It looks like I’ll get around 85% coverage here, but I doubt there’ll be anything to see. They forecast chances for rain next Monday.
I did get to see the total eclipse in ‘17 though. Watched from my brother’s back yard which was dead-center of the path. Gorgeous, clear day for it too.
After that, watching a partial eclipse will never be as fun. Total is an amazing experience.
I saw the one in 2017 as well, from Wyoming where the sky was crystal clear. It’s the only one I’ve seen so far. Before totality arrived, I thought I knew what to expect, but when I took off the eclipse glasses and looked up the sheer majesty of what I was seeing actually caused my knees to buckle. I couldn’t even speak coherently. All I kept saying was “Wow!..Oh wow!…wow!.”
If you’ve seen a total eclipse, you instantly understand why people plan years in advance and fly halfway around the world just to experience a few precious minutes of it. And if you’re just outside the path of totality and think that even 99% total is good enough, you would be completely wrong. The sun is so bright that even 1% of its light is blinding. It’s only when the sun is 100% covered by the moon that it is safe to look at it with the naked eye, and only then are you able to see the indescribable corona and bright red prominences erupting from the surface.
All of that said though, if you’re in the path or near it and it looks like the sky will be clouded over, don’t give up and ignore it. I would still do whatever it takes to get inside that path of totality because you will still experience the amazing darkness that comes, will hear how the animals and insects react as if night is coming, and will feel the steep temperature drop. Where I was in 2017, the temperature dropped 15 degrees in a few minutes.