Dozens of Quebecers and feverish tourists came on Sunday to scout out Jean-Drapeau Park in preparation for Monday’s total eclipse, where “perfect” weather that defies predictions is expected.
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“I’m interested in astronomy so I don’t want to miss that. I’ll arrive at 11am because I don’t have eclipse glasses. There are no more for sale,” says Angela Orellana, a 69-year-old Montrealer.
She was one of the many curious people who came to spy on Parc Jean-Drapeau on Sunday to return the next day to see the total eclipse.
Angela Orellana
Photo Olivier Faucher
The site was partially fenced off to make final preparations for the largest animated event in Montreal to observe the exceptional astronomical phenomenon.
Several personalities are expected there, including the Federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne, and astronaut David Saint-Jacques. The mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, could also make an appearance.
Véronique Doucet, director of the Société du parc Jean-Drapeau, expects significant traffic, i.e. tens of thousands of people. However, she assures that there will be room for everyone.
“There are spaces in which there are activities that will fill up quite quickly, and there are others which are simply green spaces where you can sit and admire the eclipse. We are used to managing large crowds,” she maintains.
Coming from afar
While an influx of tourists converges on Montreal and Estrie to be in the totality band, some have been planning their stay here for some time.
This is the case of Al Habegger and Paula Trombetta, residents of San Francisco in the United States who arrived in the metropolis a week ago.
“A few months ago we planned this. For us, Montreal was the most interesting city to see while seeing the eclipse,” explains Mr. Habegger, also met at Jean-Drapeau Park.
Al Habegger and his wife Paula Trombetta, originally from San Francisco, came to Montreal to see the eclipse.
Photo Olivier Faucher
“A lot of people told us that [Montréal] It was the worst choice we could make to see the eclipse, but we said to ourselves that we could have bad weather anywhere,” he continues.
He can consider himself very lucky to have hit the nail on the head, because the weather forecast for Monday completely defies predictions according to Environment Canada.
“Quebec is really in the best places with the weather situation tomorrow” with clear skies expected, says meteorologist Dominic Martel. Several regions in the band of totality will not have the same luck, such as Texas and Ontario which could find themselves under the clouds.
In April in Quebec, Monday’s weather is an exception. According to Environment Canada data, only 25% of the hours in an average April are sunny.
“If we look at climatology, we challenge the statistics a little. We are quite lucky,” concludes Mr. Martel.
“It’s going to be very, very emotional”
Such weather, “it’s a gift and it’s going to be perfect” for the director of the Montreal Planetarium, Olivier Hernandez. The newspaper met him at Parc Jean-Drapeau while he was preparing two telescopes for Monday that will immortalize the eclipse.
“There is a lot of excitement. A total eclipse is something very, very moving. To experience it in a group, when we see people screaming, crying, applauding, it has no equal and that’s what will happen,” he mentions.