Texas Solar Eclipse Festival Canceled Hours Before Showtime
Hours before the total solar eclipse was expected to take place on Monday, a Texas festival planned solely for the purpose of viewing the event was called off.
On Monday morning, the Texas Total Eclipse Festival in Burnet, a small city outside Austin, canceled the event due to a potential threat of severe weather in the area
Citing safety of the attendees, the festival organizers agreed to end the festival early on Monday, in a "calm and orderly manner," adding that the festival is working with Burnet County officials, local safety agencies, and the National Weather Service.
"We regret to inform you of the severe weather forecast, including risks of high winds, tornadic activity, large hail, and thunderstorms for later today, including during the eclipse, Tuesday, and Wednesday," the festival said in a statement.
The multi-day festival, located within the "path of totality," was expecting at least 30,000 people in attendance on Monday.
According to the latest NWS forecast for central Texas, there was a "slight risk" of severe storms during the period of totality, though the main band of severe weather was not expected to pass over the region until early Tuesday morning.
"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
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