Monday is E-day! The day Eclipse fans have all been anticipating for so long. The Total Solar Eclipse finally occurs in Oregon tomorrow morning starting at 10:15 a.m. on the Oregon Coast. While the moon will surely cover the sun for a full two minutes, conditions will remain in flux here on the ground long before and after. The Oregon Office of Emergency Management and its local, state and federal partners have provided information for residents and visitors who want information about changing conditions leading up to and after the eclipse. Oregon’s 211 information line and website at 211info.org has logged more than 1,700 calls and nearly 4,000 visits to the web to their eclipse web page since Wednesday. This service continues to be the best source of information for Eclipse-related questions or concerns. Call 211 or 211info.org is a great resource for answers to questions that are eclipse-related. Prior to the eclipse, take a moment to check your eclipse viewing glasses and make sure it has an ISO logo and note that indicates the glasses meet the requirement for ISO 12312-2:2015. If your eclipse glasses do not have this certification, do not use them! Consider making a ‘pinhole’ viewing apparatus. Directions on how to make a pinhole viewer can be found on the OEM Facebook page at facebook.com/OMDOEM. Traffic has been picking up in some areas of the state on Sunday, but the good news is that traffic was still moving well. Should roads become clogged, be patient and practice #SafeDriving. Continue to plan ahead. Make sure you get on the road with a sufficient supply of water, plenty of snacks and an emergency supply kit. Check traffic on your driving route by visiting the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Trip Check web page at TripCheck.com. ODOT personnel are on the roads around the clock to monitor traffic and help with the flow. Current weather forecasts indicate promising skies for eclipse viewing. However, conditions can change. The National Weather Service has created a page specifically for Eclipse viewers who want updated weather conditions in their area: www.weather.gov/eclipse. The Office of Emergency Management’s Emergency Coordination Center is fully activated to coordinate response to the growing number of wildfires in the state. OEM’s online Real-time Assessment and Planning Tool, known as RAPTOR, has updated information on wildfires and any wildfire-related road closures. People can access RAPTOR through OEM’s web page or they may go to www.tinyURL.com/OregonRaptor. It is important that travelers stay informed about conditions in the area in which they are traveling and take appropriate precautions. Weather and smoke levels can vary dramatically — even hourly — during wildfires. Visit oregonsmoke.blogspot.com for the latest information on smoke conditions in your area. Take precautions based on your individual health needs and the smoke levels around you. If you are traveling to Oregon, please plan to stay around for a while after the eclipse to enjoy some of the beautiful scenery and great activities our state has to offer. For information and excellent ideas, visit TravelOregon.com. “There’s a wealth of things folks can do once the two minutes of totality are over and eclipse events come to a close across the country,” said Linea Gagliano, Director, Global Communications at Travel Oregon. “There are vineyards and breweries, the beach and other tremendous scenic areas. The possibilities in Oregon are endless.”
