Impacts to the mountain‐valley circulation from the 2023 annular solar eclipse

Abstract As part of the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project, University of North Dakota students and faculty collected meteorological observations in southwestern Colorado during the 14 October 2023 annular ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse. At the observation site, a diurnal wind circulation pattern known as the mountain‐valley circulation is observed. Eclipse‐induced impacts on the circulation are explored using observations and model simulations. Findings show a wind reversal from downslope to upslope flow is delayed by 70min. A brief period of upslope flow was observed, hypothesised to be due to local cooling under the eclipse causing an annularity‐outward radiating wind.