On April 8, 2024, over 31 million people in North America will witness a total solar eclipse, around a third of them in just 10 cities. It may occur only from within a path 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide and 10,000 miles (16,000 km) long, but the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, will be one of the most urban eclipses for decades. Michael Zeiler, eclipse cartographer at GreatAmericanEclipse.com, stated that 31 million people already live inside the path within the U.S., and when you add the millions more Mexicans and Canadians in the path, plus the visitors who come to see totality, between 40 and 50 million people will witness the total solar eclipse.
From Mazatlán and Torreón in Mexico via big cities in Texas, Indianapolis, and Montreal in Canada, millions of city-dwellers across North America will witness totality from a city. About 10 million will be in just 10 cities, each with populations above 500,000.
Here are the most significant 10 cities in the path of totality — and what’s being planned in each of them:
MONTRÉAL, QUEBEC, CANADA
Montreal is the biggest city in the path of totality for April’s total solar eclipse. Population: 1.79 million. Local time and duration of totality: 2:14 p.m. EDT; 1 minute, 27 seconds. Montreal is right on the northern edge of the path of totality. The North Shore and even Laval must be avoided, with only the southern half of Île de Montréal within the path of totality. Totality will last for 1 minute and 27 seconds.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, U.S.
Population: 1.57 million. Local time and duration of totality: 1:30 p.m. CDT; 4 minutes, 18 seconds. San Antonio is a big city in the path of totality, and the eclipse will last for 4 minutes and 18 seconds.
DALLAS-FORT WORTH METROPLEX, TEXAS, U.S.
Population: 7.57 million. Local time and duration of totality: 1:35 p.m. CDT; 3 minutes, 43 seconds. Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is a major urban area in the path of totality, and the eclipse will last for 3 minutes and 43 seconds.
AUSTIN, TEXAS, U.S.
Population: 1.07 million. Local time and duration of totality: 1:35 p.m. CDT; 4 minutes, 27 seconds. Austin is within the path of totality, and the eclipse will last for 4 minutes and 27 seconds.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, U.S.
Population: 0.88 million. Local time and duration of totality: 2:17 p.m. EDT; 3 minutes, 40 seconds. Indianapolis is within the path of totality, and the eclipse will last for 3 minutes and 40 seconds.
VICTORIA DE DURANGO, DURANGO, MEXICO
Population: 0.52 million. Local time and duration of totality: 12:25 p.m. MDT; 3 minutes, 47 seconds. Victoria de Durango is within the path of totality, and the eclipse will last for 3 minutes and 47 seconds.
HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA
Population: 0.54 million. Local time and duration of totality: 2:11 p.m. EDT; 2 minutes, 41 seconds. Hamilton is within the path of totality, and the eclipse will last for 2 minutes and 41 seconds.
TORREÓN, COAHUILA, MEXICO
Population: 1.12 million. Local time and duration of totality: 12:25 p.m. MDT; 3 minutes, 39 seconds. Torreón is within the path of totality, and the eclipse will last for 3 minutes and 39 seconds.
MAZATLÁN, SINALOA, MEXICO
Population: 0.65 million. Local time and duration of totality: 12:25 p.m. MDT; 4 minutes, 25 seconds. Mazatlán is within the path of totality, and the eclipse will last for 4 minutes and 25 seconds.
