Earlier this month, many across the US stopped what they were doing to gaze up at the sky.

They were taking in the total solar eclipse far western Kentucky was in the path of totality, giving some local meteorologists a great chance to gather some weather data.

Our Kristi Dutton caught up with folks at the Kentucky Maisonette to see what they learned.

The April eight solar eclipse was a rare opportunity for meteorologists and climate scientists to test sudden changes in the atmosphere.

Joining us now is Shane Hollander from the Kentucky Maisonette.

Okay, Shane, you had a lot of instruments out there.

Where were they?

And what were you all testing for?

So besides just the measurement sites like the ones in Ballard, Union, Crittendon and Henderson counties, which were in the path of totality, we set up three temporary, I would say, miniature measurement sites, if you will.

These were tripods with masts that were seven meters tall.

And these were taking in measurements that included a soil moisture as well as air pressure.

We were also looking at solar radiation, along with wind speed, wind direction, and measuring temperature and humidity levels on that mast.

So what did you all signed for?

Solar radiation, as you would expect of the areas of totality dropped all the way to zero at around 2:00 that afternoon, especially over in Ballard County when totality actually occurred around 159 and change as it did so it had an effect on other weather variables and parameters.

For instance, with the wind speed we saw that go called at our temporary site, engaged Kentucky over Ballard County for a good while, not just dairying, but a little bit after totality.

And that was a result of the air not being mixed out as it would be if the sun were out in full bore.

So that was one of the interesting findings.

Another was the effect of soil moisture.

With the totality, we saw the soil moisture in terms of water, fraction by volume actually take a little bit of a dip.

Around 2:00 that afternoon.

And that tells us that things like evaporation as well as evapotranspiration were being affected by the total eclipse as well.

The air pressure rose for a little bit, at least for about roughly an hour or 90 minutes after the period of totality.

And then the temperature, as you would imagine, it, did fall several degrees at our temporary site in gauge, especially at the 0.5 meter level, which is closest to the ground.

We saw the temperature fall there, almost ten degrees.

So that was pretty dramatic.

Thank you so much for sharing what you found from this pretty spectacular event.

Yeah, it was indeed spectacular.

And we will not have another total solar eclipse in Kentucky for a very, very long time.

Thank Shane.

Thank you.

And thank you, Christy.

The next total solar eclipse that will be visible for a large swath of the U.S. isn't until 2044.

But Shane's right.

Kentucky is not in the path of totality.

For that, we'll have to wait even longer.