Countdown continues to solar eclipse

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

It’s an event that can be best termed as extremely rare – a total solar eclipse.

A well publicized eclipse is now just over seven weeks away – Monday, April 8. People within a 124-mile wide band in the state of Ohio will experience a total solar eclipse that day.

Van Wert County is in the path of totality. It will travel across Ohio from southwest to northeast beginning at 1:54 p.m. in Van Wert County and ending at 4:27 p.m. Actual totality will begin in Van Wert County at 3:08 p.m. and will last approximately four minutes. In all, 35 Ohio counties, including Van Wert County, will have the entirety of their county within the area of totality, which will lead to high viewing demand locally.

The eclipse is expected to lead to a temporary population swell in the path of totality, including Van Wert County. The Ohio Emergency Management Agency is predicting the county’s population will double to 58,000 for the event. A lot of them are expected to arrive early and the temporary increase in population is expected to affect or overload wi-fi and cellular services. Traffic issues are expected as well and Van Wert County EMA Rick McCoy previously noted residents should be stocked up on food prior to the weekend before the eclipse.

“Don’t wait until that weekend because if we do get that influx of population coming, they’re going to clean out our grocery stores,” he said. “We need to advise our local restaurants to have a good supply of their menu items for the surge in population.”

A number of communities are planning festivals and viewing parties but at this point, Van Wert County doesn’t appear to be among them. The Van Wert County Fairgrounds will be available as a campsite during the eclipse and Main Street Van Wert will hold a DORA crawl on Saturday, April 6. All county schools will be closed on April 8.

According to the Ohio EMA, a total solar eclipse is a rare and spectacular event. On average, one happens somewhere on the Earth only once every 1.5 years. Only 21 total solar eclipses have crossed the lower 48 states in the entire existence of the United States.