Missouri state troopers are asking you to make sure you have a full tank of gas before today’s total solar eclipse.
Thousands of visitors are in Missouri to see the eclipse, and many of them are in southeast Missouri. Some will be observing from land, while others are on lakes. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the viewing path in Missouri will cover more than 115 miles. Troopers say totality will enter Missouri as it follows a diagonal line crossing over Poplar Bluff and exits Missouri at Cape Girardeau and crosses the Mississippi river at 2:04 pm.
Troopers remind you to find a safe location to view the event and to get there early and not to take photographs while driving. They also remind you to look out for increased pedestrian traffic along smaller roads, and to never wear eclipse glasses when driving a vehicle or operating a boat.
Reporter Monte Lyons at Kennett radio station KBOA tells us that hotels and motels across southeast Missouri and the Bootheel are sold-out. Our news partner KMIZ reports there are more than 40,000 visitors alone in southeast Missouri’s Poplar Bluff.
