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By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
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A risk of severe storms could affect thousands of people flocking to Texas to view the total solar eclipse.
On Monday, the moon will be positioned so that the sun's entire disc will be blocked in 13 states, plunging millions of people into darkness for several minutes in the early afternoon. The path of totality will start in Mexico and extend across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine before heading over the North Atlantic.
The spectacle is expected to draw crowds around the country, as people have headed to areas in the path of totality to witness the eclipse. Meanwhile, officials across the nation have voiced concerns about stretched public safety resources and an "enormous strain" on local hospitals and congested roadways. At least four states urged residents to stock up on groceries and gas and to fill medical prescriptions in the days leading up to the eclipse, as it is expected that traffic could overwhelm local roads.
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In Texas, clouds could disrupt eclipse viewing. After the celestial phenomenon, severe weather is also a threat.
"A couple of hours after the eclipse, attention turns a widespread severe threat with large hail, damaging winds, tornadoes, & flooding all possible," the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Fort Worth posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday morning. "You absolutely NEED to have a safety plan (especially if traveling!) and have multiple ways to receive alerts!"
Newsweek reached out to the NWS office in Fort Worth by phone for further comment.
Severe storms could begin as soon as two to three hours following the eclipse. Starting at around 4 p.m. local time, the threat will be most severe south and southeast of Dallas Fort Worth, targeting areas like Palestine, Waco and Killeen. By Monday night, the threat will expand to include Dallas Fort Worth, Gainesville, Paris and Graham.
Large hail is the biggest threat, followed by wind, tornadoes and flooding.
NWS Fort Worth issued a cloud forecast update early Monday morning.
"The best viewing conditions are likely north of I-20," the office posted on X. "It might look BAD around 9-11 am this morning, BUT we are expecting some low clouds to scatter before eclipse time. High level clouds should remain thin in many spots."
Despite the hopeful outlook, NWS admitted that some "unlucky areas" might have low eclipse viewability because of the clouds.
Totality will begin in Fort Worth around 1:40 p.m. local time and will last for approximately two minutes and 30 seconds.
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