RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas — April 8 is shaping up to be a day Arkansans won't soon forget. For the sake of time, 5NEWS has put together an overview of all the events taking place—as they happen—across our area.
Arkansas officials anticipate an influx of up to 1.5 million visitors, leading to what state officials are predicting could be "The largest tourism event in Arkansas history."
Although not every part of Arkansas is in the path of totality, much of the state will see at least 90% totality for the historic event.
5NEWS has crews in Ozark, Clarksville, Mt. Magazine, Bentonville, and a field crew working on traffic conditions. We'll keep up with their stories here, along with your up to date weather forecast and events.
Weather Forecast:
According to 5NEWS' latest weather predictions, some high-level cloud cover will impact eclipse viewing conditions, but most of them should be translucent enough to see the eclipse.
The path of totality is looking the best with some clearing skies— areas around NWA will have more clouds, but the eclipse should still be mostly visible.
News
Events
- With all of Arkansas being darkened by the solar eclipse, many cities are putting a hold on daily activities and planning special events.
- Over 300 weddings are planned in Russellville during the Total Eclipse of the Heart festival.
State parks
- According to Arkansas State Parks, some locations have already reached their capacity as many flock to the scenic parks with just hours remaining until the historic event.
- Here's a look at which state parks have closed due to full capacity:
- Dardanelle State Park
- Mount Nebo State Park
- Lake Dardanelle State Park
- More info in our article here.
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