Castle Junction - Golden Hour - Canadian Rockies
That magical warm light just after sunrise or before sunset
No Golden Hour opportunities in the next 14 days
Tip: Scroll down to the 72-hour table to see exactly which condition fails hour by hour.
Currently
Real-time conditionsUpcoming Opportunities
When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.
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 ruleThis 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 hourTime America/Edmonton | Golden Hour Any | Golden Hour Potential ≥ 80.0% | Precipitation Chance ≤ 5.0% | Visibility ≥ 1000.0m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Feb 21 | ||||
| 12:00 | ✕ | 17% | 0% | 24135m |
| 13:00 | ✕ | 17% | 0% | 24134m |
| 14:00 | ✕ | 14% | 0% | 24135m |
| 15:00 | ✕ | 10% | 0% | 24135m |
| 16:00 | ✕ | 9.3% | 0% | 24135m |
| 17:00 | ✕ | 8.6% | 0% | 23788m |
| 18:00 | ✕ | 43% | 0% | 11164m |
| 19:00 | ✕ | 27% | 0% | 9242m |
| 20:00 | ✕ | 10% | 0% | 5413m |
| 21:00 | ✕ | 6.6% | 0% | 5737m |
| 22:00 | ✕ | 5.8% | 0% | 4602m |
| 23:00 | ✕ | 6.6% | 0% | 5233m |
| Sun, Feb 22 | ||||
| 24:00 | ✕ | 5.8% | 0% | 4960m |
| 01:00 | ✕ | 8.6% | 0% | 5037m |
| 02:00 | ✕ | 7.6% | 0% | 5840m |
| 03:00 | ✕ | 7.6% | 0% | 6669m |
| 04:00 | ✕ | 10% | 0% | 6722m |
| 05:00 | ✕ | 7.6% | 0% | 6620m |
| 06:00 | ✕ | 15% | 0% | 11847m |
| 07:00 | ✓ | 54% | 0% | 15228m |
| 08:00 | ✓ | 54% | 0% | 15232m |
| 09:00 | ✕ | 10% | 0% | 24135m |
| 10:00 | ✕ | 9.9% | 0% | 24135m |
| 11:00 | ✕ | 12% | 0% | 24135m |
| 12:00 | ✕ | 14% | 20% | 24134m |
| 13:00 | ✕ | 18% | 40% | 24134m |
| 14:00 | ✕ | 9.8% | 59% | 24135m |
| 15:00 | ✕ | 11% | 72% | 24135m |
| 16:00 | ✕ | 8.7% | 85% | 24135m |
| 17:00 | ✕ | 12% | 98% | 23831m |
| 18:00 | ✕ | 98% | 96% | 20937m |
| 19:00 | ✕ | 27% | 94% | 5268m |
| 20:00 | ✕ | 7.4% | 93% | 3641m |
| 21:00 | ✕ | 4% | 93% | 387m |
| 22:00 | ✕ | 3.6% | 94% | 117m |
| 23:00 | ✕ | 4% | 94% | 181m |
| Mon, Feb 23 | ||||
| 24:00 | ✕ | 5.6% | 92% | 614m |
| 01:00 | ✕ | 3.6% | 91% | 317m |
| 02:00 | ✕ | 4% | 89% | 131m |
| 03:00 | ✕ | 4% | 92% | 124m |
| 04:00 | ✕ | 3.6% | 95% | 141m |
| 05:00 | ✕ | 3.6% | 97% | 200m |
| 06:00 | ✕ | 3.6% | 96% | 229m |
| 07:00 | ✓ | 22% | 94% | 137m |
| 08:00 | ✓ | 29% | 93% | 1333m |
| 09:00 | ✕ | 5.2% | 94% | 1699m |
| 10:00 | ✕ | 3.6% | 96% | 456m |
| 11:00 | ✕ | 8.2% | 98% | 20490m |
| 12:00 | ✕ | 8.4% | 87% | 22579m |
| 13:00 | ✕ | 9.2% | 77% | 23410m |
| 14:00 | ✕ | 7.7% | 66% | 9905m |
| 15:00 | ✕ | 9.2% | 70% | 24135m |
| 16:00 | ✕ | 7.4% | 74% | 7193m |
| 17:00 | ✕ | 7.7% | 77% | 5579m |
| 18:00 | ✕ | 29% | 64% | 1000m |
| 19:00 | ✕ | 22% | 52% | 123m |
| 20:00 | ✕ | 4% | 39% | 132m |
| 21:00 | ✕ | 4% | 42% | 144m |
| 22:00 | ✕ | 4% | 46% | 119m |
| 23:00 | ✕ | 4% | 49% | 121m |
| Tue, Feb 24 | ||||
| 24:00 | ✕ | 6.4% | 46% | 2392m |
| 01:00 | ✕ | 7.6% | 42% | 9668m |
| 02:00 | ✕ | 5.8% | 39% | 1081m |
| 03:00 | ✕ | 6.8% | 39% | 1778m |
| 04:00 | ✕ | 7.4% | 39% | 3379m |
| 05:00 | ✕ | 6.2% | 39% | 1136m |
| 06:00 | ✕ | 5.6% | 37% | 702m |
| 07:00 | ✓ | 34% | 35% | 320m |
| 08:00 | ✓ | 34% | 33% | 268m |
| 09:00 | ✕ | 6% | 31% | 593m |
| 10:00 | ✕ | 6.8% | 30% | 1349m |
| 11:00 | ✕ | 7.7% | 28% | 2931m |
| 12:00 | ✕ | 8.5% | 28% | 4939m |
| 13:00 | ✕ | 9.5% | 27% | 6836m |
| 14:00 | ✕ | 10% | 26% | 8343m |
| 15:00 | ✕ | 10% | 24% | 9366m |
| 16:00 | ✕ | 11% | 23% | 10576m |
| 17:00 | ✕ | 16% | 21% | 23771m |
| 18:00 | ✕ | 67% | 27% | 16220m |
| 19:00 | ✕ | 36% | 33% | 8668m |
| 20:00 | ✕ | 5.2% | 39% | 1117m |
| 21:00 | ✕ | 4.8% | 45% | 1385m |
| 22:00 | ✕ | 4.8% | 50% | 1653m |
| 23:00 | ✕ | 4.8% | 56% | 1922m |
| Wed, Feb 25 | ||||
| 24:00 | ✕ | 4.8% | 46% | 1656m |
| 01:00 | ✕ | 4.8% | 37% | 1391m |
| 02:00 | ✕ | 4.8% | 27% | 1125m |
| 03:00 | ✕ | 4.8% | 31% | 1251m |
| 04:00 | ✕ | 5.4% | 35% | 1376m |
| 05:00 | ✕ | 6.4% | 39% | 1502m |
| 06:00 | ✕ | 8.2% | 53% | 9046m |
| 07:00 | ✓ | 61% | 68% | 16590m |
| 08:00 | ✓ | 68% | 82% | 24135m |
| 09:00 | ✕ | 9.2% | 86% | 16661m |
| 10:00 | ✕ | 6.2% | 90% | 9188m |
What does Golden Hour Potential mean?
Inputs that drive the scoreThis 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 07:42
Sunset 18:10 | |||||||
| 12:00 ☾ | - | 5% | 49% | 55% | 79% | 55% | 2.1m/s |
| 13:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 28% | 23% | 79% | 28% | 2.3m/s |
| 14:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 89% | 55% | 80% | 89% | 2.7m/s |
| 15:00 ☾ | - | 5% | 84% | 5% | 80% | 84% | 2.5m/s |
| 16:00 ☾ | - | 48% | 94% | 100% | 82% | 100% | 2.6m/s |
| 17:00 ☾ | - | 5% | 74% | 14% | 89% | 74% | 2.3m/s |
| 18:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 34% | 5% | 96% | 34% | 1.9m/s |
| 19:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 82% | 22% | 99% | 82% | 2.1m/s |
| 20:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 89% | 23% | 100% | 89% | 1.7m/s |
| 21:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 92% | 100% | 99% | 100% | 0.97m/s |
| 22:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 98% | 96% | 100% | 1.9m/s |
| 23:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 94% | 100% | 96% | 100% | 1.4m/s |
| Mon, Feb 23
Sunrise 07:40
Sunset 18:12 | |||||||
| 24:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 81% | 5% | 98% | 81% | 1.5m/s |
| 01:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 83% | 98% | 100% | 1.7m/s |
| 02:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 100% | 97% | 100% | 1.1m/s |
| 03:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 100% | 96% | 100% | 1.1m/s |
| 04:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 100% | 96% | 100% | 1.6m/s |
| 05:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 100% | 96% | 100% | 1.9m/s |
| 06:00 ☾ | - | 26% | 100% | 100% | 97% | 100% | 1.5m/s |
| 07:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 100% | 96% | 100% | 2.6m/s |
| 08:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 99% | 100% | 96% | 100% | 2.3m/s |
| 09:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 98% | 97% | 96% | 98% | 1.2m/s |
| 10:00 ☾ | - | 100% | 100% | 100% | 93% | 100% | 1.9m/s |
| 11:00 ☾ | - | 7% | 100% | 100% | 90% | 100% | 2.3m/s |
| 12:00 ☾ | - | 3% | 99% | 100% | 87% | 100% | 2.6m/s |
| 13:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 51% | 100% | 83% | 100% | 3m/s |
| 14:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 92% | 99% | 79% | 99% | 2.8m/s |
| 15:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 89% | 94% | 74% | 94% | 2.6m/s |
| 16:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 81% | 99% | 76% | 99% | 2.5m/s |
| 17:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 90% | 78% | 88% | 90% | 2.4m/s |
| 18:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 100% | 96% | 100% | 1.8m/s |
| 19:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 100% | 97% | 100% | 1.2m/s |
| 20:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 100% | 97% | 100% | 1.4m/s |
| 21:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 100% | 97% | 100% | 1.2m/s |
| 22:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 100% | 97% | 100% | 1.2m/s |
| 23:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 100% | 97% | 100% | 1.3m/s |
| Tue, Feb 24
Sunrise 07:38
Sunset 18:13 | |||||||
| 24:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 55% | 100% | 97% | 100% | 1m/s |
| 01:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 46% | 96% | 98% | 96% | 1.6m/s |
| 02:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 93% | 34% | 98% | 93% | 2.2m/s |
| 03:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 93% | 2% | 98% | 93% | 1.8m/s |
| 04:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 10% | 94% | 100% | 1.9m/s |
| 05:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 29% | 89% | 100% | 1.8m/s |
| 06:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 2% | 96% | 100% | 1.6m/s |
| 07:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 0% | 97% | 100% | 1.5m/s |
| 08:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 0% | 97% | 100% | 1.5m/s |
| 09:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 0% | 95% | 100% | 1.4m/s |
| 10:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 99% | 0% | 91% | 99% | 1.7m/s |
| 11:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 0% | 84% | 100% | 1.9m/s |
| 12:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 0% | 79% | 100% | 2.2m/s |
| 13:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 0% | 75% | 100% | 2.4m/s |
| 14:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 0% | 73% | 100% | 2.5m/s |
| 15:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 0% | 72% | 100% | 2.5m/s |
| 16:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 100% | 0% | 72% | 100% | 2.4m/s |
| 17:00 ☾ | - | 0% | 47% | 0% | 81% | 47% | 2.2m/s |
| 18:00 ☾ | - | 29% | 64% | 33% | 87% | 65% | 1.9m/s |
| 19:00 ☾ | - | 57% | 82% | 67% | 94% | 82% | 1.6m/s |
| 20:00 ☾ | - | 86% | 99% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 1.4m/s |
| 21:00 ☾ | - | 90% | 99% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 1.5m/s |
| 22:00 ☾ | - | 95% | 99% | 100% | 99% | 100% | 1.7m/s |
| 23:00 ☾ | - | 100% | 99% | 100% | 99% | 100% | 1.9m/s |
| Wed, Feb 25
Sunrise 07:36
Sunset 18:15 | |||||||
| 24:00 ☾ | - | 100% | 99% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 1.9m/s |
| 01:00 ☾ | - | 99% | 99% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 1.9m/s |
| 02:00 ☾ | - | 99% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 2m/s |
| 03:00 ☾ | - | 67% | 100% | 67% | 98% | 100% | 2.4m/s |
| 04:00 ☾ | - | 35% | 100% | 35% | 95% | 100% | 2.9m/s |
| 05:00 ☾ | - | 4% | 100% | 2% | 93% | 100% | 3.4m/s |
| 06:00 ☾ | - | 4% | 90% | 11% | 90% | 90% | 3.8m/s |
| 07:00 ☾ | - | 3% | 80% | 19% | 87% | 80% | 4.2m/s |
| 08:00 ☾ | - | 3% | 70% | 28% | 84% | 70% | 4.6m/s |
| 09:00 ☾ | - | 35% | 79% | 52% | 87% | 80% | 4.4m/s |
| 10:00 ☾ | - | 68% | 88% | 76% | 89% | 90% | 4.3m/s |
| 11:00 ☾ | - | 100% | 96% | 100% | 92% | 100% | 4.1m/s |
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