ARE PREPARING FOR THE MASSES. I’M EXPECTING THERE TO BE A LOT OF BARE SHELVES, A LOT OF TRAFFIC JAMS. UM, POSSIBLY GAS SHORTAGES, A CROWD DOUBLE THE SIZE OF MCCURTAIN COUNTY IS ABOUT TO TAKE OVER SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA, FOR WE ARE EXPECTING OVER 60,000 PEOPLE. THE SOLAR ECLIPSE IS JUST DAYS AWAY. PARTS OF OKLAHOMA, INCLUDING BROKEN BOW, WILL BE IN THE NARROW PATH OF TOTALITY ON APRIL 8TH. LOCALS SAY THE RARITY HAS BEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING, TWO YEARS, TWO YEARS IN ADVANCE. UM, WE HAD SOME OF OUR BOOKINGS, BUT NOW IT’S ALL ABOUT BRACING FOR IMPACT. STAFF AT BROKEN BOW CABIN LODGING ARE WARNING GUESTS TO ARRIVE PREPARED WITH FOOD ESSENTIALS AND STOCKED GAS FULLY LOADED AND A MAP IN HAND. CELL SERVICE WAS PROBABLY GOING TO BE NONEXISTENT OR INTERMITTENT, AS WELL AS WI-FI BECAUSE WE’RE SUCH A SMALL COMMUNITY THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS JUST NOT BUILT TO HANDLE THAT MANY PEOPLE. THEY’RE EVEN HAVING TO CLOSE THE OFFICE MONDAY BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC. AS FAR AS IN-HOUSE, JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE PHONE COVERAGE BECAUSE WE WON’T BE OPEN THAT DAY BECAUSE CHANCES ARE WE’LL NEVER MAKE IT HERE. A BIG QUESTION NOW WILL WEATHER GET IN THE WAY OF THE NOVEL EVENT FOR CAST SHOW? OKLAHOMA WILL HAVE CLOUDY SKIES THAT DAY, BUT LOCALS SAY IT HASN’T PUT A DAMPER ON THE FUN. NO, I HAVEN’T SEEN ANYBODY PULLING THE RESERVATIONS. I HAVEN’T SEEN ANY CANCELLATIONS BECAUSE OF THAT. UM, WHEREAS IT’S KIND OF A BUMMER, BUT WE CAN’T CONTROL THE
Crowd twice as big as McCurtain County will take over southeastern Oklahoma during solar eclipse
Southeast Oklahoma will be in the solar eclipse's narrow path of totality on Monday
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Updated: 10:18 PM CDT Apr 3, 2024
A crowd double the size of McCurtain County is about to take over southeastern Oklahoma. | MORE | Solar Eclipse in Oklahoma: Everything to know, where to see it and how to view it"I'm expecting there to be a lot of bare shelves, a lot of traffic jams, possibly gas shortages," said Debra Hamner, who handles financial operations for Broken Bow Cabin Lodging.Southeast Oklahoma will be in the solar eclipse's narrow path of totality on Monday, and thousands of visitors are expected to flock to the area to see the phenomenon. "We are expecting over 60,000 people," said Shelley Zumwalt, the Oklahoma secretary of tourism. Those living in the area say the rarity has been years in the making. “Two years. Two years in advance, we had some of our bookings," Hamner said. Now, they are bracing for the impact. Staff at Broken Bow Cabin Lodging warned guests to arrive prepared with food and essentials stocked, gas fully loaded and a map in hand. “Cell service is probably going to be nonexistent or intermittent, as well as Wi-Fi because we’re such a small community that our infrastructure is not built to handle that many people," Hamner said. They are evening having to close the office on Monday because of traffic. “As far as in-house, making sure we have the appropriate phone coverage because we won't be open that day, because chances are we will never make it here," Hamner said. The biggest question that remains is whether the weather will get in the way of the event that won't occur again for another 20 years. Forecasts show Oklahoma will have cloudy skies that day, but locals said it hasn't put a damper on the fun. "I haven’t seen anybody pull their reservations. I haven’t seen any cancellations because of that. It’s kind of bummer, but we can’t control weather," Hamner said. Top Headlines 6 sisters attending Long Island university together with dreams of opening nursing center Rollover crash causes traffic delays on I-235 in Oklahoma City Rocklahoma 2024 lineup features big-name headliners Oklahoma nonprofit breaks ground on largest affordable housing development in its history Crews battle massive flames after car catches fire in southwest OKC
BROKEN BOW, Okla. — A crowd double the size of McCurtain County is about to take over southeastern Oklahoma.
| MORE | Solar Eclipse in Oklahoma: Everything to know, where to see it and how to view it
"I'm expecting there to be a lot of bare shelves, a lot of traffic jams, possibly gas shortages," said Debra Hamner, who handles financial operations for Broken Bow Cabin Lodging.
Southeast Oklahoma will be in the solar eclipse's narrow path of totality on Monday, and thousands of visitors are expected to flock to the area to see the phenomenon.
"We are expecting over 60,000 people," said Shelley Zumwalt, the Oklahoma secretary of tourism.
Those living in the area say the rarity has been years in the making.
“Two years. Two years in advance, we had some of our bookings," Hamner said.
Now, they are bracing for the impact. Staff at Broken Bow Cabin Lodging warned guests to arrive prepared with food and essentials stocked, gas fully loaded and a map in hand.
“Cell service is probably going to be nonexistent or intermittent, as well as Wi-Fi because we’re such a small community that our infrastructure is not built to handle that many people," Hamner said.
They are evening having to close the office on Monday because of traffic.
“As far as in-house, making sure we have the appropriate phone coverage because we won't be open that day, because chances are we will never make it here," Hamner said.
The biggest question that remains is whether the weather will get in the way of the event that won't occur again for another 20 years. Forecasts show Oklahoma will have cloudy skies that day, but locals said it hasn't put a damper on the fun.
"I haven’t seen anybody pull their reservations. I haven’t seen any cancellations because of that. It’s kind of bummer, but we can’t control weather," Hamner said.
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