Skip to content
✨ New: PhotoWeather is now available on iOS and Android
Rule Golden Hour

Canmore - Golden Hour - Canadian Rockies

Canmore, Alberta, Canada

That magical warm light just after sunrise or before sunset

No opportunities right now
Here’s what usually blocks matches

No Golden Hour opportunities in the next 14 days

Get notified
Free alerts · takes 30 seconds
Rule requirements (key thresholds)
Golden Hour · Any Golden Hour Potential · ≥ 80.0% Precipitation Chance · ≤ 5.0% Visibility · ≥ 1000.0m

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

Most common blockers (next 72 hours)
Precipitation Chance 99% failing
Golden Hour 92% failing
Golden Hour Potential 92% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Low Cloud Cover1%
Mid Cloud Cover66%
High Cloud Cover84%
Sun Elevation27.8° (Daylight)

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in America/Edmonton

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 predicts when the continental divide peaks will catch alpenglow—that magical pink and orange light that makes the Rockies one of the world's premier golden hour destinations. We track clear sky conditions, sun angle, and atmospheric clarity to identify perfect alpenglow windows.

The Canadian Rockies run along the continental divide, with massive peaks rising directly from valley floors. This dramatic topography means the first and last light hits mountains while valleys remain in shadow, creating spectacular contrasts. The high latitude also means golden hour lasts longer than in equatorial regions.

What makes Rockies golden hour exceptional:

  • Continental divide peaks - Massive mountains catch first and last light while valleys remain cool-toned
  • Vermillion Lakes - Classic location where Mount Rundle catches alpenglow with wetland reflections in foreground
  • Castle Mountain - Distinctive layered peak that glows dramatically at sunset
  • Extended duration - Northern latitude means golden hour light lasts 30-60 minutes longer than southern locations

Best photography occurs at classic locations like Vermillion Lakes for sunrise on Mount Rundle, or Two Jack Lake for sunset on Mount Rundle from the east. Summer solstice brings challenges with very early sunrise times (5am), while autumn offers more reasonable timing with fall colors as bonus.

Create your own Golden Hour alerts

Get notified when these conditions match at your own locations.

Get this template

72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour
0matching hours in the next 95 hours
AND logic: all conditions required
Meets requirement
Misses requirement
Time
America/Edmonton
Golden Hour
Any
Golden Hour Potential
≥ 80.0%
Precipitation Chance
≤ 5.0%
Visibility
≥ 1000.0m
Sat, Feb 21
12:0011%0%24135m
13:0018%0%24134m
14:0013%0%24135m
15:0012%0%24135m
16:008.4%0%14335m
17:005.9%0%3530m
18:0022%0%924m
19:0017%0%1049m
20:007.2%0%1277m
21:007.2%0%1509m
22:005.2%0%1775m
23:005.4%0%2214m
Sun, Feb 22
24:006.8%0%3238m
01:006.6%0%6089m
02:008%0%9973m
03:008.2%0%12227m
04:008.6%0%18203m
05:009.8%0%24134m
06:009.8%0%24135m
07:0059%0%24135m
08:0059%0%24135m
09:0011%0%24135m
10:0010%0%24135m
11:009.5%0%24135m
12:0011%17%24134m
13:0018%33%24134m
14:0017%50%24135m
15:0017%67%24135m
16:0018%83%24135m
17:009%100%24135m
18:0090%97%24135m
19:0051%95%22068m
20:0016%93%21019m
21:0016%95%20474m
22:0016%97%17519m
23:0016%99%11017m
Mon, Feb 23
24:0016%95%21245m
01:0016%92%22580m
02:0016%88%14005m
03:0015%92%14726m
04:0016%95%13320m
05:0016%99%13903m
06:0016%98%21513m
07:0029%98%1245m
08:0032%97%508m
09:0017%97%16826m
10:0011%98%22772m
11:009%98%24134m
12:009.6%90%24135m
13:0011%83%22858m
14:0011%75%23413m
15:0012%76%24135m
16:0013%77%22945m
17:0010%79%21936m
18:0053%65%20724m
19:0016%52%2452m
20:005%39%2423m
21:004.6%34%483m
22:0010%29%15422m
23:003.6%24%818m
Tue, Feb 24
24:003.6%32%221m
01:003.6%41%133m
02:004.6%50%649m
03:0016%39%22427m
04:0016%28%22999m
05:0016%17%22095m
06:0016%15%22047m
07:0095%13%21767m
08:0097%11%21679m
09:0017%41%22842m
10:0018%70%24135m
11:0016%100%24135m
12:0018%100%24134m
13:0018%100%24134m
14:0018%100%24134m
15:0018%100%24134m
16:0019%100%24134m
17:0017%100%24135m
18:00100%83%20344m
19:0078%67%16553m
20:0010%50%12761m
21:008.2%42%12828m
22:007.2%34%12894m
23:006.8%26%12960m
Wed, Feb 25
24:006.8%25%12626m
01:007.8%25%12292m
02:007.8%24%11958m
03:008.8%29%12667m
04:0011%34%13376m
05:0012%39%14086m
06:0013%39%14757m
07:0098%39%15429m
08:00100%39%16101m
09:0013%53%14581m
10:009.8%67%13062m
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
America/Edmonton
Golden Hour
High Clouds
%
Low Clouds
%
Mid-Level Clouds
%
Relative Humidity
%
Total Cloud Coverage
%
Wind Speed
m/s
Sun, Feb 22 Sunrise 07:40 Sunset 18:08
12:00
- 84% 1% 66% 63% 84% 2.3m/s
13:00
- 32% 4% 4% 61% 33% 2.3m/s
14:00
- 1% 5% 1% 61% 5% 2.6m/s
15:00
- 5% 5% 0% 63% 6% 2.5m/s
16:00
- 19% 7% 5% 66% 22% 2.4m/s
17:00
- 90% 5% 92% 78% 92% 2.5m/s
18:00
- 0% 6% 1% 91% 6% 3m/s
19:00
- 0% 11% 0% 93% 11% 3.3m/s
20:00
- 0% 12% 2% 94% 12% 3.4m/s
21:00
- 0% 11% 0% 94% 11% 3.5m/s
22:00
- 0% 14% 6% 93% 14% 3.7m/s
23:00
- 0% 22% 1% 93% 22% 3.6m/s
Mon, Feb 23 Sunrise 07:38 Sunset 18:10
24:00
- 0% 11% 0% 94% 11% 3.3m/s
01:00
- 0% 10% 5% 93% 10% 3.4m/s
02:00
- 0% 18% 14% 93% 19% 3.1m/s
03:00
- 0% 12% 6% 94% 12% 2.9m/s
04:00
- 0% 16% 25% 94% 27% 2.8m/s
05:00
- 0% 34% 23% 95% 34% 2.8m/s
06:00
- 0% 10% 2% 94% 10% 2.7m/s
07:00
- 0% 92% 92% 95% 93% 2.6m/s
08:00
- 0% 70% 76% 94% 80% 2.3m/s
09:00
- 1% 20% 23% 91% 23% 2.4m/s
10:00
- 5% 8% 89% 77% 89% 2.7m/s
11:00
- 96% 20% 99% 70% 99% 2.9m/s
12:00
- 65% 22% 97% 63% 97% 2.7m/s
13:00
- 4% 34% 100% 59% 100% 2.5m/s
14:00
- 1% 54% 100% 58% 100% 2.6m/s
15:00
- 0% 12% 100% 54% 100% 2.4m/s
16:00
- 0% 65% 52% 63% 68% 2m/s
17:00
- 0% 41% 93% 75% 93% 1.8m/s
18:00
- 0% 55% 100% 91% 100% 2.4m/s
19:00
- 0% 98% 100% 94% 100% 2.2m/s
20:00
- 0% 90% 97% 95% 97% 1.9m/s
21:00
- 0% 59% 80% 96% 82% 1.8m/s
22:00
- 0% 66% 70% 96% 72% 1.9m/s
23:00
- 0% 88% 100% 96% 100% 1.9m/s
Tue, Feb 24 Sunrise 07:36 Sunset 18:11
24:00
- 0% 98% 100% 96% 100% 1.6m/s
01:00
- 0% 100% 100% 97% 100% 1.4m/s
02:00
- 0% 70% 94% 96% 94% 1.9m/s
03:00
- 0% 8% 0% 95% 8% 2.4m/s
04:00
- 0% 11% 0% 95% 11% 2.6m/s
05:00
- 0% 19% 0% 94% 19% 3m/s
06:00
- 0% 13% 0% 94% 13% 2.9m/s
07:00
- 0% 14% 0% 94% 14% 2.9m/s
08:00
- 0% 44% 0% 92% 44% 2.8m/s
09:00
- 0% 12% 0% 86% 12% 2.4m/s
10:00
- 0% 13% 0% 74% 13% 2.4m/s
11:00
- 0% 54% 0% 68% 54% 2.2m/s
12:00
- 0% 44% 0% 63% 44% 2.3m/s
13:00
- 0% 45% 0% 59% 45% 2.4m/s
14:00
- 0% 11% 0% 56% 11% 2.5m/s
15:00
- 0% 11% 0% 55% 11% 2.6m/s
16:00
- 0% 9% 0% 56% 9% 2.8m/s
17:00
- 0% 3% 0% 66% 3% 2.6m/s
18:00
- 7% 28% 2% 74% 28% 2.7m/s
19:00
- 14% 53% 4% 83% 53% 2.7m/s
20:00
- 21% 78% 6% 91% 78% 2.7m/s
21:00
- 47% 64% 37% 92% 85% 2.8m/s
22:00
- 74% 49% 69% 92% 93% 2.8m/s
23:00
- 100% 35% 100% 93% 100% 2.8m/s
Wed, Feb 25 Sunrise 07:34 Sunset 18:13
24:00
- 67% 37% 96% 94% 97% 3.1m/s
01:00
- 34% 39% 93% 95% 94% 3.3m/s
02:00
- 1% 41% 89% 96% 90% 3.6m/s
03:00
- 7% 50% 61% 91% 83% 3.6m/s
04:00
- 12% 58% 33% 86% 75% 3.6m/s
05:00
- 18% 67% 5% 81% 67% 3.5m/s
06:00
- 13% 56% 5% 79% 57% 3.8m/s
07:00
- 9% 46% 5% 76% 46% 4.1m/s
08:00
- 5% 35% 5% 73% 36% 4.4m/s
09:00
- 37% 35% 16% 76% 57% 4.3m/s
10:00
- 68% 35% 27% 79% 78% 4.2m/s
11:00
- 100% 35% 38% 82% 100% 4m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

Get Notified of Opportunities

Create your own custom alerts for this location and more.

Create Free Account