With less than 100 days to go before the State’s first total eclipse in nearly a century, Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers and the State’s expected hundreds of thousands of visitors on its plans to ensure a safe, enjoyable and awe-inspiring experience.
“Whether you live in New York or are visiting to witness this generational spectacle, ensuring everyone can take in this year’s eclipse safely is our top priority,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “I encourage everyone to keep safety in mind so that all can savor this experience and make memories to last a lifetime. Come for the eclipse, but stay for New York and enjoy all our great state has to offer.”
During the afternoon of April 8, 2024, a total eclipse will encompass the western and northern parts of New York State. In less than 15 minutes within a 3:15 to 3:30 window, the moon will pass between the earth and sun, turning day into night for 1 ½ minutes to 3 ½ minutes. The roughly 100-mile wide path of totality will enter the southwestern part of the state at just after 3:15 PM, and will depart northern New York just before 3:30. Cities and towns within this path include Jamestown, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Watertown, Old Forge, Lake Placid and Plattsburgh. The entire event will last for up to 2 ½ hours, marking the time the sun is first obstructed to the last moments when the moon’s shadow is cast.
For other areas of the state that are outside the path, there will still be quite a celestial spectacle. The minimum coverage in the state will be on Long Island, with the sun being shadowed at 88 percent there. New York City will see 89 percent coverage with 96 percent in the Capital Region.
For the last 15 months, an interagency task force, comprised of nearly two dozen state agencies and authorities, has been collaborating on plans to ensure a safe and memorable viewing experience for New York State’s residents and visitors. It is focused on building awareness of the State as a prime location to experience the eclipse by gathering important safety and preparedness information, amplifying and supporting region-specific viewing activities, and maintaining regular communication with local governments and municipalities, especially those within the path of totality. New York’s public safety efforts align with the State’s normal jurisdictional role over State parks and State roads and support to local governments in their planning and decision making in accordance with their own codes, laws and needs as this exciting event approaches.
Public safety challenges for such an event include traffic management, communications capabilities and public health and safety. State, county and local public safety and emergency management efforts have been and will continue to be tailored to the anticipated needs from an influx of those who come to view the eclipse from both inside and outside the state.
The state’s goals surrounding the eclipse are to provide a safe, fun and enjoyable experience from start to finish. Alongside the focus on public safety is the promotion of New York State as an eclipse vacation destination. With so much to do and see in the path of totality, New York State and I LOVE NY are encouraging eclipse viewers to extend an eclipse viewing trip into a full vacation for a more enjoyable experience all around – including avoiding post-event traffic, like the massive backups after the Great Eclipse of 2017, which bisected the United States from Oregon to South Carolina.
