Thursday eclipse update: Mayor Eychner signs disaster declaration as a precaution

On Thursday, Kerrville Mayor Judy Eychner issued a Declaration of Disaster to support emergency management and Kerr County initiatives, in preparation for the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8. This declaration was made based on the recommendations of Kerrville Fire Chief Eric Maloney and Kerrville Police Chief Chris McCall. Its purpose is to serve as a precautionary measure that will make it easier for the city to apply for federal relief funds in case of an emergency. The Declaration of Disaster will be valid for seven days from the date of issuance, unless it is renewed by the City Council. The move follows Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly’s disaster declaration.

CBS News offers its preview of the eclipse in Kerrville

The cloud cover is what worries forecasters the most ahead of Monday

The National Weather remains steady on its confidence that Monday will feature cloudy skies, but they are holding onto something that we all understand — Spring unpredictability in Texas. 

“In Spring the forecast can change quickly,” the National Weather Service said in its Thursday briefing. “We will continue to fine-tune the forecast of cloud cover and the timing of rain/storm chances.”

The National Weather Service doesn’t expect much rain to fall on Monday, but now it’s a matter of cloud cover. 

“How translucent the high clouds will be still in question,” the NWS said. “Thin high clouds and scattering out of low clouds would allow for filtered viewability. Thicker high clouds would result in poor viewability.” 

As for Monday, the weather service makes these points:

• Cloud cover forecasts even at four days out are difficult to predict, especially over an eclipse window of only a few hours.
• Expect fluctuations in cloud cover forecasts over the next few days.

American Red Cross meteorologist Richard McAlister noted that the cloud forecast could see a diminishing threat, with clouds moving eastward. 

Kerrville will offer trash pickup on Monday, but get it out early

The city of Kerrville is expecting heavier traffic than normal on Monday, April 8 due to the upcoming solar eclipse. In order to ensure smooth trash service, Republic Services will start collecting trash at 5 a.m. on that day. Please make sure that your trash cart is placed at least 3-5 feet away from other objects such as fencing, trees, mailboxes, etc. and advise guests or neighbors to park in a way that does not block the trash truck from servicing the trash container.

Trash collection routes for the rest of the week will start at the usual time of 7:30 a.m. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Republic Services at (830) 522-3062 or Public Works at (830) 258-1221. You can also find additional information about solid waste collection online at www.kerrvilletx.gov.