EDITORIAL: Clouds can't cover up eclipse's magic
Apr. 9—As it turns out, a bit of bad weather can't eclipse a rare solar event.
Yes, as many had feared, cloudy skies had a big impact on viewing Monday's total solar eclipse. In some cases, cloud cover shut out hopeful eclipse watchers to the sun and the moon crossing the skies above us.
It was definitely a disappointment after months of hype and build-up. But let's face it, we all knew the risks of such an event taking place in early April.
It didn't help that hours after a once-in-a-lifetime event, the skies cleared for most of us.
But what happened in the sky above was only a portion of what made Monday's events so memorable.
Clouds or no clouds, to see the world around us descend into darkness for a few minutes in the middle of the afternoon and then suddenly go bright again as the moon made its way across the sun was quite magical.
Depending on where you were, the stillness that followed the sudden darkness was followed by cheers — some near, some far — as fellow eclipse watchers expressed their joy at the moment.
Would it all have been better under clear, blue skies? We're not sure it would've made much difference. It was a very unique moment.
While the eclipse itself lived up to the hype, the crush of viewers flooding into Niagara County did not.
The Falls definitely didn't see anywhere near the high number of visitors some estimated but the weekend saw full hotels and a pretty exciting buzz throughout downtown.
On Monday, there was no sign of trouble as it was easy to see that local law enforcement were well prepared for whatever the day had in store for the city, and beyond.
The governor was in town, too — Gov. Kathy Hochul conducted an afternoon press conference at Terrapin Point, a popular spot for eclipse viewers.
She said the large crowds had a positive impact on Niagara Falls State Park and eight other state parks across the state. She said the parking lots at all nine reached capacity as of 2 p.m. Monday.
Melissa Free, chief marketing officer, of Seneca Gaming Corp., said the Falls casino hotel was at full capacity all weekend with some guests coming from as far away as Japan and England.
Steven and Laura Joseph made the trip from Modesto, California.
"Some years ago I had heard the eclipse was going to cross over the Falls, so I put a reminder in my phone about a year ago to make reservations so we could be here today," Steven Joseph said.
The many visitors that did arrive in town led to a really nice April weekend for a host of local businesses. Many compared it to a very busy summer weekend and were happy with the early bump in business.
Joe Hotchkiss, the owner of Power City Eatery on Third Street in Niagara Falls, described his Eclipse Monday inside his business as a busy summer day, "times two."
Gaelen Baillie, owner of Sight See Rentals, summed things up pretty well.
"I'll take it in early April," he said. "I can't complain in early April. The numbers were fantastic."
It's good to hear. We're certain those who took in the eclipse here Monday will have fond memories of their time in the Falls — despite the clouds.
