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Rule Golden Hour

Canmore - Golden Hour - Canadian Rockies

Canmore, Alberta, Canada

That magical warm light just after sunrise or before sunset

Currently

Real-time conditions
Low Cloud Cover22%
Mid Cloud Cover42%
High Cloud Cover0%
Sun Elevation12.7° (Daylight)

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in America/Edmonton
golden-hour weather icon
Next opportunity
Exceptional Golden Hour at Sunrise
Canmore
Fri, Apr 10 · 06:35–07:39 · 1h window
Medium confidence
58%
🌇Golden Hour Potential100%
Low Cloud Cover: 5%
Mid Cloud Cover: 0%
High Cloud Cover: 28%
Sun Elevation: -9.2° (Nautical twilight)

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.

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72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour
2matching hours in the next 95 hoursJump to next match
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
Tue, Apr 7
19:0011%55%11471m
20:0071%27%14821m
21:0074%0%22239m
22:0011%0%19280m
23:0012%0%13669m
Wed, Apr 8
24:0017%0%18025m
01:0016%0%24135m
02:0016%0%24134m
03:0016%0%24135m
04:0016%0%24134m
05:0017%0%24135m
06:0058%0%24134m
07:0053%0%24135m
08:009.8%0%24134m
09:0011%0%24135m
10:0014%13%24135m
11:0018%26%24134m
12:0019%39%24135m
13:0010%57%24135m
14:0012%75%24134m
15:0011%93%24134m
16:0011%95%20255m
17:0019%97%15965m
18:0019%100%24135m
19:0017%75%20526m
20:0052%51%18301m
21:0028%26%966m
22:003.6%36%266m
23:004.6%46%487m
Thu, Apr 9
24:006.4%56%2180m
01:0010%50%5375m
02:0013%45%6650m
03:0016%39%14001m
04:0017%53%18553m
05:0017%68%20356m
06:00100%82%20400m
07:0088%82%10299m
08:0010%82%5741m
09:0011%82%6365m
10:0011%87%15225m
11:0011%93%14387m
12:0011%98%12915m
13:0011%65%10801m
14:009.9%33%6023m
15:0013%0%12153m
16:0014%0%17979m
17:0018%0%24134m
18:0019%0%24135m
19:0018%0%24134m
20:0090%0%24134m
21:0094%0%24135m
22:0015%0%24134m
23:0012%0%24134m
Fri, Apr 10
24:0010%0%24135m
01:0017%0%24134m
02:0016%0%24134m
03:0016%0%24135m
04:0016%0%24135m
05:0017%0%24134m
06:00100%0%24134m
07:00100%0%24134m
08:0017%0%24134m
09:0018%0%24134m
10:0018%0%24134m
11:0012%0%24135m
12:0012%0%24135m
13:0011%0%24135m
14:0019%0%24134m
15:0017%0%24135m
16:0017%0%24134m
17:0018%0%24135m
18:0019%0%24134m
19:0012%0%24134m
20:0060%0%24134m
21:0065%0%24135m
22:008.5%0%24135m
23:009%0%24135m
Sat, Apr 11
24:0011%0%24135m
01:009.8%0%21189m
02:008%0%18243m
03:007.6%0%15297m
04:008.3%7.4%18243m
05:009%15%21189m
06:0057%22%24135m
07:0055%22%18011m
08:008.7%22%11886m
09:008%22%5762m
10:007.2%32%6615m
11:006.8%42%7468m
12:006.6%52%8320m
13:006.2%50%5557m
14:005%47%2794m
15:003.6%44%31m
16:003.6%56%37m
17:003.6%68%43m
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
Wed, Apr 8 Sunrise 06:59 Sunset 20:25
19:00
- 0% 22% 42% 64% 43% 0.62m/s
20:00
- 0% 64% 100% 88% 100% 0.68m/s
21:00
- 0% 35% 100% 96% 100% 1.7m/s
22:00
- 0% 93% 94% 98% 97% 2.1m/s
23:00
- 0% 90% 58% 97% 90% 1.7m/s
Thu, Apr 9 Sunrise 06:59 Sunset 20:25
24:00
- 0% 83% 70% 96% 83% 0.98m/s
01:00
- 0% 72% 18% 96% 72% 0.48m/s
02:00
- 0% 56% 4% 95% 56% 0.63m/s
03:00
- 0% 33% 0% 94% 33% 0.45m/s
04:00
- 0% 34% 0% 95% 34% 0.65m/s
05:00
- 0% 33% 0% 95% 33% 0.81m/s
06:00
- 0% 42% 0% 96% 42% 0.79m/s
07:00
- 5% 51% 0% 97% 51% 0.82m/s
08:00
- 5% 68% 5% 92% 68% 0.26m/s
09:00
- 2% 73% 5% 85% 73% 0.77m/s
10:00
- 0% 91% 5% 78% 91% 0.9m/s
11:00
- 0% 100% 7% 71% 100% 0.78m/s
12:00
- 0% 99% 10% 69% 99% 1.4m/s
13:00
- 0% 95% 14% 68% 95% 1.7m/s
14:00
- 0% 88% 23% 67% 88% 1.9m/s
15:00
- 0% 70% 14% 69% 70% 1.8m/s
16:00
- 0% 60% 5% 65% 61% 1.6m/s
17:00
- 0% 29% 0% 64% 29% 1.4m/s
18:00
- 0% 18% 0% 65% 18% 1.2m/s
19:00
- 0% 14% 0% 70% 14% 0.97m/s
20:00
- 1% 6% 0% 89% 6% 0.6m/s
21:00
- 5% 5% 0% 93% 5% 1.2m/s
22:00
- 5% 5% 0% 92% 5% 1.6m/s
23:00
- 68% 5% 0% 91% 68% 1.9m/s
Fri, Apr 10 Sunrise 06:57 Sunset 20:27
24:00
- 91% 5% 0% 89% 91% 2.1m/s
01:00
- 29% 5% 0% 88% 29% 2.2m/s
02:00
- 5% 5% 0% 87% 5% 2.3m/s
03:00
- 5% 5% 0% 87% 5% 2.3m/s
04:00
- 7% 5% 0% 86% 7% 2.4m/s
05:00
- 29% 5% 0% 86% 29% 2.5m/s
06:00
- 28% 5% 0% 86% 28% 2.6m/s
07:00
- 19% 5% 0% 86% 19% 2.6m/s
08:00
- 12% 5% 0% 80% 12% 2.5m/s
09:00
- 8% 0% 0% 67% 8% 2.1m/s
10:00
- 36% 0% 0% 57% 36% 1.9m/s
11:00
- 89% 0% 0% 50% 89% 1.7m/s
12:00
- 100% 0% 0% 45% 100% 1.5m/s
13:00
- 81% 0% 0% 41% 81% 1.4m/s
14:00
- 24% 0% 0% 39% 24% 1.3m/s
15:00
- 5% 0% 0% 38% 5% 0.97m/s
16:00
- 5% 0% 0% 38% 5% 0.63m/s
17:00
- 17% 0% 0% 43% 17% 0.29m/s
18:00
- 9% 0% 0% 50% 9% 0.26m/s
19:00
- 100% 0% 0% 72% 100% 0.5m/s
20:00
- 100% 8% 0% 84% 100% 0.79m/s
21:00
- 100% 7% 8% 86% 100% 1.4m/s
22:00
- 100% 6% 100% 85% 100% 1.6m/s
23:00
- 89% 8% 96% 84% 100% 1.2m/s
Sat, Apr 11 Sunrise 06:54 Sunset 20:29
24:00
- 100% 9% 5% 84% 100% 1.3m/s
01:00
- 100% 27% 37% 87% 100% 1.4m/s
02:00
- 100% 45% 68% 90% 100% 1.5m/s
03:00
- 100% 63% 100% 93% 100% 1.6m/s
04:00
- 100% 54% 97% 85% 100% 1.6m/s
05:00
- 100% 46% 94% 77% 100% 1.6m/s
06:00
- 100% 37% 91% 69% 100% 1.6m/s
07:00
- 100% 55% 90% 71% 100% 1.5m/s
08:00
- 100% 73% 88% 72% 100% 1.5m/s
09:00
- 100% 91% 86% 74% 100% 1.4m/s
10:00
- 100% 94% 91% 80% 100% 1.6m/s
11:00
- 100% 97% 95% 86% 100% 1.7m/s
12:00
- 100% 100% 100% 92% 100% 1.9m/s
13:00
- 100% 100% 100% 95% 100% 1.9m/s
14:00
- 100% 100% 100% 97% 100% 1.8m/s
15:00
- 100% 100% 100% 99% 100% 1.7m/s
16:00
- 89% 100% 100% 99% 100% 1.7m/s
17:00
- 78% 100% 100% 99% 100% 1.8m/s
18:00
- 68% 100% 99% 99% 100% 1.8m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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