Solar eclipse causes sudden drop in internet traffic in the US and Canada

On 8 April, during the total solar eclipse in the United States and Canada, internet activity plummeted as people went outside to watch the natural phenomenon. According to Cloudflare, an internet infrastructure provider, internet traffic in these regions decreased for several minutes during the eclipse.

Vermont was particularly affected by the drop in traffic, reaching 60% at 15:25 ETZ, at which time the Moon crossed the path of the Sun completely. Traffic declines were also seen in other states that experienced a total or partial eclipse, such as Arkansas, Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire, and Ohio.

Even states with partial eclipses, such as Massachusetts and Kansas, saw a noticeable decrease in traffic as more than 85% of the sun was blocked in certain areas. Overall, traffic in the US only dropped by 8%, and HTTP requests by 12%.

Although not everyone went outside to watch the eclipse, it was noted as a prime example of how natural phenomena can affect online activity despite our reliance on technology. Cloudflare emphasises that major events like this continue to change our online habits.

This was the last total solar eclipse to be visible in the contiguous United States until 23 August 2044, with the next eclipse of the same width scheduled for 12 August 2045.

Source: PCMag