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Rule Storm Chaser

Byron Bay - Storm Chaser - Australian Coast

Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia

Dramatic storm conditions — from atmospheric builds to active thunderstorms

No opportunities right now
Here’s what usually blocks matches

No Storm Chaser opportunities in the next 14 days

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Rule requirements (key thresholds)
Storm Intensity · ≥ 55.0% Cloud Drama Score · ≥ 55.0% CAPE · ≥ 1200.0J/kg Lifted Index · ≤ -2.0°C

Tip: Scroll down to the 72-hour table to see exactly which condition fails hour by hour.

Most common blockers (next 72 hours)
Storm Intensity 100% failing
CAPE 100% failing
Cloud Drama Score 99% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Cloud Cover96%
Wind Gusts5.0m/s
Precipitation Chance62%
Air Pressure1011.1hPa
CAPE8
Lifted Index2.1°C
Wind Gusts5.0m/s
Precipitation0.0mm

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Australia/Sydney

No opportunities in the next 10 days

See the blocker timeline below to understand which conditions are preventing matches.

What this forecast looks for

Plain-language explanation from the rule

This forecast tracks the dramatic storm systems that bring lightning, massive swells, and atmospheric drama to Australia's eastern coastline. We monitor low-pressure systems, lightning activity, and wave heights to predict when Southern Ocean storms will create spectacular—but safe—photography conditions.

Australia's east coast faces the Tasman Sea and Southern Ocean, which generate powerful weather systems year-round. These storms bring towering seas that crash against coastal cliffs, creating explosions of spray. Lightning storms, particularly during summer, offer opportunities for long-exposure captures over harbors and beaches. Winter storms bring the largest swells and most dramatic cloud formations.

What makes Australian coastal storms exceptional:

  • Southern Ocean swells - Winter low-pressure systems generate massive groundswells that pound Victoria and southern NSW
  • Wollongong sea cliffs - Dramatic headlands where storm waves explode against cliffs in spectacular displays
  • Byron Bay lightning - Subtropical storms bring frequent lightning over the iconic lighthouse and beaches
  • Sydney storm drama - The harbour becomes wild during southerly busters and east coast lows

Best storm photography occurs during winter (June-August) when Southern Ocean low-pressure systems bring large swells and dramatic skies. Summer thunderstorms (November-February) offer lightning opportunities over coastal icons. East coast lows—intense low-pressure systems—create the most extreme conditions but pose significant safety risks. Our forecast helps identify approaching storms so you can position safely with proper conditions. Never stand on exposed rocks during large swells.

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72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour
0matching hours in the next 95 hours
OR logic: one branch per group is enough
Meets requirement
Misses requirement
Time
Australia/Sydney
Storm Intensity
≥ 55.0%
Cloud Drama Score
≥ 55.0%
CAPE
OR1·B1
≥ 1200.0J/kg
Lifted Index
OR1·B2
≤ -2.0°C
Visibility
≥ 2500.0m
Wind Gusts
≤ 22.0m/s
Fri, Apr 17
23:000%0%0J/kg6.6°C24135m1.3m/s
Sat, Apr 18
24:000%0%0J/kg7.1°C24134m1.3m/s
01:0012%0%0J/kg6.3°C24135m2.7m/s
02:000%0.2%0J/kg6.6°C24135m3m/s
03:000%0%0J/kg6.8°C24135m5.7m/s
04:0013%0%0J/kg7.4°C24135m5.6m/s
05:000%0.1%0J/kg6.3°C24135m9.3m/s
06:000%37%0J/kg2.2°C24135m9.1m/s
07:000%68%6J/kg1.4°C24134m9m/s
08:000%59%7J/kg2.1°C24134m8.1m/s
09:000%38%17J/kg2.1°C24134m7m/s
10:000%32%28J/kg1.9°C24134m6.4m/s
11:000%30%35J/kg1.4°C24134m6.3m/s
12:000%36%45J/kg0.9°C24134m5.1m/s
13:000%43%32J/kg1.2°C24135m4.4m/s
14:000%49%13J/kg1.7°C24135m4.1m/s
15:000%43%2J/kg1.6°C24134m4m/s
16:000%49%4J/kg1.1°C24135m5m/s
17:000%64%0J/kg1.6°C24134m6.9m/s
18:000%59%0J/kg2.3°C24134m6.5m/s
19:000%15%0J/kg2.6°C24135m6.6m/s
20:000%14%1J/kg2.3°C24134m4.8m/s
21:000%12%4J/kg1.9°C24135m3.8m/s
22:000%8.3%4J/kg1.8°C24134m5m/s
23:000%8.8%8J/kg2.1°C24134m5m/s
Sun, Apr 19
24:000%13%11J/kg2.3°C24135m4.3m/s
01:000%13%18J/kg2.1°C24135m3m/s
02:000%13%24J/kg1.9°C24135m2.1m/s
03:000%14%27J/kg1.6°C24135m2.1m/s
04:000%15%25J/kg1.7°C24134m2.1m/s
05:000%15%21J/kg1.7°C24135m2.1m/s
06:000%49%23J/kg1.6°C24135m2.9m/s
07:000%42%21J/kg1.3°C24134m4.2m/s
08:000%40%9J/kg1.2°C24134m3.9m/s
09:000%14%0J/kg2°C24135m3.4m/s
10:000%11%0J/kg1.8°C24135m2.2m/s
11:000%3.4%2J/kg1.8°C24135m2.3m/s
12:000%1.9%2J/kg1.6°C24135m3m/s
13:000%2.7%0J/kg1.6°C24135m3.8m/s
14:000%4.1%0J/kg1.8°C24135m3.9m/s
15:000%5.5%0J/kg1.6°C24134m3.5m/s
16:000%6.5%0J/kg1.3°C24134m4.2m/s
17:000%10%0J/kg1.4°C24135m5.8m/s
18:000%8.5%0J/kg1.6°C24134m5m/s
19:000%1.5%0J/kg2.1°C24134m3.9m/s
20:000%1.4%0J/kg2.1°C24134m2.9m/s
21:000%9.5%2J/kg1.7°C24135m2.8m/s
22:000%14%9J/kg1.5°C24134m2.2m/s
23:000%13%17J/kg1.3°C24135m3m/s
Mon, Apr 20
24:000%13%20J/kg1.2°C24135m4.4m/s
01:000%15%20J/kg1.3°C24134m4.5m/s
02:000%15%19J/kg1.5°C24134m5m/s
03:000%14%24J/kg1.8°C24134m6m/s
04:000%15%24J/kg1.6°C24134m6.5m/s
05:000%15%5J/kg2.4°C24134m6.3m/s
06:000%17%0J/kg3.1°C24134m4.9m/s
07:000%15%0J/kg3.4°C24135m5.7m/s
08:000%14%0J/kg3.6°C24134m5.4m/s
09:000%12%0J/kg3.4°C24135m5.3m/s
10:000%20%0J/kg2.6°C24134m5m/s
11:000%48%0J/kg2.4°C24135m5.2m/s
12:000%26%0J/kg2.6°C24135m5.4m/s
13:000%23%4J/kg2.2°C24134m5.6m/s
14:000%30%5J/kg1.6°C24135m5.7m/s
15:000%56%2J/kg1.5°C24134m6.1m/s
16:000%29%0J/kg1.3°C24134m6.9m/s
17:000%25%0J/kg0.8°C24134m7.8m/s
18:000%26%28J/kg0.4°C24135m8.8m/s
19:000%15%30J/kg0.8°C24135m8.6m/s
20:000%15%42J/kg0.7°C24134m8.4m/s
21:000%15%69J/kg0.2°C24134m8.7m/s
22:000%15%56J/kg0.2°C24135m8.1m/s
23:000%15%38J/kg0.5°C24135m6.8m/s
Tue, Apr 21
24:000%15%65J/kg-0.1°C24134m6.9m/s
01:000%15%56J/kg-0.1°C24134m6.7m/s
02:000%15%62J/kg-0.3°C24135m6.9m/s
03:000%15%5J/kg0.8°C24135m7.7m/s
04:000%15%0J/kg1.7°C24135m7.4m/s
05:000%0%7J/kg1.8°C24135m6.9m/s
06:000%49%14J/kg1.9°C24135m6.4m/s
07:000%48%21J/kg2°C24135m5.9m/s
08:000%48%38J/kg1.7°C24135m6.6m/s
09:000%30%54J/kg1.3°C24135m7.2m/s
10:000%8.1%71J/kg0.9°C24135m7.8m/s
11:000%8.1%58J/kg1.3°C24135m7.6m/s
12:000%6.3%44J/kg1.7°C24135m7.3m/s
13:000%8.1%31J/kg2.1°C24135m7.1m/s
14:000%7.7%33J/kg2.3°C24135m6.1m/s
15:000%7.7%34J/kg2.5°C24135m5m/s
16:000%13%36J/kg2.8°C24135m4m/s
17:000%28%29J/kg3°C24135m4.2m/s
18:000%38%22J/kg3.3°C24135m4.4m/s
19:000%0%15J/kg3.5°C24135m4.5m/s
20:000%0%10J/kg4°C24135m4.5m/s
21:000%0%5J/kg4.4°C24135m4.5m/s
How to read: colored cells show whether each predicate requirement is met; highlighted rows mean the full rule matched (an opportunity). For OR groups, only one branch is required, so some OR-branch predicates can be ✕ even in a matching hour.

What does Cloud Drama Score mean?

Inputs that drive the score

This derived score summarizes multiple raw weather signals. The table below shows the supporting inputs hour by hour, so you can see what's pushing the score up or down.

Time
Australia/Sydney
Air Pressure
hPa
CAPE
J/kg
High Clouds
%
Lifted Index
°C
Low Clouds
%
Mid-Level Clouds
%
Precipitation Chance
%
Rainfall
mm
Relative Humidity
%
Showers
mm
Simulated Reflectivity
dBZ
Solar Elevation
°
Total Cloud Coverage
%
Total Precipitation
mm
Wind Shear 0-3 km
m/s
Wind Shear 0-6 km
m/s
Wind Speed
m/s
Sat, Apr 18 Sunrise 06:05 Sunset 17:24
23:00
1011hPa 8J/kg 0% 2.1°C 96% 8% 62% 0mm 64% 0mm -17dBZ -69° 96% 0mm - - 1.6m/s
Sun, Apr 19 Sunrise 06:05 Sunset 17:24
24:00
1011hPa 11J/kg 0% 2.3°C 78% 5% 43% 0mm 67% 0mm -18dBZ -72° 78% 0mm - - 1.3m/s
01:00
1011hPa 18J/kg 0% 2.1°C 53% 4% 24% 0mm 72% 0.01mm -20dBZ -65° 53% 0mm 10m/s 18m/s 1.3m/s
02:00
1011hPa 24J/kg 0% 1.9°C 50% 0% 29% 0mm 79% 0.03mm -20dBZ -54° 50% 0.06mm - - 1.3m/s
03:00
1010hPa 27J/kg 0% 1.6°C 44% 0% 34% 0mm 81% 0.02mm -20dBZ -41° 44% 0.06mm - - 1.4m/s
04:00
1011hPa 25J/kg 0% 1.7°C 33% 0% 39% 0mm 84% 0mm -20dBZ -28° 33% 0.06mm 7.3m/s 16m/s 1.4m/s
05:00
1011hPa 21J/kg 0% 1.7°C 24% 0% 26% 0mm 86% 0mm -20dBZ -15° 24% 0mm - - 1.4m/s
06:00
1012hPa 23J/kg 0% 1.6°C 23% 0% 13% 0mm 88% 0.02mm -20dBZ -1.8° 23% 0mm - - 1.5m/s
07:00
1013hPa 21J/kg 0% 1.3°C 19% 0% 0% 0mm 82% 0.03mm -20dBZ 11° 19% 0.06mm 8.2m/s 16m/s 1.7m/s
08:00
1013hPa 9J/kg 0% 1.2°C 16% 0% 0% 0mm 71% 0.01mm -20dBZ 23° 16% 0.06mm - - 2.1m/s
09:00
1013hPa 0J/kg 0% 2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 64% 0.01mm -20dBZ 34° 0% 0.06mm - - 2.1m/s
10:00
1013hPa 0J/kg 0% 1.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 56% 0mm -20dBZ 43° 0% 0.06mm 8.2m/s 15m/s 2m/s
11:00
1012hPa 2J/kg 0% 1.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 47% 0mm -20dBZ 49° 0% 0mm - - 1.7m/s
12:00
1011hPa 2J/kg 0% 1.6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 42% 0mm -20dBZ 50° 0% 0mm - - 1.8m/s
13:00
1010hPa 0J/kg 0% 1.6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 41% 0mm -20dBZ 46° 0% 0mm 10m/s 14m/s 2.5m/s
14:00
1009hPa 0J/kg 0% 1.8°C 0% 0% 13% 0mm 44% 0mm -20dBZ 39° 0% 0mm - - 3.4m/s
15:00
1010hPa 0J/kg 0% 1.6°C 0% 0% 26% 0mm 52% 0mm -20dBZ 28° 0% 0mm - - 3.6m/s
16:00
1010hPa 0J/kg 0% 1.3°C 0% 0% 39% 0mm 58% 0mm -20dBZ 17° 0% 0mm 13m/s 15m/s 2.8m/s
17:00
1010hPa 0J/kg 0% 1.4°C 0% 0% 45% 0mm 66% 0mm -20dBZ 4.4° 0% 0mm - - 2.2m/s
18:00
1011hPa 0J/kg 0% 1.6°C 0% 0% 50% 0mm 73% 0mm -20dBZ -8.6° 0% 0mm - - 1.5m/s
19:00
1011hPa 0J/kg 0% 2.1°C 0% 0% 56% 0mm 73% 0mm -20dBZ -22° 0% 0mm 15m/s 14m/s 1.1m/s
20:00
1012hPa 0J/kg 0% 2.1°C 0% 0% 59% 0mm 74% 0mm -20dBZ -35° 0% 0mm - - 1.1m/s
21:00
1013hPa 2J/kg 0% 1.7°C 22% 0% 61% 0mm 76% 0mm -20dBZ -48° 22% 0mm - - 1.3m/s
22:00
1013hPa 9J/kg 0% 1.5°C 52% 0% 64% 0mm 81% 0mm -20dBZ -60° 52% 0mm 6.8m/s 12m/s 1.5m/s
23:00
1013hPa 17J/kg 0% 1.3°C 65% 0% 48% 0mm 84% 0.01mm -20dBZ -70° 65% 0mm - - 1.6m/s
Mon, Apr 20 Sunrise 06:05 Sunset 17:23
24:00
1013hPa 20J/kg 0% 1.2°C 85% 0% 31% 0mm 81% 0.01mm -20dBZ -72° 85% 0mm - - 1.7m/s
01:00
1013hPa 20J/kg 0% 1.3°C 87% 0% 15% 0mm 81% 0.02mm -20dBZ -65° 87% 0.06mm 5.6m/s 10m/s 1.8m/s
02:00
1013hPa 19J/kg 0% 1.5°C 87% 0% 10% 0mm 80% 0.01mm -20dBZ -54° 87% 0.06mm - - 1.8m/s
03:00
1012hPa 24J/kg 0% 1.8°C 100% 0% 5% 0mm 80% 0mm -20dBZ -41° 100% 0.06mm - - 2m/s
04:00
1013hPa 24J/kg 0% 1.6°C 62% 0% 0% 0mm 78% 0mm -20dBZ -28° 62% 0.06mm 5.5m/s 9m/s 2.1m/s
05:00
1013hPa 5J/kg 0% 2.4°C 9% 0% 0% 0mm 81% 0.01mm -20dBZ -15° 9% 0mm - - 2m/s
06:00
1014hPa 0J/kg 0% 3.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 91% 0mm -20dBZ -2° 0% 0mm - - 1.8m/s
07:00
1014hPa 0J/kg 0% 3.4°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 88% 0mm -20dBZ 11° 0% 0mm 5.2m/s 7.6m/s 1.8m/s
08:00
1015hPa 0J/kg 0% 3.6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 73% 0mm -20dBZ 23° 0% 0mm - - 2.4m/s
09:00
1015hPa 0J/kg 0% 3.4°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 64% 0mm -20dBZ 34° 0% 0mm - - 2.5m/s
10:00
1015hPa 0J/kg 5% 2.6°C 0% 5% 0% 0mm 58% 0mm -20dBZ 43° 5% 0mm 4.4m/s 7.6m/s 2.9m/s
11:00
1014hPa 0J/kg 29% 2.4°C 0% 5% 3% 0mm 52% 0mm -20dBZ 48° 29% 0mm - - 3.2m/s
12:00
1014hPa 0J/kg 6% 2.6°C 0% 5% 6% 0mm 48% 0mm -20dBZ 50° 6% 0mm - - 3.5m/s
13:00
1013hPa 4J/kg 5% 2.2°C 0% 5% 9% 0mm 47% 0mm -20dBZ 46° 5% 0mm 5m/s 8.9m/s 3.8m/s
14:00
1012hPa 5J/kg 5% 1.6°C 0% 5% 23% 0mm 49% 0mm -20dBZ 38° 5% 0mm - - 4.1m/s
15:00
1012hPa 2J/kg 60% 1.5°C 0% 0% 36% 0mm 51% 0mm -20dBZ 28° 60% 0mm - - 4.1m/s
16:00
1012hPa 0J/kg 4% 1.3°C 0% 0% 49% 0mm 56% 0mm -20dBZ 16° 4% 0mm 7.8m/s 10m/s 3.8m/s
17:00
1012hPa 0J/kg 0% 0.8°C 0% 0% 51% 0mm 64% 0mm -20dBZ 4.2° 0% 0mm - - 3.6m/s
18:00
1013hPa 28J/kg 0% 0.4°C 0% 0% 54% 0mm 67% 0mm -20dBZ -8.8° 0% 0mm - - 3.3m/s
19:00
1014hPa 30J/kg 0% 0.8°C 0% 0% 56% 0mm 65% 0.01mm -20dBZ -22° 0% 0mm 14m/s 11m/s 2.9m/s
20:00
1014hPa 42J/kg 0% 0.7°C 0% 0% 63% 0mm 66% 0.02mm -15dBZ -35° 0% 0mm - - 2.9m/s
21:00
1015hPa 69J/kg 0% 0.2°C 0% 0% 69% 0mm 73% 0.08mm -10dBZ -48° 0% 0.06mm - - 2.9m/s
22:00
1015hPa 56J/kg 0% 0.2°C 1% 0% 76% 0mm 75% 0.14mm -5.3dBZ -60° 1% 0.19mm 9.9m/s 12m/s 2.5m/s
23:00
1015hPa 38J/kg 0% 0.5°C 23% 0% 70% 0mm 82% 0.05mm -10dBZ -70° 23% 0.06mm - - 2.3m/s
Tue, Apr 21 Sunrise 06:06 Sunset 17:22
24:00
1015hPa 65J/kg 0% -0.1°C 70% 0% 63% 0mm 90% 0.13mm -15dBZ -73° 70% 0.19mm - - 2.3m/s
01:00
1015hPa 56J/kg 0% -0.1°C 38% 0% 57% 0mm 89% 0.06mm -20dBZ -66° 38% 0.25mm 6.8m/s 9m/s 2.3m/s
02:00
1014hPa 62J/kg 0% -0.3°C 50% 0% 59% 0mm 89% 0.04mm -20dBZ -54° 50% 0.31mm - - 2.3m/s
03:00
1014hPa 5J/kg 0% 0.8°C 17% 0% 62% 0mm 84% 0.02mm -20dBZ -41° 17% 0.31mm - - 2.3m/s
04:00
1014hPa 0J/kg 0% 1.7°C 21% 0% 64% 0mm 84% 0.01mm -20dBZ -28° 21% 0.31mm 3.1m/s 5.3m/s 2.3m/s
05:00
1013hPa 7J/kg 0% 1.8°C 33% 0% 57% 0mm 72% 0.007mm -20dBZ -15° 33% 0.23mm - - 2.8m/s
06:00
1011hPa 14J/kg 0% 1.9°C 45% 0% 50% 0mm 60% 0.003mm -20dBZ -2.1° 45% 0.15mm - - 3.4m/s
07:00
1010hPa 21J/kg 0% 2°C 57% 0% 43% 0mm 48% 0mm -20dBZ 10° 57% 0.06mm 5m/s 5.2m/s 3.9m/s
08:00
1010hPa 38J/kg 0% 1.7°C 38% 0% 49% 0mm 53% 0mm -20dBZ 22° 38% 0.08mm - - 3.8m/s
09:00
1010hPa 54J/kg 0% 1.3°C 19% 0% 55% 0mm 58% 0mm -20dBZ 33° 19% 0.1mm - - 3.7m/s
10:00
1010hPa 71J/kg 0% 0.9°C 0% 0% 62% 0mm 63% 0mm -20dBZ 42° 0% 0.13mm 0.28m/s 3.9m/s 3.5m/s
11:00
1010hPa 58J/kg 0% 1.3°C 0% 0% 60% 0mm 67% 0mm -20dBZ 48° 0% 0.08mm - - 3m/s
12:00
1010hPa 44J/kg 0% 1.7°C 0% 0% 58% 0mm 72% 0mm -20dBZ 49° 0% 0.04mm - - 2.4m/s
13:00
1010hPa 31J/kg 0% 2.1°C 0% 0% 56% 0mm 77% 0mm -20dBZ 46° 0% 0mm 1.5m/s 2.9m/s 1.8m/s
14:00
1011hPa 33J/kg 0% 2.3°C 2% 0% 60% 0.007mm 82% 0.01mm -20dBZ 38° 2% 0.08mm - - 1.8m/s
15:00
1011hPa 34J/kg 0% 2.5°C 5% 0% 64% 0.01mm 87% 0.03mm -20dBZ 28° 5% 0.17mm - - 1.7m/s
16:00
1011hPa 36J/kg 0% 2.8°C 7% 0% 69% 0.02mm 92% 0.04mm -20dBZ 16° 7% 0.25mm 3.5m/s 4.6m/s 1.6m/s
17:00
1011hPa 29J/kg 0% 3°C 15% 0% 73% 0.02mm 93% 0.03mm -20dBZ 15% 0.23mm - - 1.7m/s
18:00
1011hPa 22J/kg 0% 3.3°C 22% 0% 78% 0.02mm 94% 0.03mm -20dBZ -9° 22% 0.21mm - - 1.7m/s
19:00
1011hPa 15J/kg 0% 3.5°C 30% 0% 82% 0.02mm 95% 0.02mm -20dBZ -22° 30% 0.19mm 10m/s 8.6m/s 1.8m/s
20:00
1011hPa 10J/kg 0% 4°C 28% 0% 85% 0.02mm 95% 0.01mm -20dBZ -35° 28% 0.21mm - - 1.8m/s
21:00
1010hPa 5J/kg 0% 4.4°C 26% 0% 88% 0.01mm 94% 0.007mm -20dBZ -48° 26% 0.23mm - - 1.8m/s
22:00
1010hPa 0J/kg 0% 4.8°C 23% 0% 91% 0.01mm 94% 0mm -20dBZ -61° 23% 0.25mm 4.8m/s 6.7m/s 1.9m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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