6D-4 - The Texas Hill Country: Crossroads of the Eclipses

Abstract: Total solar eclipses aren’t rare; they are seen from somewhere on the planet roughly every 18 months. The frequency of annular eclipses isn’t exceptional either, happening every 12-24 months. Having two solar eclipses cross one another is a little less common. What is extraordinary is when two solar events intersect one another, over land, within six months of each other. This rare phenomenon occupied the lives and communities of the Texas Hill Country for more than three years. Boasting a population of over 4.6 million and with a range of municipal sizes from under 50 residents to the seventh-most-populous city in the U.S., this region of the Lone Star State had an opportunity to provide a unique perspective on eclipse preparation. What started at the end of 2020 with a few dozen community partners meeting to learn about the upcoming eclipses became a regular convening of a region-wide and, in some cases, a statewide and nationwide assembly that grew to over 700 members. The Hill Country Alliance facilitated 14 quarterly round table meetings, hosted a 12-part Lunch and Learn Series, and helped support eclipse planning across 23 counties. The Hill Country Eclipse Team comprised people, organizations, and businesses, from enthusiastic residents to city mayors, RV park owners to health care systems, educators to fire chiefs, and more. We knew the what, when, where, and why of the eclipses, but the who and, most of all, the weather were the biggest unknowns. Team members, their respective task forces, and partners planned for almost every contingency imaginable. And, while we all know the story of the state that would be clear, total eclipse day was far from blue skies. However, the processes proposed, tactics taken, events executed, and lessons learned will hopefully go a long way toward informing future communities what to consider and what to question when preparing for their own brush with annularity or totality.