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Rule Storm Chaser

Newcastle - Storm Chaser - Australian Coast

Newcastle, 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 96% failing
Cloud Drama Score 89% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Cloud Cover5%
Wind Gusts11.1m/s
Precipitation Chance0%
Air Pressure1012.0hPa
CAPE239
Lifted Index-1.1°C
Wind Gusts11.1m/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
Wed, Apr 8
17:000%46%0J/kg0.4°C24135m6.5m/s
18:000%48%6J/kg0.4°C24134m7.3m/s
19:000%9.7%29J/kg0.2°C24135m6.7m/s
20:000%15%73J/kg0°C24134m2.9m/s
21:000%3.4%77J/kg-0.1°C24135m1.7m/s
22:000%0.7%64J/kg-0.4°C24134m1.5m/s
23:000%3.5%205J/kg-1.2°C24134m2.8m/s
Thu, Apr 9
24:000%3.3%116J/kg-1°C24134m1.7m/s
01:000%4.7%61J/kg-0.6°C24135m1.3m/s
02:000%6.6%48J/kg-0.6°C24135m1.7m/s
03:000%2.3%32J/kg-0.7°C24134m1.5m/s
04:000%2.5%19J/kg-0.5°C24135m1.7m/s
05:000%3.7%6J/kg0°C24135m2m/s
06:000%43%3J/kg0.3°C24134m2.4m/s
07:000%23%1J/kg0.8°C24134m3m/s
08:000%20%0J/kg1.5°C24135m3.4m/s
09:000%14%0J/kg1.1°C24135m4.6m/s
10:000%12%0J/kg0.9°C24135m3.2m/s
11:000%36%3J/kg-0.2°C24134m2.9m/s
12:000%2.4%3J/kg0.1°C24134m3m/s
13:000%2.2%5J/kg0.2°C24135m3.9m/s
14:000%11%6J/kg0.4°C24134m4.5m/s
15:000%19%84J/kg-0.4°C24135m7.1m/s
16:0014%64%194J/kg-0.9°C24134m9.7m/s
17:000%25%239J/kg-1.1°C24135m11m/s
18:000%20%197J/kg-1.1°C24135m11m/s
19:0013%6%231J/kg-1.2°C24134m12m/s
20:000%5.5%154J/kg-0.7°C24135m12m/s
21:000%0.7%27J/kg0.2°C24134m9.1m/s
22:000%0.9%20J/kg-0.2°C24134m8.1m/s
23:000%9.1%22J/kg-0.3°C24135m6.2m/s
Fri, Apr 10
24:000%15%13J/kg-0.3°C24135m6m/s
01:000%15%0J/kg0.6°C24135m6m/s
02:000%15%0J/kg1.3°C24134m5.6m/s
03:000%15%0J/kg2.4°C24135m5.4m/s
04:000%14%0J/kg2.9°C24135m4.6m/s
05:000%9.7%0J/kg2.8°C24135m5.1m/s
06:000%100%0J/kg2.1°C24135m6.2m/s
07:000%51%0J/kg1.6°C24134m6.3m/s
08:000%49%0J/kg1.1°C24134m6.5m/s
09:000%47%0J/kg1.6°C24135m7m/s
10:000%43%5J/kg1.2°C24134m7.8m/s
11:000%42%0J/kg0.5°C24135m7.1m/s
12:000%43%0J/kg0.2°C24135m5.9m/s
13:000%38%11J/kg0.4°C24135m7.1m/s
14:000%45%85J/kg-0.8°C24134m8.5m/s
15:000%43%206J/kg-2°C24135m7.9m/s
16:000%60%248J/kg-2°C24135m7.4m/s
17:000%64%287J/kg-2.1°C24134m8.3m/s
18:000%53%250J/kg-1.8°C24134m7.1m/s
19:000%5.8%152J/kg-1.5°C24135m6m/s
20:000%1.5%99J/kg-1.7°C24135m7.2m/s
21:000%2.9%25J/kg0.5°C24135m5.9m/s
22:000%1%4J/kg0.1°C23987m6.9m/s
23:000%0.7%72J/kg-0.7°C24135m3.7m/s
Sat, Apr 11
24:000%0%100J/kg-1°C24134m2.1m/s
01:0012%0%81J/kg-0.8°C24135m2.3m/s
02:000%0.1%92J/kg-1.1°C24134m4.5m/s
03:000%1.9%10J/kg-0.2°C21230m4.6m/s
04:000%14%19J/kg0.1°C24134m2.7m/s
05:000%15%4J/kg0.9°C24135m3m/s
06:000%57%3J/kg1°C24135m3.8m/s
07:000%57%0J/kg1.8°C24134m5.5m/s
08:000%56%3J/kg2.4°C24135m9.4m/s
09:000%51%0J/kg3.5°C24135m9.4m/s
10:000%65%0J/kg5.7°C24134m7.8m/s
11:000%44%0J/kg7°C24135m6.7m/s
12:000%15%0J/kg7.3°C24134m4.6m/s
13:000%4.5%0J/kg6.2°C24135m5.3m/s
14:000%5.5%0J/kg5.8°C24134m5.4m/s
15:000%4.4%0J/kg5.9°C24135m5.1m/s
16:000%4.1%0J/kg5.7°C24135m6m/s
17:000%4.2%0J/kg5.3°C24134m5.1m/s
18:000%4.2%0J/kg5°C24134m4.8m/s
19:000%0%0J/kg5.3°C24134m3.5m/s
20:000%0%0J/kg5.6°C24135m0.81m/s
21:000%0%0J/kg6.1°C24135m2.5m/s
22:000%0.2%0J/kg8.3°C24134m6m/s
23:000%0%0J/kg9.6°C24134m7.3m/s
Sun, Apr 12
24:000%0%0J/kg11°C24135m8.6m/s
01:0015%0%0J/kg12°C24135m9.9m/s
02:000%0%0J/kg12°C24135m10m/s
03:000%0%0J/kg11°C24135m10m/s
04:0014%0%0J/kg10°C24135m10m/s
05:000%0%0J/kg8.9°C24135m10m/s
06:000%7%0J/kg7.9°C24135m11m/s
07:0014%9.8%0J/kg6.8°C24135m11m/s
08:000%9.1%0J/kg6.8°C24135m11m/s
09:000%7.7%0J/kg6.7°C24135m11m/s
10:0013%6.3%0J/kg6.7°C24135m11m/s
11:000%7.2%0J/kg6.8°C24135m11m/s
12:000%5.4%0J/kg6.9°C24135m12m/s
13:0013%5.4%0J/kg7°C24135m12m/s
14:000%6.6%0J/kg8°C24135m12m/s
15:000%6.6%0J/kg9°C24135m12m/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
Thu, Apr 9 Sunrise 06:10 Sunset 17:38
17:00
1012hPa 239J/kg 5% -1.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 79% 0mm -20dBZ 7.2° 5% 0mm - - 7.7m/s
18:00
1012hPa 197J/kg 2% -1.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 79% 0mm -20dBZ -5.2° 2% 0mm - - 7.7m/s
19:00
1012hPa 231J/kg 1% -1.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 79% 0mm -20dBZ -18° 1% 0mm 9m/s 16m/s 7.5m/s
20:00
1013hPa 154J/kg 5% -0.7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 79% 0mm -20dBZ -30° 5% 0mm - - 6.3m/s
21:00
1013hPa 27J/kg 1% 0.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 79% 0mm -20dBZ -42° 1% 0mm - - 4.7m/s
22:00
1013hPa 20J/kg 0% -0.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 80% 0mm -20dBZ -53° 0% 0mm 8.3m/s 17m/s 3.5m/s
23:00
1012hPa 22J/kg 5% -0.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 82% 0mm -20dBZ -62° 5% 0mm - - 3.2m/s
Fri, Apr 10 Sunrise 06:10 Sunset 17:38
24:00
1012hPa 13J/kg 15% -0.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 84% 0mm -20dBZ -65° 15% 0mm - - 3.7m/s
01:00
1011hPa 0J/kg 19% 0.6°C 0% 2% 0% 0mm 84% 0mm -20dBZ -61° 19% 0mm 6.2m/s 14m/s 4.3m/s
02:00
1011hPa 0J/kg 99% 1.3°C 0% 4% 0% 0mm 83% 0mm -20dBZ -52° 99% 0mm - - 4m/s
03:00
1010hPa 0J/kg 91% 2.4°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 81% 0mm -20dBZ -40° 91% 0mm - - 3.9m/s
04:00
1010hPa 0J/kg 45% 2.9°C 20% 28% 0% 0mm 76% 0mm -20dBZ -28° 48% 0mm 11m/s 13m/s 3.6m/s
05:00
1010hPa 0J/kg 5% 2.8°C 85% 83% 0% 0mm 72% 0mm -20dBZ -16° 93% 0mm - - 4m/s
06:00
1011hPa 0J/kg 14% 2.1°C 16% 33% 0% 0mm 67% 0mm -20dBZ -3° 33% 0mm - - 4.1m/s
07:00
1011hPa 0J/kg 95% 1.6°C 6% 81% 0% 0mm 64% 0mm -20dBZ 9.4° 95% 0mm 9.6m/s 9.8m/s 4.1m/s
08:00
1012hPa 0J/kg 100% 1.1°C 5% 89% 0% 0mm 57% 0mm -20dBZ 21° 100% 0mm - - 3.8m/s
09:00
1012hPa 0J/kg 100% 1.6°C 5% 100% 0% 0mm 53% 0mm -20dBZ 32° 100% 0mm - - 4.1m/s
10:00
1011hPa 5J/kg 100% 1.2°C 5% 100% 0% 0mm 49% 0mm -20dBZ 41° 100% 0mm 4.4m/s 8.3m/s 4.8m/s
11:00
1010hPa 0J/kg 99% 0.5°C 2% 100% 3% 0mm 49% 0mm -20dBZ 47° 100% 0mm - - 3.2m/s
12:00
1009hPa 0J/kg 100% 0.2°C 0% 100% 7% 0mm 49% 0mm -20dBZ 49° 100% 0mm - - 1.5m/s
13:00
1007hPa 11J/kg 100% 0.4°C 0% 100% 10% 0mm 49% 0mm -20dBZ 46° 100% 0mm 8.4m/s 6.1m/s 2.4m/s
14:00
1007hPa 85J/kg 100% -0.8°C 0% 100% 14% 0mm 50% 0mm -8.8dBZ 39° 100% 0mm - - 3.5m/s
15:00
1006hPa 206J/kg 100% -2°C 1% 100% 18% 0mm 53% 0mm 2.4dBZ 30° 100% 0mm - - 4.3m/s
16:00
1005hPa 248J/kg 100% -2°C 99% 100% 22% 0mm 56% 0mm 14dBZ 19° 100% 0mm 11m/s 7.1m/s 5.6m/s
17:00
1005hPa 287J/kg 100% -2.1°C 2% 100% 28% 0mm 60% 0mm 2.7dBZ 100% 0mm - - 6m/s
18:00
1006hPa 250J/kg 100% -1.8°C 1% 100% 33% 0mm 63% 0mm -8.3dBZ -5.5° 100% 0mm - - 5.7m/s
19:00
1006hPa 152J/kg 100% -1.5°C 0% 100% 39% 0mm 61% 0mm -19dBZ -18° 100% 0mm 14m/s 13m/s 4.9m/s
20:00
1007hPa 99J/kg 100% -1.7°C 0% 100% 42% 0mm 59% 0mm -3.6dBZ -31° 100% 0mm - - 4.1m/s
21:00
1007hPa 25J/kg 100% 0.5°C 81% 100% 46% 0mm 56% 0mm 12dBZ -43° 100% 0mm - - 3.6m/s
22:00
1006hPa 4J/kg 100% 0.1°C 11% 100% 49% 0mm 52% 0.06mm 28dBZ -54° 100% 0mm 4.7m/s 5.5m/s 4.7m/s
23:00
1006hPa 72J/kg 100% -0.7°C 11% 100% 33% 0mm 58% 0mm 26dBZ -62° 100% 0mm - - 3.3m/s
Sat, Apr 11 Sunrise 06:11 Sunset 17:37
24:00
1005hPa 100J/kg 100% -1°C 2% 100% 16% 0mm 60% 0mm 24dBZ -65° 100% 0mm - - 2.1m/s
01:00
1005hPa 81J/kg 100% -0.8°C 4% 64% 0% 0mm 62% 0mm 22dBZ -61° 100% 0mm 11m/s 12m/s 2.3m/s
02:00
1005hPa 92J/kg 100% -1.1°C 74% 100% 0% 0mm 63% 0mm 8.3dBZ -52° 100% 0mm - - 2.9m/s
03:00
1005hPa 10J/kg 100% -0.2°C 10% 100% 0% 0mm 67% 0.09mm -5.9dBZ -40° 100% 0mm - - 3.7m/s
04:00
1005hPa 19J/kg 97% 0.1°C 4% 14% 0% 0mm 69% 0mm -20dBZ -28° 97% 0.13mm 14m/s 16m/s 2.4m/s
05:00
1006hPa 4J/kg 24% 0.9°C 0% 11% 0% 0mm 69% 0mm -12dBZ -16° 30% 0mm - - 2.6m/s
06:00
1006hPa 3J/kg 0% 1°C 82% 100% 0% 0mm 68% 0mm -5dBZ -3.1° 100% 0mm - - 3m/s
07:00
1007hPa 0J/kg 0% 1.8°C 82% 100% 0% 0mm 65% 0mm 2.5dBZ 9.2° 100% 0mm 18m/s 17m/s 3.7m/s
08:00
1008hPa 3J/kg 0% 2.4°C 51% 100% 0% 0mm 61% 0mm -5dBZ 21° 100% 0mm - - 4.5m/s
09:00
1008hPa 0J/kg 0% 3.5°C 77% 99% 0% 0mm 53% 0mm -12dBZ 32° 99% 0mm - - 5.6m/s
10:00
1008hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.7°C 48% 75% 0% 0mm 46% 0mm -20dBZ 41° 75% 0mm 15m/s 20m/s 5.7m/s
11:00
1008hPa 0J/kg 0% 7°C 4% 20% 0% 0mm 44% 0mm -20dBZ 47° 20% 0mm - - 4.3m/s
12:00
1006hPa 0J/kg 0% 7.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 44% 0mm -20dBZ 49° 0% 0mm - - 2.5m/s
13:00
1005hPa 0J/kg 0% 6.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 44% 0mm -20dBZ 46° 0% 0mm 24m/s 28m/s 5.2m/s
14:00
1005hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 51% 0mm -20dBZ 39° 0% 0mm - - 6.6m/s
15:00
1005hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 52% 0mm -20dBZ 30° 0% 0mm - - 5.5m/s
16:00
1005hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 52% 0mm -20dBZ 19° 0% 0mm 18m/s 23m/s 5.3m/s
17:00
1006hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.3°C 0% 0% 1% 0mm 51% 0mm -20dBZ 6.7° 0% 0mm - - 4.2m/s
18:00
1006hPa 0J/kg 0% 5°C 0% 0% 2% 0mm 51% 0mm -20dBZ -5.7° 0% 0mm - - 4m/s
19:00
1007hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.3°C 0% 0% 3% 0mm 51% 0mm -20dBZ -18° 0% 0mm 12m/s 17m/s 2.7m/s
20:00
1008hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.6°C 0% 0% 2% 0mm 52% 0mm -20dBZ -31° 0% 0mm - - 0.38m/s
21:00
1009hPa 0J/kg 0% 6.1°C 0% 0% 1% 0mm 53% 0mm -20dBZ -43° 0% 0mm - - 2.8m/s
22:00
1009hPa 0J/kg 0% 8.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 55% 0mm -20dBZ -54° 0% 0mm 9m/s 15m/s 4.6m/s
23:00
1010hPa 0J/kg 0% 9.6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 54% 0mm -20dBZ -63° 0% 0mm - - 6m/s
Sun, Apr 12 Sunrise 06:12 Sunset 17:35
24:00
1011hPa 0J/kg 0% 11°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 54% 0mm -20dBZ -65° 0% 0mm - - 7.4m/s
01:00
1011hPa 0J/kg 0% 12°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 53% 0mm -20dBZ -61° 0% 0mm 11m/s 18m/s 8.8m/s
02:00
1011hPa 0J/kg 0% 12°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 52% 0mm -20dBZ -52° 0% 0mm - - 9m/s
03:00
1011hPa 0J/kg 0% 11°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 50% 0mm -20dBZ -41° 0% 0mm - - 9.2m/s
04:00
1011hPa 0J/kg 0% 10°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 49% 0mm -20dBZ -28° 0% 0mm 9.5m/s 18m/s 9.4m/s
05:00
1010hPa 0J/kg 0% 8.9°C 1% 0% 0% 0mm 46% 0mm -20dBZ -16° 1% 0mm - - 9.3m/s
06:00
1010hPa 0J/kg 0% 7.9°C 2% 0% 0% 0mm 43% 0mm -20dBZ -3.3° 2% 0mm - - 9.1m/s
07:00
1009hPa 0J/kg 0% 6.8°C 3% 0% 0% 0mm 40% 0mm -20dBZ 3% 0mm 8.6m/s 18m/s 9m/s
08:00
1009hPa 0J/kg 0% 6.8°C 3% 0% 0% 0mm 39% 0mm -20dBZ 21° 3% 0mm - - 8.9m/s
09:00
1008hPa 0J/kg 0% 6.7°C 4% 0% 0% 0mm 38% 0mm -20dBZ 31° 4% 0mm - - 8.8m/s
10:00
1008hPa 0J/kg 0% 6.7°C 5% 0% 0% 0mm 36% 0mm -20dBZ 40° 5% 0mm 7.6m/s 14m/s 8.7m/s
11:00
1009hPa 0J/kg 0% 6.8°C 3% 0% 0% 0mm 39% 0mm -20dBZ 47° 3% 0mm - - 10m/s
12:00
1010hPa 0J/kg 0% 6.9°C 2% 0% 0% 0mm 41% 0mm -20dBZ 48° 2% 0mm - - 12m/s
13:00
1011hPa 0J/kg 0% 7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 43% 0mm -20dBZ 46° 0% 0mm 5.4m/s 14m/s 13m/s
14:00
1012hPa 0J/kg 0% 8°C 0% 0% 7% 0mm 45% 0mm -20dBZ 39° 0% 0mm - - 12m/s
15:00
1013hPa 0J/kg 0% 9°C 0% 0% 13% 0mm 46% 0mm -20dBZ 29° 0% 0mm - - 12m/s
16:00
1014hPa 0J/kg 0% 10°C 1% 0% 20% 0mm 47% 0mm -20dBZ 18° 1% 0mm 6.2m/s 12m/s 11m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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