Just read this. Seems the small percentages make a big difference. Interesting.
While plenty of folks here are planning to head north to see the total eclipse, others seem content to stay in Cheyenne and Laramie, which are expected to see around 98 percent of the sun covered by the moon on Monday. Many are encouraged by the understandable misconception that 98 is almost as much as 100.
Unfortunately, that's not really the case when it comes to a solar eclipse. The brightness of the sun when it is 99 percent covered is several thousands times brighter than when it is fully covered during an eclipse, so that extra 1 percent actually makes for a very different experience.