Note: This blog is being compiled by Sarah Loesch, Jon Webb, Houston Harwood, Thomas B. Langhorne, Rayonna Burton-Jernigan, Ryan Reynolds, Chuck Stinnett and Donna Stinnett.

5 p.m. - Traffic backups continue

4:30 p.m. - U.S. 41 backed up to Lloyd Expressway

4:10 p.m. - U.S. 41 impacts I-69

Traffic impacts in Warrick County

Lane reopens

The right lane of U.S. 41 northbound over the Patoka River has re-opened.

4:01 p.m. - No new additions to the city during the eclipse

Mesker Park Zoo reactions

Like many places in Evansville, the Zoo welcomed multiple people from the Midwest and further. Truthfully, they were surprised at how many families came to the zoo today. In partnership with USI, some of the animals were at their Solarpalozza to spotlight a few animals and their reactions to the eclipse. Wanting the animals to not be confused, they were back at the zoo before 1 p.m. to allow for them to settle before the event.

Mesker Park Zoo Executive Director Eric Beck stood close to the giraffe exhibit to watch the eclipse. While standing in the large crowd, he notes that the animals seemed okay but thought it was time for bed.  He stated that they looked between their barn where they were used to their keepers letting them inside for the night and towards the crowd of people who usually feed them romaine lettuce in slight confusion.

This is a reaction that many of the animals in the park had.  The Humboldt penguins, who usually hang out in the water/their play area for a while, had several that went into their homes or sleeping areas thinking it was time for bed. Luckily after the eclipse was over, they returned back for a day in the sun.

3:50 p.m. - Backups grow on U.S. 41

South Weinbach closure

INDOT live traffic updates show a significant backup near the closed portion of South Weinbach Avenue as the road approaches the Ohio River bottoms. Drivers heading from Evansville to Kentucky will not be able to cut through South Weinbach Avenue to Waterworks Road.

3:30 p.m. - Backups begin as people exit Evansville

Indiana Department of Transportation traffic data shows reduced travel speeds in Downtown Evansville and much of the city center as of 3:30 p.m.

The agency noted significant slowdowns along U.S. 41 near the Twin Bridges as visitors attempted to make their way back to Kentucky.

There are also northbound slowdowns on U.S. 41 as the thoroughfare approaches the Diamond Avenue interchange in Evansville, according to INDOT traffic data.

Lane closures

3 p.m. - Traffic headed toward Kentucky

2:47 p.m. - Once in a lifetime

2:40 p.m. - Henderson visitors scan pics from totality

Sarah Evans and Leah Moore had planned to view the eclipse from Garden of the Gods in Illinois but stopped in Henderson after Evans’ car developed mechanical issues. Moore borrowed her brother’s sword for the occasion.

2:34 p.m. - Yes, the temperature dropped during the eclipse

The temperature dropped seven degrees in Evansville during the height of the eclipse, from 75 degrees to 68 degrees, according to the National Weather Service office.

2:30 p.m. - Wesselman and USI festivities continue post totality

By 1:55 p.m., officials from Wesselmans hopped on stage to encourage people to find a prime spot to watch the eclipse.Motors from food trucks and different organizational tents had to shut down so viewers could get the whole experience with just nature sounds.As the last of the moon engulfed the course in darkness, the only thing that could be seen in the sky was a kite flying around, and a drone trying to find the perfect shot.By 2:03, applause and screams filled the course to take in the spectacle. Motor cyclists in the parking lot and along the Lloyd Expressway could be heard revving their engines.In the distance, all street lights by and beyond Wesselmans could be seen lit as the eclipse continued.Birds from the perseve can be heard at an extreme level during this time.Dogs could be seen huddling close to owners not understanding what’s going on but seeking comfort from their onlooking owners.By the end of totality, spectators started to clear out of Wesselmans even with their festivities continue until 3.

Over on campus at USI, plenty of people headed out after totality, but there was no bumper-to-bumper issues as of 2:30 p.m.

There is live music and lots of people are sticking around.

2:20 p.m. - Temperature drop

Totality in Henderson

2:05 p.m. - Totality at Evansville's riverfront

By 1:45 p.m., temperatures in and around Downtown Evansville had noticeably dropped as the moon appeared to crawl across the sun's face, rendering a gloomy, almost dusk-like glow.

Ten minutes before totality, the thousands congregated along Evansville's riverfront began to settle down and take it all in.

Then it happened.

Just after 2 p.m. Monday, the sky grew darker with each passing second until the moon completely obscured the sun, which became a pale, glowing orb. The planets Jupiter and Venus faded into view almost out of nowhere as day turned to night.

Cheers erupted around the Four Freedom's Monument. Dogs barked. And just as quickly as it began, totality ended: the sun abruptly reappeared. The once-visible planets faded from view.

Amber and Cody Stallings drove all the way from Atlanta with their infant daughter, Sadie. Amber said she was in the path of totality in 2017, but "there's nothing like" the experience they had here, with the shadows hurled across the Ohio River.

"It's breathtaking and moving," she said. "It brought tears to my eyes."

Sadie was strapped in a stroller, and the parents turned the young girl away to keep her from staring at the spectacle and hurting her eyes. She won't remember it, they said, but at least she can say she was here.

And like thousands of others, the young family prepared themselves for a long drive back home. Were they worried about the traffic?

"Come on," Amber said. "We're from Atlanta."

2:02 p.m. - WOW!

Street lights came on.

Birds chirped.

The temperature dropped.

It felt like 7:02 p.m. at 2:02 p.m.

Issue on the Twin Bridges

1:45 p.m. - Vegas visitors take in eclipse at University of Southern Indiana

Terri and Kevin Janison came a little ways to enjoy Solarpalooza at USI. The Janisons live in Las Vegas.

It’s not as random as it sounds. Terri is a native of Evansville, having left in 1989. Still, the Janisons almost went to Texas for today’s eclipse instead.

If weather and travel conditions had been better, Kevin vowed, Texas-bound they would have been.

But Terri has relatives here, allowing her to visit them and see a total solar eclipse - a “double-whammy,” she said.

“I was not going to Texas,” Terri said with a laugh.

The Janisons flew in on separate days last week. They’re leaving together after the eclipse, bound for the St. Louis airport. They know what a post-eclipse traffic jam looks like. They saw the 2017 eclipse out west.

“Rigby, Idaho to Salt Lake City took us six hours,” Kevin said. “It should have been a little over two.”

Terri smiled and shrugged. What else can you do?

“We filled up the tank,” she said.

1:40 p.m. - Crowds in Evansville gaze upwards as moon begins to eclipse sun

It’s almost as if someone took a bite out of the Earth’s nearest star, at least that’s the impression one gets when viewing the eclipse with solar glasses about 45 minutes into the celestial transit.Along the Evansville riverfront, visitors, photographers and enthusiasts from around the United States and beyond are readying for totality, the moment when the moon will almost entirely darken the sun’s glow, transforming a balmy spring day into an otherworldly experience.Chunjoo Park, a high school junior from Metro Atlanta, convinced his family to make the drive to Evansville after space captured his interest in school.At 1:30 p.m., Park gazed at the sun through his eclipse glasses with excitement.“It’s happening, it’s happening!” Park recalled thinking as he saw the moon cross in front of the sun for the first time.Park is even more excited to witness totality: “Hearing about it and actually seeing it… I really don’t know what to expect!”As it stands, we’ve got less than 20 minutes to go until totality in Evansville.

1:35 p.m. - estimates from Downtown Evansville

Downtown Evansville is estimating 10,000 people are gathered at the riverfront.

1:30 p.m. - It's getting darker out there, isn't it?

1:15 p.m. - Georgia couple travels to Evansville thanks to local's tip

For this UGA couple, it just made sense to come to Evansville with it being in path of totality.

Broderick Sylvester, 21, is a physics student and Reesa Krosner, 20, majors in astrophysics.

They got the idea to come to Evansville from Sylvester’s roommate who is a native to the city.

Both have an interest in space and photography that made them make the 457 mile drive. Unlike many who are using a DLSR to photograph the event, Sylvester said he rigged his phone with a lens similar to those within the eclipse glasses and created other eclipse glasses to have different views for the event.

They even created night goggles to train their eyes leading up to today. Now like many of the people in Wesselman Woods, they’re waiting for the spectacular event.

Reuters releases total solar eclipse photo from Mexico

1:05 p.m. - Don't throw away your eclipse glasses

Recycling information: Don't throw away your eclipse glasses. Recycle them and get a local perk in Evansville

1 p.m. - Amateur photographers prep for eclipse

Fun Fong, an emergency room physician from Atlanta, made the long drive to Evansville with family and friends, and near the riverfront boat ramp in downtown on Monday Fong had his Canon DSLR camera with an affixed solar filter at the ready.“I’m not being real fancy with it,” Fong said. But he hopes to capture a nice image as the sun and moon transit overhead this afternoon.Mason McFerrin, a junior at Middle Tennessee State University, said he “skipped school” to bring his Nikon D7200 camera and other equipment to Evansville in the hopes of photographing the sun and moon at regular intervals as the eclipse approaches totality.“I’ve never done anything like this before, so it’s just trial and error,” said McFerrin, who described photography as his hobby.McFerrin considered other eclipse viewing sites, including nearby Paducah, Kentucky. But Evansville’s riverfront and downtown area sold McFerrin on making his way a bit further north in search of that perfect shot.

Crowds gather downtown as eclipse begins

Madisonville, Kentucky group sets up with eclipse-themed treats

Florida family finds their way to Henderson

Jayme and Hazel Hakenson of Fort Walton Beach, Florida and 14-year-old son John were in Clarksville, Tennessee at about 6:45 a.m. Monday debating whether to view the eclipse in Marion, Illinois or Henderson.

Based on online projections, they found their way to Henderson’s Red Banks Park, one of several city parks situated along the Ohio River.

They had never even heard of Henderson before, but by 12:15 p.m. they were literally tailgating from the back of their Ford F-150.

“It’s so pretty here,” Hazel said.

Theirs was one of two vehicles with Florida license plates jammed into the Red Banks parking lot along with vehicles from Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and even one from Indiana.

University of Louisville Students hit USI for Solarpalooza

It wasn’t a particularly long drive to get to USI’s Solarpalooza for college students Abby Elliott, Allie Dunn and Leellie Robinson. They attend the University of Louisville.

Accomplishing the usual two-hour drive back might be a problem, though. Abby, who attended a class in the morning, has another one at 6:45 p.m. CST. That’s 6:45 p.m. today.

Had she heard reports of a possible large traffic snarl out of Evansville after the total solar eclipse this afternoon?

The 20-year-old Elliott had. She flashed some perspective with her answer.

“If I don’t make it, I don’t make it,“ she said. “I feel like this is more important. It’s a lifetime type event.”

Florida, Alabama residents at USI

Buddies Shawn Blagg of Tampa, Florida and Joe Heiman of Huntsville, Alabama knew what to look for when they chose USI’s Solarpalooza as their base for today’s total solar eclipse.

Sporting NASA t-shirts and freely confessing they’re science nerds, Blagg and Herman saw the 2017 total solar eclipse in Tennessee.

“It’s amazing how all the insects start making noise, the birds. Just the reaction of nature to it,” Herman said.

The buddies, who met as children in Charleston, Illinois, picked Evansville for its relative proximity to their homes and the advertised events at Solarpalooza. Color them impressed.

“This campus is amazing,” Herman said.

12:45 p.m. - The eclipse is underway in Evansville

The partial eclipse has started in Evansville, and will continue to grow until "totality" begins at 2:02 p.m. CDT.

12:28 p.m. - The eclipse cometh soon...

Here are some important moments to note today for the total eclipse in Evansville.

(All times Central)

Start of the partial eclipse: 12:45 p.m.

Start of total eclipse: 2:02 p.m.

Maximum moment of the eclipse: 2:04:08 p.m.

End of the total eclipse: 2:05 p.m.

End of partial eclipse: 3:20 p.m.

12:05 p.m. - Evansville's trending on Twitter ... for two reasons.

1. The eclipse.

2. With John Calipari leaving the University of Kentucky for a job at Arkansas, the UK fan base is re-litigating the Wildcats' home loss to Evansville a few years ago.

11:56 a.m. - One last forecast update from the National Weather Service

• Here are the basics of the National Weather Service's lunch-hour eclipse forecast

• The fog and low clouds have largely dissipated in the Evansville and Henderson areas

• Mostly sunny to partly cloudy with mainly thin high level clouds expected for eclipse time this afternoon.

• The one exception is portions of Western Kentucky, especially southeast of a line from Murray to Owensboro, where scattered to broken low clouds have developed.

• High temperatures will range from 75 to 80. However, temperatures will be several degrees cooler during the eclipse.

Emergency management reports clear roads

11:45 a.m. - Visitors stream into Evansville riverside as start of partial eclipse nears

Kendrick Porter, of Fairview, Tennesee, strolled through Downtown Evansville Monday as eclipse viewers set up folding chairs, cameras, telescopes - and readied their all-important solar glasses - along the Ohio River bank.

Porter said he chose to come to Evansville over other destinations, such as Louisville, Kentucky, due to one simple reason: "I thought this was the best move weather wise," Porter told the Courier & Press.

And as of 11:45 a.m., Porter seems to have made a good choice. Thick morning fog dissipated as temperatures rose Monday, and the skies over Downtown Evansville are now mostly clear – save for airplane contrails and a few wispy clouds.

11:40 a.m. - Group finds Henderson riverfront 'by accident'

A group of five from Nashville, Tennessee found the Henderson riverfront “by accident.”

They were staying in Owensboro, the closest place they could find accommodations nearly totality, and headed out this morning for either Evansville or the Sloughs Wildlife Management Area. They exited at Henderson searching for a bathroom break and found their spot on the downtown riverfront to set up and wait.

“This is a beautiful town,” said Brian Laidlaw. “We’re very happy we found this spot.”

Laidlaw, wearing his 2017 eclipse shirt, was accompanied by wife Johnna Laidlaw, sister-in-law Joan Bollman and friends Andy Griswold and Penny Griswold.

ISP: No traffic issues in Evansville

Retirement gift comes in handy for total eclipse

Steve Benton had his choice of retirement gifts after 35 years as a quality manager for a plant that built power supplies for computers.

He chose the four-inch Bushnell telescope with which he and daughter Stevi and daughter-in-law Lily are enjoying Solarpalooza at USI. The trio came here from the Atlanta area.

Self-described “amateur astronomer” Benton plans to let people look through his telescope. He’ll take photos through it with a digital camera used for astronomy photography.

There’s nothing amateurish about it. Stevi Benton showed the Courier & Press several striking images of the 2017 eclipse that her dad took in Athens, Georgia.

“It’s a surreal experience,” Stevi said of viewing a total solar eclipse. “Not just the eclipse itself, but the whole eclipse experience - the way it starts to get dark, the way the animals act.”

11:30 a.m. - Downtown business sees boost from eclipse

Visitors for the eclipse have had a positive impact on downtown businesses today. Heather Vaught, with River City Coffee and Goods, said her shop has been slammed all weekend, especially today.

Just after 11 a.m. customers packed the small coffee shop on Main Street. She said it started early this morning and hasn't let up.

A family affair at USI

In a sense, Hunter Reynolds is working at USI’s Solarpalooza. With his dad, Mark, in tow, Hunter plans to record as much of today’s total solar eclipse as he can with a Go-Pro.

It’s work-related because Hunter is a teacher of environmental and physical science at East Jackson Comprehensive High School in Commerce, Georgia.

“I’ll find a YouTube video that can explain the process of what a solar eclipse is and then from there, I’ll just talk about my experience and then show the video that I recorded and just kind of give them a narration like that,” he said.

“I just want them to know what this looks like.“

Maybe it will pique the nascent interest in science that some of those students have shown, Hunter said.

Mark said USI’s Solarpalooza event looked interesting enough to make Evansville the pair’s destination.

It would be about a seven-hour drive with no traffic issues. The Reynolds hadn’t thought much about prospects for a massive traffic snarl getting out of town. Hunter, an assistant football coach, has practice at 6:30 a.m. EST.

“I’m trying not to think about traffic,” he said with a laugh.

11:10 a.m. - Passing time in Henderson with ... card games?

Nine 20-something friends from Maryland set up a Kentucky-blue tent overlooking the Ohio River in downtown Henderson's Audubon Mill Park, the first group to set up a camp in the park Monday morning. By 10 a.m., they were huddled around a picnic table playing the Dungeon Mayhem card game, one of a bagful of games they brought along after driving in from Nashville, where they had spent the night.

"We were looking between Paducah and Henderson because they were the two biggest cities (in the path of totality) in Kentucky," ultimately selecting Henderson, Hannah Mitchell said.

As it happened, they came not just to experience a total solar eclipse, but to celebrate Andrew Nawn's 25th birthday.

11 a.m. - Visiting from Tennessee for the eclipse in Evansville

Courtney Cochran of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and daughters Aria, 18, and Zion, 14, are just the kind of visitors local eclipse planners were hoping for.

The trio rolled into Evansville on Sunday − first trip to Indiana for all of them − and began immediately to spend money. They ate at Comfort, bought “touristy” trinkets from Downtown stores and walked the riverfront.

From their perch at USI’s Solarpalooza, Courtney said the trio picked Evansville because they wanted a place within a day’s drive and a smaller-town experience.

“And we liked the educational programs (at USI),” Courtney said.

Aria is going to start at the University of Tennessee next year. Zion, well, Courtney noted that USI does look like a good school. Who knows?

10:59 a.m. CLEARING SKIES!

10:30 a.m. - The Mountain Goats enjoying eclipse in Evansville

John Darnielle and Matt Douglas of the Mountain Goats will play The Victory Theatre Monday night. But first they ventured to the Evansville riverfront.

Darnielle said he and the whole band planned to view the eclipse when totality hits just after 2 p.m.

The Mountain Goats, anchored by Darnielle's acoustic guitar and storytelling lyrics, are making their first stop in the city. The show will kick off at 7 p.m., with opener Katy Kirby.

Henderson

“When suddenly, and without warning, there was this total eclipse of the sun. It got very dark and there was this strange humming sound like something from another world. Da-doo. And when the light came back, this weird plant was just sitting there. Whoopsy-doo. Just, you know, stuck in, among the zinnias, Audrey Two.”

Henderson Community College is showing “Little Shop of Horrors” this morning, among other events, prior to the solar eclipse.

Downtown Evansville

In Evansville, foot traffic is picking up substantially along Riverside Drive in downtown — the hub for viewing in the city center.And, the morning fog appears to be clearing out.Food trucks and concession stands, which line the foot-traffic-only portion of Riverside Drive between Court and Walnut Streets, have eclipse-day menus stocked with everything from wood-fired barbecue to lemon shakeups.A large contingent of the Evansville Police Department conducted a morning meeting earlier Monday outside a mobile command center near the Four Freedom’s monument, and first responders have the popular viewing areas downtown pretty well covered.

Eight portable restrooms, including two that can accommodate wheel chairs, are located on Riverside Drive between Court and Locust Streets, on the sidewalk outside the Old National Bank building.

University of Southern Indiana

Across the city, on campus at USI “Bob and Jane R.” a retired couple from Charlottesville, Virginia, chose Evansville as their eclipse viewing destination in September after a rigorous selection process.

They sat in chairs at USI’s Solarpalooza just after 10 a.m. reading, enjoying the music and watching the crowd around them grow, feeling good about their decision.

“(USI) had a lovely map online of campus, and they promoted it as a whole event,” Bob said.

“We liked that. We also were for cloud cover, and totality, of course.“

10:15 a.m. - Where ya from?

Downtown Evansville has set up a board inviting visitors to list how far they traveled to see the eclipse along the riverfront. Visitors have flocked in from as far away as San Francisco, Alabama and Puerto Rico. Officials hope to get all 50 states before the day is up.

Traffic is still moving smoothly, according to the Indiana Department of Transportation.

9:45 a.m. - Keeping an eye on local traffic

With dense fog hampering visibility in Evansville Monday morning, traffic safety is certainly a concern for area law enforcement — and for the out-of-town eclipse chasers making their way to the city.

Vanderburgh County Sheriff Noah Robinson told the Courier & Press that nearly all of the VCSO's deputies were patrolling local roads and were ready for traffic snarls ahead of the eclipse.

Likewise, the Evansville Police Department are out in full force within city limits, and the Indiana State Police are issuing updated traffic guidance throughout Monday.

But just how bad traffic slowdowns could get remains to be seen, according to Robinson.

"I've had reports of 80,000 on the high end," Robinson said of estimates regarding the number of potential visitors. "But I don't know yet if that's going to materialize."

If traffic backs up on major thoroughfares, Robinson said deputies would begin directing traffic to "secondary roads." He warned drivers to be careful, especially given the reduced visibility Monday morning.

Planning for an event like the eclipse, and estimating how many visitors could potentially jam up local highways, is difficult, Robinson added.

He joked that the VCSO would have a great plan for a sheriff "100 years from now," but by that point, "we'll probably have flying cars."

9:15 a.m. - Staying until Tuesday

Terry and Sandy Boggs from Lexington, Kentucky came into town Sunday and don't plan to leave Evansville until Tuesday.

"We dealt with Hopkinsville in 2017," Sandy said. "Getting out of Hopkinsville was fine, but it took almost 12 hours to get to Lexington."

It normally takes a couple hours, but construction on the highway and traffic slowed them down.

9 a.m. - New Jersey couple enjoying eclipse here

Charity and Norris Clark came all the way from New Jersey for the solar eclipse, but as they stood on the Evansville riverfront Monday morning they were prepping to make another jaunt for a little more time in the dark.

The brother and sister have a tradition of finding totality, Norris said. In 2017, they made the trip to South Carolina.

Now, it looks like they might spend 2024 about an hour away in Mount Carmel, Illinois.

They came into Evansville on Sunday, ate some local food at Hickory Pit Stop and have enjoyed the people they've met, but with totality in Mount Carmel set to last longer, they've made the decision to head there.

"We're going to eclipse chase," Charity said.

8:45 a.m. - Breakfast before the eclipse in Henderson

The first of nine overnight guests at L&N Bed & Breakfast, a block away from the Henderson riverfront, sat down for breakfast at a table host Greg Gibson decorated with Moon Pie, packets of Eclipse spearmint gum and complimentary Henderson-branded eclipse glasses.

They came from four states and each had their unique way of finding their way to Henderson for the eclipse.

"There's a couple of couples that planned and booked (their stay at the L&N) before we knew (the eclipse) was coming," Gibson said,

Drs. Kian Behbakht and Michele McGould of Denver made the trip because Behbakht had met Henderson native Walker Keach several years ago rock-climbing in Colorado and became friends while Keach was doing his medical internship in Denver.

"We went to the 2017 eclipse with him and his friends, and we decided then that we would come here" for the 2924 eclipse, Behbakht said. The festivities included a gathering of some 300 friends at the farm of Keach's father, Scott, where Behbakht and McGould planned to experience the eclipse.

To travel so far, McGould said, "It's crazy. It's all of two minutes, two minutes and 34 seconds" of totality. Yet she said, "We're planning for the next one in 20 years."

John Jacobs, a high school math teacher from Ocala, Florida, traveled to Georgia to witness the 2017 eclipse but was foiled by thunderstorms from viewing it. Ten months ago, he asked his wife, Teresa, 10 months if she wanted to travel north with him to witness the eclipse.

Teresa, the family trip planner, promptly began trying to make a lodging reservation. "Everything was already booked," she said.

"We kind of started at the center of totality (farther north) and worked our way out," John said. "She looked at smaller towns" until finding a vacancy at the bed and breakfast in Henderson.

"We're here by default," he said.

Andrew and Carrie Kroll of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, were content to find a small town that would be in totality that would "be a little quieter and get us back (home) sooner."

Linda Henao was in Henderson chiefly because her husband, Luis, an executive with Pratt Paper, was coming on one of his regular visits to Pratt's big new mill on the south side of town. Luis stays at the L&N when he's in town, and Linda enjoys staying there as well. "I love the whole damn home," she said of it.

The most harrowing life story among the guests was that of Lorenzo Cash and Rebecca Marsala of Murray, Kentucky. The two were supervisors at the candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky, that was flattened by a tornado that devastated the town on Dec. 10, 2021. Nine co-workers were killed, and Cash and Marsala were trapped for six hours and hospitalized for three days.

Marsala flew to Florida last week to visit her daughter and grandchild, and flew back into Evansville to visit her son and another grandbaby. Having survived the traumatic and life-altering experience in 2021, she encourages Cash to seize precious moments and persuaded him to take the day off and meet her here.

"It was kind of last minute," Marsala said. "I (couldn't) find anything" but finally learned that she could book a room next door at L&N co-founder Norris Priest's home (which Gibson calls "the annex").

It was Cash's first experience with a bed and breakfast. "I like it," he said over breakfast. "It's different."

8:30 a.m. - Check local traffic

Keep an eye on road closures and slowdowns.

In its morning briefing, the weather service says there will be "mainly thin high clouds for eclipse time in the afternoon."

The high temperature for the day in Evansville and Henderson will be between 73 and 77 degrees as the totality of the eclipse starts.

"Temperatures will be several degrees cooler during the eclipse," forecasters at the National Weather Service wrote.

More on the forecast: Here's the morning forecast update for eclipse day in Evansville and Henderson

8:20 a.m. - Some fog, for now

Evansville Vanderburgh County Emergency Management Agency shares a fog advisory from the National Weather Service that will last until 9 a.m.

Visibility reduced to 1/4 mile in parts of western Kentucky, southern Illinois and southwest Indiana.

7:50 a.m. - No traffic issues early

Indiana State Police Todd Ringle posted to Twitter that there are no traffic issues on I-64, I-69, US50 or US41 in the Evansville district.

7:40 a.m. - Some eclipse history for Evansville

The last time Evansville fell in the path of totality for a solar eclipse was Aug. 7, 1869 – just four years after the Civil War ended.

Just like they will today, hordes of residents and visitors alike took in an spectacle that a verbose over-writer for the Evansville Journal described as proof of the “ineffable wisdom of God.” Instead of using glasses approved by the International Organization for Standardization, they peered through smoked glass fogged by the flame of a candle: something that likely left several of them with permanent eye damage.

According to another Evansville journalist at the time, the boiling late-summer temperature plummeted to a chill as the moon and sun crossed paths. Tricked into thinking it was night, cows headed to their barns and chickens to their roosts.

And apparently residents weren’t bombarded with eclipse PR like they are today, because the event seemed to take some by surprise. “Children playing in the streets ran home afrightened,” the Evansville Journal wrote.

The paper even took the time to mock a local doctor who made a 52-mile carriage trek to Vincennes – all to see the eclipse for 13 seconds longer.

“The party claim, however, that they were fully satisfied with the exhibition, which may have been good, but we are not prepared to admit the claims of any other point over our city,” a reporter said.

6 a.m. - It's eclipse day in Evansville

It's eclipse day in Evansville.

Well, it's technically eclipse day in a lot of places, but Evansville is in the "path of totality" for the event, so it's a bigger deal here than in a lot of places.

The Courier & Press will be keeping an eye on everything related to the day, from crowd sizes and traffic issues to the actual celestial event itself.

Here are a few things to get you started today.

The procrastinator's guide to the eclipse in Evansville

Need to know where to find glasses? Interested in attending an eclipse-related celebration somewhere?

Check out our procrastinator's guide to the solar eclipse in Evansville.

What is an eclipse?

Where is the 'path of totality?'

What's the weather forecast for Evansville and Henderson on Monday?

In short, it's looking good so far.

How do I take photos of the eclipse?

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: 'Totality' time: Once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse arrives in Evansville