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, according to an announcement on the festival's website and social media.
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.
Newsweek has reached out to the Texas Total Eclipse via an email online form for comment.
The multi-day festival, located within the "path of totality," was expecting at least 30,000 people in attendance on Monday. The Burnet sheriff's office told local station KXAN it expected a surge of traffic in the county to begin later Monday morning or in the early afternoon, and asked people in the area to be patient and avoid making unnecessary trips.
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 on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday morning. "You absolutely NEED to have a safety plan (especially if traveling!) and have multiple ways to receive alerts!"
Severe storms could begin as soon as two to three hours following the eclipse. Starting at around 4 p.m. local time, the threat will be most severe south and southeast of Dallas Fort Worth, affecting cities like Palestine, Waco and Killeen. By Monday night, the threat will expand to include Dallas Fort Worth, Gainesville, Paris and Graham.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott had previously warned about severe storms in the Lone Star State.
On Sunday, the Republican governor said that he had directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management "to mobilize emergency response resources ahead of severe storms expected tomorrow" and had increased the readiness level of the State Emergency Operation Center to Level II, "Escalated Response."
He also urged Texans and solar eclipse visitors "to heed guidance from officials and monitor weather conditions."
Millions of Americans were expected to gather along the path of totality for a glimpse of the rare astronomical phenomenon. The eclipse, the first of its kind in the U.S. since 2017 and the last until 2044, will cross North America, starting in Mexico before entering the U.S. and passing over southeastern Canada.
In Texas, several major cities—such as San Antonio, Austin and Waco—are located along the path of totality.
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