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Rule Golden Hour

Cochrane - Golden Hour - Canadian Rockies

Cochrane, Alberta, Canada

That magical warm light just after sunrise or before sunset

Currently

Real-time conditions
Low Cloud Cover100%
Mid Cloud Cover97%
High Cloud Cover0%
Sun Elevation12.1° (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 (calm) at Sunrise
Cochrane
Fri, Apr 10 · 07:00–07:36 · 1h window
High confidence
70%
🌇Golden Hour Potential96.1%
Low Cloud Cover: 5%
Mid Cloud Cover: 0%
High Cloud Cover: 48%
Sun Elevation: 0.7° (Golden hour)

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
1matching hours in the next 92 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
22:008.2%0%24134m
23:008%0%24134m
Wed, Apr 8
24:008.7%0%24135m
01:007.2%0%24135m
02:008.8%0%24134m
03:0016%0%24135m
04:0016%0%24134m
05:0017%0%24135m
06:0077%0%24134m
07:0051%0%24135m
08:008.6%0%24134m
09:0010%0%24135m
10:0018%13%24135m
11:009.1%26%24134m
12:0013%39%24135m
13:0010%45%24135m
14:009.2%51%24134m
15:0010%56%24134m
16:0010%71%24135m
17:0011%85%24135m
18:009.9%99%24135m
19:009.6%82%24134m
20:0049%65%23081m
21:0018%48%260m
22:005.2%48%1592m
23:008.2%47%22336m
Thu, Apr 9
24:009.8%46%23697m
01:0011%44%23990m
02:009.8%41%23361m
03:009.8%39%24134m
04:0017%45%23633m
05:0017%50%24135m
06:0070%56%24135m
07:0061%37%23979m
08:0011%19%24134m
09:0011%0%24135m
10:0011%27%24134m
11:0012%55%24134m
12:0011%82%24115m
13:0014%55%24128m
14:0017%27%24134m
15:0017%0%24134m
16:0018%0%24135m
17:0017%0%24134m
18:0017%0%24135m
19:0017%0%24134m
20:0090%0%24134m
21:0089%0%24135m
22:0016%0%24134m
23:0017%0%24134m
Fri, Apr 10
24:0013%0%24135m
01:0017%0%24134m
02:0017%0%24134m
03:0016%0%24135m
04:0016%0%24135m
05:0017%0%24134m
06:0072%0%24134m
07:0096%0%24134m
08:0018%0%24134m
09:0018%0%24134m
10:0014%0%24134m
11:0012%0%24135m
12:0012%0%24135m
13:0012%0%24135m
14:0013%0%24134m
15:0019%0%24135m
16:0017%0%24134m
17:0018%0%24135m
18:0017%0%24134m
19:0019%0%24134m
20:0074%0%24134m
21:0067%0%24135m
22:0018%0%24135m
23:0016%0%24135m
Sat, Apr 11
24:0011%0%24135m
01:009.6%0%24135m
02:009.6%0%24135m
03:008.6%0%24135m
04:008.7%0%24135m
05:008.9%0%24135m
06:0054%0%24135m
07:0055%3.3%24135m
08:009.2%6.7%24135m
09:009.3%10%24135m
10:009.2%20%24135m
11:009.1%29%24135m
12:009.1%39%24135m
13:008.9%34%24049m
14:008.7%29%23962m
15:008.5%23%23876m
16:008%36%15927m
17:006.2%49%7978m
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 06:55 Sunset 20:22
19:00
- 0% 100% 97% 74% 100% 1m/s
20:00
- 0% 100% 100% 78% 100% 2.4m/s
21:00
- 0% 100% 100% 94% 100% 3m/s
22:00
- 0% 100% 100% 96% 100% 0.55m/s
23:00
- 0% 100% 100% 97% 100% 1.4m/s
Thu, Apr 9 Sunrise 06:55 Sunset 20:22
24:00
- 0% 71% 77% 97% 77% 1.6m/s
01:00
- 0% 63% 63% 98% 64% 1.5m/s
02:00
- 0% 96% 7% 98% 96% 1.6m/s
03:00
- 0% 81% 5% 97% 81% 1.8m/s
04:00
- 0% 28% 0% 97% 28% 1.5m/s
05:00
- 0% 29% 0% 96% 29% 1.7m/s
06:00
- 0% 68% 0% 96% 68% 1.5m/s
07:00
- 0% 97% 0% 95% 97% 1.2m/s
08:00
- 5% 100% 0% 89% 100% 0.8m/s
09:00
- 5% 100% 5% 86% 100% 0.44m/s
10:00
- 2% 95% 5% 85% 95% 0.33m/s
11:00
- 5% 67% 6% 84% 67% 1.4m/s
12:00
- 0% 56% 69% 81% 69% 2.3m/s
13:00
- 0% 46% 58% 77% 58% 2.7m/s
14:00
- 0% 49% 5% 72% 49% 2.8m/s
15:00
- 0% 38% 2% 68% 38% 2.8m/s
16:00
- 0% 31% 0% 66% 31% 3m/s
17:00
- 0% 8% 0% 66% 8% 3.4m/s
18:00
- 0% 5% 0% 68% 5% 3.2m/s
19:00
- 0% 5% 0% 76% 5% 1.9m/s
20:00
- 0% 5% 0% 78% 5% 1.6m/s
21:00
- 5% 5% 0% 80% 5% 1.9m/s
22:00
- 5% 5% 0% 81% 5% 2.1m/s
23:00
- 7% 5% 0% 83% 7% 2m/s
Fri, Apr 10 Sunrise 06:53 Sunset 20:24
24:00
- 61% 5% 5% 85% 61% 1.8m/s
01:00
- 45% 5% 5% 86% 45% 1.9m/s
02:00
- 13% 3% 5% 88% 13% 2m/s
03:00
- 5% 3% 0% 88% 5% 1.9m/s
04:00
- 6% 3% 0% 89% 6% 1.9m/s
05:00
- 26% 5% 0% 89% 26% 1.7m/s
06:00
- 69% 5% 0% 89% 69% 1.5m/s
07:00
- 48% 5% 0% 87% 48% 1.5m/s
08:00
- 41% 5% 0% 83% 41% 1.5m/s
09:00
- 40% 2% 0% 74% 40% 1.5m/s
10:00
- 64% 0% 0% 68% 64% 1.7m/s
11:00
- 100% 0% 0% 63% 100% 1.7m/s
12:00
- 100% 0% 0% 60% 100% 2m/s
13:00
- 100% 0% 0% 58% 100% 2.4m/s
14:00
- 76% 0% 0% 58% 76% 2.3m/s
15:00
- 29% 0% 0% 56% 29% 2m/s
16:00
- 5% 0% 0% 55% 5% 1.6m/s
17:00
- 5% 0% 0% 56% 5% 1.1m/s
18:00
- 5% 0% 0% 61% 5% 0.51m/s
19:00
- 23% 0% 0% 68% 23% 0.29m/s
20:00
- 68% 0% 0% 72% 68% 0.74m/s
21:00
- 100% 0% 0% 74% 100% 1.5m/s
22:00
- 29% 0% 3% 77% 29% 2m/s
23:00
- 5% 0% 5% 81% 5% 2.3m/s
Sat, Apr 11 Sunrise 06:51 Sunset 20:25
24:00
- 98% 0% 5% 84% 98% 2.4m/s
01:00
- 99% 0% 37% 84% 99% 2.2m/s
02:00
- 99% 1% 68% 84% 99% 2.1m/s
03:00
- 100% 1% 100% 84% 100% 2m/s
04:00
- 100% 26% 100% 82% 100% 2.1m/s
05:00
- 100% 51% 100% 79% 100% 2.3m/s
06:00
- 100% 76% 100% 76% 100% 2.4m/s
07:00
- 99% 73% 98% 75% 99% 2.5m/s
08:00
- 98% 71% 96% 73% 98% 2.6m/s
09:00
- 97% 68% 93% 72% 97% 2.6m/s
10:00
- 98% 79% 95% 73% 98% 2.6m/s
11:00
- 99% 89% 97% 74% 99% 2.6m/s
12:00
- 100% 100% 100% 76% 100% 2.6m/s
13:00
- 100% 100% 100% 79% 100% 2.4m/s
14:00
- 100% 100% 100% 82% 100% 2.3m/s
15:00
- 100% 100% 100% 85% 100% 2.1m/s
16:00
- 100% 100% 100% 90% 100% 2m/s
17:00
- 100% 100% 100% 94% 100% 1.9m/s
18:00
- 100% 100% 100% 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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