be seen. But the latest forecast shows a 40%-80% chance that high clouds will blow into the region Monday.

But as early as last week, the weather service had given eclipse day in Fort Worth, which sits on the path of totality, a 25% chance that clouds may overshadow the visibility of the event. If clouds continue south, it could ruin the day for the many Texas towns on the enviable spine of totality who have parlayed their good fortune as willing hosts to this heavenly soiree.

The path of the eclipse crosses four metropolitan cities from North Texas to the Hill Country — San Antonio, Austin, dallas and Fort Worth are among the top places to witness the total solar eclipse.

Steve Wilson [email protected]

Exactly what time will North Texas towns see total solar eclipse?

Take a look at the weather for other towns across North Texas who are also in the path of totality. It may give you the best chance of seeing clear skies in time for the rare astronomical event.

Fort Worth

Partial eclipse begins — 12:23 p.m.Totality begins — 1:41 p.m.Totality ends — 1:43 p.m.Partial eclipse ends — 3:02 p.m.Duration of totality — Two minutes 24 seconds

Lampasas

Partial eclipse begins — 12:18 p.m.Totality begins — 1:35 p.m.Totality ends — 1:40 p.m.Partial eclipse ends — 2:58 p.m.Duration of totality — Four minutes 26 seconds

Killeen

Partial eclipse begins — 12:19 p.m.Totality begins — 1:36 p.m.Totality ends — 1:41 p.m.Partial eclipse ends — 2:59 p.m.Duration of totality — Four minutes 16 seconds

Proctor

Partial eclipse begins — 12:20 p.m.Totality begins — 1:38 p.m.Totality ends — 1:39 p.m.Partial eclipse ends — 2:59 p.m.Duration of totality — One minutes 14 seconds

Cameron

Partial eclipse begins — 12:20 p.m.Totality begins — 1:39 p.m.Totality ends — 1:40 p.m.Partial eclipse ends — 3 p.m.Duration of totality — 45 seconds

Waco

Partial eclipse begins — 12:21 p.m.Totality begins — 1:38 p.m.Totality ends — 1:42 p.m.Partial eclipse ends — 3:01 p.m.Duration of totality — Four minutes 16 seconds

Corsicana

Partial eclipse begins — 12:23 p.m.Totality begins — 1:42 p.m.Totality ends — 1:44 p.m.Partial eclipse ends — 3:02 p.m.Duration of totality — Four minutes five seconds

Roanoke

Partial eclipse begins — 12:23 p.m.Totality begins — 1:42 p.m.Totality ends — 1:43 p.m.Partial eclipse ends — 3:02 p.m.Duration of totality — 59 seconds

Dallas

Partial eclipse begins — 12:24 p.m.Totality begins — 1:41 p.m.Totality ends — 1:45 p.m.Partial eclipse ends — 3:03 p.m.Duration of totality — Three minutes 51 seconds

Celina

Partial eclipse begins — 12:25 p.m.Totality begins — 1:43 p.m.Totality ends — 1:44 p.m.Partial eclipse ends — 3:03 p.m.Duration of totality — One minute 42 seconds

Canton

Partial eclipse begins — 12:25 p.m.Totality begins — 1:42 p.m.Totality ends — 1:46 p.m.Partial eclipse ends — 3:04 p.m.Duration of totality — Four minutes eight seconds

Paris

Partial eclipse begins — 12:27 p.m.Totality begins — 1:44 p.m.Totality ends — 1:48 p.m.Partial eclipse ends — 3:06 p.m.Duration of totality — Three minutes 59 seconds

What can Fort Worth expect to see if clouds cover solar eclipse?

So, exactly how will clouds affect viewing parties around here? A report from the total solar eclipse in 1970 may shed some light.

“In the last 30 seconds we have witnessed the most incredible sight — in spite of the fact that we cannot see the sun — for it has become as dark as night.” Bill Plante, reporting from Halifax, Nova Scotia, told his CBS viewers during a special report on the 1970 total solar eclipse. “The light has fallen so quickly, from an acceptable twilight or reading level or cloud-cover level, to virtual night. And just off to the north and to the east, beneath this layer of dark, dark sky, there is a lovely pink and orange horizon; an orange and gold color. We say again, it was just an incredible and fascinating phenomenon, to have the skies go so suddenly dark, in less than 30 seconds, and now we have this totality of an eclipse.”

Joe Rao — space.com skywatching columnist, veteran meteorologist and eclipse chaser — shares a silver lining if indeed clouds interfere with the visibility of an event millions have waited to see once more since 2017.

The cloud cover may actually provide a “projection screen of sorts,” Rao writes, citing Isabel Martin Lewis’ description in her 1924 book, “A Handbook of Solar Eclipses,” as the moon’s shadow arrives and then retreats across the face of the sun.

An advantage for sure.

“At the time of eclipse when the shadow of the moon sweeps over us we are brought into direct contact with a tangible presence from space beyond and we feel the immensity of forces over which we have no control,” Lewis wrote. “The effect is awe-inspiring in the extreme. In fact, the passing of the moon’s shadow, if one is fortunate to observe it, will be one of the most impressive features of the eclipse.”

With mid- to high-level cloud cover, Rao explained that it may actually show a distinct contrast of the moon’s shadow crawling across the sun.

“Along with the sudden darkness came a change in the clouds’ color,” Rao wrote. “Indeed, along the very edge of the disappearing sun at the start and end of totality, an arc of ruby red or fuchsia associated with the solar chromosphere appeared. It looked bright red because the hydrogen in the sun was emitting a reddish light at high temperatures, and some of this light may become evident in the clouds at the beginning and end of totality.”

Remember to protect your eyes when looking up to the total solar eclipse

Jo Trazila learned during the 2017 solar eclipse the importance of preparation. Her daughter was not able to watch the eclipse because the glasses they had were counterfeit. So, she began a business in North Texas that sells ISO 12312-2 international safety standards-approved eyewear.

She was shipping out glasses, only to those in Fort Worth, for a package of ten or more.

For those who miss the April 4 deadline, there are stores in Fort Worth that have protective eye wear. Note that before visiting a store, you may want to check online if they have solar eclipse glasses in stock.

Walmart

Lowes

Target

Natural Grocers, free with purchase

Ace Hardware

Fort Worth Public Library, all locations on April 6 (look at what time your location opens), while supplies last

Kleiman Evangelista Eye Centers of Texas, free, one per person, while supplies last

Chroma Modern Eyewear Eyecare, free, one per person, while supplies last

Warby Parker locations, free, two per person, while supplies last

Amazon has one day delivery for solar eclipse glasses, however check to see the glasses you are buying are safety approved.

This story was originally published April 6, 2024, 12:00 AM.

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I am the Service Team Editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. My team of reporters answer reader questions about life in North Texas including how the weather affects our lives, Texas history and everything in between.

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