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Rule Golden Hour

Angra do Heroísmo - Golden Hour - Azores

Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal

That magical warm light just after sunrise or before sunset

Currently

Real-time conditions
Low Cloud Cover39%
Mid Cloud Cover0%
High Cloud Cover5%
Sun Elevation69.6° (Daylight)

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Atlantic/Azores
golden-hour weather icon
Next opportunity
Exceptional Golden Hour at Sunset
Angra do Heroísmo
Sun, May 31 · 20:28–21:26 · 1h window
Medium confidence
41%
🌇Golden Hour Potential93.7-93.9%
Low Cloud Cover: 11%
Mid Cloud Cover: 0%
High Cloud Cover: 3%
Sun Elevation: 11.1° (Daylight)
golden-hour weather icon
Exceptional Golden Hour at Sunrise
Angra do Heroísmo
Mon, Jun 1 · 06:06–07:04
🌇Golden Hour Potential:89-89.7%
Low

What this forecast looks for

Plain-language explanation from the rule

This forecast identifies optimal golden hour conditions for the Azores' volcanic landscapes, crater lakes, and hydrangea-covered slopes. We track cloud cover, visibility, and atmospheric conditions to predict when warm directional light enhances the archipelago's dramatic geological features and lush vegetation.

The islands' volcanic terrain creates dramatic elevation changes—from sea level to Pico's 2,351-metre summit—meaning golden hour light interacts dynamically with topography. East-west aligned calderas like Sete Cidades channel sunrise and sunset light through volcanic landscapes, while coastal locations offer both ocean horizons and mountain backdrops. The famous hydrangeas bloom June through August, transforming roads and hillsides into ribbons of blue and pink that glow under warm light.

What makes Azores golden-hour photography distinctive:

  • Crater lake illumination - Sete Cidades twin lakes catch first or last light, with blue and green waters appearing to glow
  • Volcanic peak drama - Pico mountain's distinctive cone shape creates striking silhouettes and alpenglow effects
  • Hydrangea magic - Blue and pink hydrangeas lining roads become luminous under low-angle summer light
  • Tea plantation geometry - Porto Formoso's terraced tea fields glow green under golden light—Europe's only tea plantation

Lagoa do Fogo at sunrise provides stunning compositions—warm light hits the crater rim while the lake reflects early colour. Sete Cidades works at both sunrise and sunset depending on viewpoint—Vista do Rei favours sunset, while eastern rim viewpoints capture sunrise. Pico mountain from Madalena or Horta creates dramatic sunset silhouettes when the 2,351-metre peak catches alpenglow. The hydrangea-lined roads around Sete Cidades become tunnels of glowing colour during golden hour in summer. Porto Formoso tea plantation's geometric terraces catch beautiful light. Furnas valley's geothermal areas gain atmosphere when golden light illuminates rising steam. Spring and autumn offer longer golden hour periods than summer.

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72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour
2matching hours in the next 80 hoursJump to next match
AND logic: all conditions required
Meets requirement
Misses requirement
Time
Atlantic/Azores
Golden Hour
Any
Golden Hour Potential
≥ 80.0%
Precipitation Chance
≤ 5.0%
Visibility
≥ 1000.0m
Sun, May 24
04:0036%0.61%24134m
05:0038%0.3%24135m
06:0093%0%24134m
07:0095%0%24134m
08:0036%0%24134m
09:0036%0%24134m
10:0037%0%24135m
11:0038%0%24134m
12:0034%0%24135m
13:0034%0%24135m
14:0033%0%24135m
15:0039%0%24134m
16:0036%13%24134m
17:0039%26%24134m
18:0038%39%24134m
19:0038%37%24135m
20:0083%36%24134m
21:0069%34%24135m
22:0037%36%24134m
23:0035%37%15505m
Mon, May 25
24:0028%39%4300m
01:0020%37%525m
02:0020%35%519m
03:0020%33%384m
04:0019%35%321m
05:0020%37%313m
06:0039%39%302m
07:0041%26%325m
08:0014%13%390m
09:0016%0%3687m
10:0018%0%11497m
11:0021%0%11658m
12:0023%0%24135m
13:0023%1.2%24134m
14:0032%2.3%24134m
15:0033%3.5%24134m
16:0032%2.3%24134m
17:0033%1.2%24135m
18:0035%0%24134m
19:0035%1.2%24135m
20:0067%2.3%24134m
21:0064%3.5%16833m
22:0031%2.3%17517m
23:0031%1.2%24134m
Tue, May 26
24:0032%0%24135m
01:0032%13%24134m
02:0037%26%24135m
03:0034%39%24134m
04:0034%45%24134m
05:0034%50%24134m
06:0082%56%24135m
07:0076%43%24134m
08:0032%31%24135m
09:0034%18%24134m
10:0034%27%23219m
11:0031%37%21705m
12:0032%46%22674m
13:0032%51%23327m
14:0032%56%24135m
15:0033%61%24135m
16:0030%68%24134m
17:0031%76%24135m
18:0026%84%24134m
19:0016%67%24134m
20:0089%50%24135m
21:0081%33%24135m
22:0015%31%21633m
23:0011%30%19131m
Wed, May 27
24:008.7%29%16629m
01:0010%31%19131m
02:0015%34%21633m
03:0014%36%24135m
04:0014%45%24135m
05:0014%54%24135m
06:0084%64%24135m
07:0094%47%24135m
08:0016%30%24135m
09:0016%13%24135m
10:0016%42%24135m
11:0016%71%24135m
How to read: colored cells show whether each predicate requirement is met; highlighted rows mean the full rule matched (an opportunity).

What does Golden Hour Potential 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
Atlantic/Azores
Golden Hour
High Clouds
%
Low Clouds
%
Mid-Level Clouds
%
Relative Humidity
%
Total Cloud Coverage
%
Wind Speed
m/s
Sun, May 24 Sunrise 06:30 Sunset 21:01
13:00
- 5% 39% 0% 74% 39% 1.8m/s
14:00
- 5% 28% 0% 72% 28% 1.7m/s
15:00
- 25% 30% 0% 71% 33% 1.7m/s
16:00
- 53% 36% 0% 72% 53% 1.7m/s
17:00
- 21% 32% 0% 76% 40% 1.7m/s
18:00
- 28% 34% 0% 80% 40% 1.7m/s
19:00
- 29% 32% 0% 82% 36% 1.8m/s
20:00
- 56% 16% 0% 84% 56% 1.9m/s
21:00
- 100% 9% 0% 90% 100% 2m/s
22:00
- 52% 18% 0% 91% 52% 2.4m/s
23:00
- 5% 48% 0% 92% 48% 2.4m/s
Mon, May 25 Sunrise 06:29 Sunset 21:02
24:00
- 5% 67% 0% 94% 67% 2.4m/s
01:00
- 5% 86% 0% 95% 86% 2.6m/s
02:00
- 5% 97% 0% 96% 97% 2.6m/s
03:00
- 5% 81% 0% 96% 81% 2.5m/s
04:00
- 5% 92% 0% 96% 92% 2.4m/s
05:00
- 5% 99% 0% 97% 99% 2.2m/s
06:00
- 5% 91% 0% 97% 91% 2.1m/s
07:00
- 0% 89% 0% 97% 89% 2.3m/s
08:00
- 0% 82% 0% 96% 82% 2.2m/s
09:00
- 1% 69% 0% 95% 69% 2.3m/s
10:00
- 2% 59% 0% 92% 59% 2.8m/s
11:00
- 2% 37% 0% 88% 37% 3.1m/s
12:00
- 0% 40% 0% 83% 40% 3.3m/s
13:00
- 0% 42% 0% 81% 42% 3.5m/s
14:00
- 0% 25% 0% 79% 25% 3.9m/s
15:00
- 0% 10% 0% 76% 10% 4m/s
16:00
- 0% 1% 0% 73% 1% 4.1m/s
17:00
- 0% 6% 0% 74% 6% 3.9m/s
18:00
- 0% 7% 0% 76% 8% 3.7m/s
19:00
- 7% 4% 0% 78% 7% 3.6m/s
20:00
- 97% 10% 0% 82% 97% 3.5m/s
21:00
- 100% 17% 0% 90% 100% 3.1m/s
22:00
- 100% 26% 0% 94% 100% 3.1m/s
23:00
- 100% 27% 0% 94% 100% 3.3m/s
Tue, May 26 Sunrise 06:29 Sunset 21:03
24:00
- 89% 28% 0% 95% 89% 3.5m/s
01:00
- 93% 27% 0% 94% 93% 3.7m/s
02:00
- 16% 32% 0% 94% 43% 4m/s
03:00
- 0% 42% 0% 94% 42% 4.1m/s
04:00
- 0% 47% 0% 93% 47% 4.3m/s
05:00
- 0% 50% 0% 93% 50% 4.5m/s
06:00
- 5% 53% 0% 92% 53% 4.5m/s
07:00
- 5% 56% 0% 91% 56% 5m/s
08:00
- 2% 55% 0% 90% 55% 5.2m/s
09:00
- 11% 34% 0% 87% 34% 5.3m/s
10:00
- 5% 11% 0% 84% 12% 6m/s
11:00
- 59% 8% 86% 80% 86% 6.7m/s
12:00
- 100% 16% 100% 79% 100% 6.8m/s
13:00
- 64% 11% 100% 79% 100% 6.8m/s
14:00
- 88% 14% 100% 80% 100% 6.9m/s
15:00
- 80% 18% 47% 75% 82% 7.3m/s
16:00
- 5% 17% 5% 73% 17% 7.9m/s
17:00
- 50% 24% 5% 73% 50% 8.1m/s
18:00
- 2% 32% 11% 77% 33% 8.5m/s
19:00
- 1% 21% 7% 79% 22% 9m/s
20:00
- 1% 11% 4% 80% 11% 9.6m/s
21:00
- 0% 0% 0% 82% 0% 10m/s
22:00
- 0% 0% 33% 79% 33% 9.9m/s
23:00
- 0% 0% 66% 77% 66% 9.7m/s
Wed, May 27 Sunrise 06:28 Sunset 21:03
24:00
- 0% 0% 99% 74% 99% 9.5m/s
01:00
- 0% 0% 68% 75% 68% 9.2m/s
02:00
- 0% 0% 37% 76% 37% 9m/s
03:00
- 0% 0% 6% 77% 6% 8.8m/s
04:00
- 0% 0% 4% 76% 4% 9m/s
05:00
- 0% 0% 2% 75% 2% 9.2m/s
06:00
- 0% 0% 0% 74% 0% 9.3m/s
07:00
- 9% 0% 0% 73% 9% 9.6m/s
08:00
- 18% 0% 0% 72% 18% 9.8m/s
09:00
- 27% 0% 0% 71% 27% 10m/s
10:00
- 21% 0% 2% 71% 21% 9m/s
11:00
- 15% 0% 4% 72% 15% 8m/s
12:00
- 8% 0% 5% 72% 8% 6.9m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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