Cochrane - Mirror Lake - Canadian Rockies
Perfectly calm water for flawless reflections
Upcoming Opportunities
When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.
What this forecast looks for
Plain-language explanation from the ruleThis forecast predicts when the Canadian Rockies' legendary turquoise glacier-fed lakes will be mirror-calm for reflection photography. We track wind patterns, wave action, and dawn conditions to identify perfect reflection windows.
The Rockies contain some of Earth's most photographed reflections—the turquoise waters of Lake Louise and Moraine Lake create colors found nowhere else. These glacier-fed lakes get their distinctive color from glacial rock flour suspended in the water, creating an otherworldly blue-green that reflects spectacularly when conditions align.
What makes Rockies reflections special:
- Turquoise waters - Glacial flour creates unique blue-green colors that intensify reflections
- Mountain backdrops - Victoria Glacier, Valley of Ten Peaks, and continental divide peaks provide dramatic mirror subjects
- Dawn calm windows - Early morning often brings glass-calm conditions before thermal winds develop
- Seasonal ice patterns - Winter and spring bring geometric ice patterns that add foreground interest
Best conditions occur at dawn before thermal winds pick up, typically June through September when lakes are ice-free. Moraine Lake and Lake Louise are classics, but lesser-known spots like Two Jack Lake and Herbert Lake offer excellent reflections with fewer crowds.
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72-hour requirements breakdown
What passed or failed, hour by hourTime America/Edmonton | Wind Speed ≤ 1.0m/s | Wind Gusts ≤ 2.0m/s | Precipitation Chance ≤ 10.0% | Visibility ≥ 5000.0m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Feb 21 | ||||
| 18:00 | 3.8m/s | 5.9m/s | 57% | 1715m |
| 19:00 | 3.5m/s | 5.9m/s | 32% | 1252m |
| 20:00 | 3.6m/s | 6.3m/s | 7% | 1052m |
| 21:00 | 3.4m/s | 6.5m/s | 4.7% | 894m |
| 22:00 | 3.6m/s | 7.2m/s | 2.3% | 778m |
| 23:00 | 3.8m/s | 7.2m/s | 0% | 752m |
| Sun, Feb 22 | ||||
| 24:00 | 3.7m/s | 7.1m/s | 0.15% | 795m |
| 01:00 | 4.2m/s | 7.7m/s | 0.29% | 1152m |
| 02:00 | 4.3m/s | 7.9m/s | 0.44% | 1008m |
| 03:00 | 4.3m/s | 8m/s | 0.29% | 1171m |
| 04:00 | 4.2m/s | 8m/s | 0.15% | 1045m |
| 05:00 | 3.7m/s | 7.5m/s | 0% | 1130m |
| 06:00 | 3.6m/s | 6.9m/s | 0.15% | 1350m |
| 07:00 | 2.9m/s | 5.7m/s | 0.29% | 1467m |
| 08:00 | 2.8m/s | 5.3m/s | 0.44% | 1921m |
| 09:00 | 3.1m/s | 4.4m/s | 13% | 2737m |
| 10:00 | 3m/s | 3.7m/s | 26% | 5301m |
| 11:00 | 3.3m/s | 3.8m/s | 39% | 8780m |
| 12:00 | 3.2m/s | 3.4m/s | 26% | 24135m |
| 13:00 | 2.9m/s | 2.8m/s | 13% | 24135m |
| 14:00 | 2.9m/s | 3m/s | 0% | 24134m |
| 15:00 | 2.6m/s | 2.6m/s | 0% | 24134m |
| 16:00 | 2.5m/s | 2.5m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 17:00 | 2.2m/s | 3m/s | 0% | 22357m |
| 18:00 | 2m/s | 2.6m/s | 0% | 9267m |
| 19:00 | 1.9m/s | 3m/s | 0% | 5234m |
| 20:00 | 0.89m/s | 0.91m/s | 0% | 2603m |
| 21:00 | 1.3m/s | 1.3m/s | 0% | 3364m |
| 22:00 | 1.5m/s | 1.4m/s | 0% | 4077m |
| 23:00 | 1.6m/s | 1.4m/s | 0% | 5452m |
| Mon, Feb 23 | ||||
| 24:00 | 1.4m/s | 1.3m/s | 0% | 6550m |
| 01:00 | 1.5m/s | 1.3m/s | 0% | 7122m |
| 02:00 | 2.8m/s | 3.5m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 03:00 | 4m/s | 9.8m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 04:00 | 3.1m/s | 5.8m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 05:00 | 2.3m/s | 2m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 06:00 | 2.6m/s | 2.4m/s | 7.4% | 24134m |
| 07:00 | 3m/s | 4.5m/s | 15% | 24135m |
| 08:00 | 3.1m/s | 4.5m/s | 22% | 24135m |
| 09:00 | 2.5m/s | 5.4m/s | 27% | 24135m |
| 10:00 | 2.2m/s | 8.8m/s | 32% | 24135m |
| 11:00 | 2.3m/s | 8.7m/s | 38% | 24134m |
| 12:00 | 2.2m/s | 7.7m/s | 30% | 24135m |
| 13:00 | 3.5m/s | 8.7m/s | 22% | 24134m |
| 14:00 | 3.2m/s | 6.9m/s | 15% | 24134m |
| 15:00 | 3.5m/s | 7.5m/s | 15% | 24135m |
| 16:00 | 5m/s | 11m/s | 16% | 24135m |
| 17:00 | 2.2m/s | 4m/s | 17% | 24134m |
| 18:00 | 5.6m/s | 8m/s | 11% | 2058m |
| 19:00 | 3.7m/s | 7.1m/s | 5.6% | 161m |
| 20:00 | 1.1m/s | 2m/s | 0% | 12262m |
| 21:00 | 1.1m/s | 1.7m/s | 0% | 22449m |
| 22:00 | 2.5m/s | 3.3m/s | 0% | 629m |
| 23:00 | 1.5m/s | 2.9m/s | 0% | 146m |
| Tue, Feb 24 | ||||
| 24:00 | 1.7m/s | 2.3m/s | 0% | 1144m |
| 01:00 | 1.2m/s | 2m/s | 0% | 16028m |
| 02:00 | 0.83m/s | 0.81m/s | 0% | 16213m |
| 03:00 | 1m/s | 0.91m/s | 0% | 8329m |
| 04:00 | 0.41m/s | 0.4m/s | 0% | 7749m |
| 05:00 | 0.4m/s | 0.42m/s | 0% | 7059m |
| 06:00 | 0.28m/s | 0.3m/s | 0% | 4809m |
| 07:00 | 0.38m/s | 0.32m/s | 0% | 3625m |
| 08:00 | 0.86m/s | 0.82m/s | 0% | 5820m |
| 09:00 | 0.63m/s | 0.61m/s | 0% | 10464m |
| 10:00 | 1.2m/s | 1.1m/s | 0% | 22578m |
| 11:00 | 1.6m/s | 1.6m/s | 0% | 24134m |
| 12:00 | 2.2m/s | 2.3m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 13:00 | 2.7m/s | 3.2m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 14:00 | 3.2m/s | 3.9m/s | 0% | 24134m |
| 15:00 | 3.5m/s | 4.4m/s | 0% | 24134m |
| 16:00 | 3.7m/s | 4.6m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 17:00 | 3m/s | 5.1m/s | 0% | 24134m |
| 18:00 | 2m/s | 3.3m/s | 0% | 17592m |
| 19:00 | 1.9m/s | 1.9m/s | 0% | 5485m |
| 20:00 | 1.6m/s | 2.1m/s | 0% | 776m |
| 21:00 | 1.6m/s | 1.8m/s | 0% | 947m |
| 22:00 | 1.9m/s | 2.3m/s | 0% | 1871m |
| 23:00 | 1.8m/s | 1.6m/s | 0% | 17482m |
| Wed, Feb 25 | ||||
| 24:00 | 2.1m/s | 2.6m/s | 1.6% | 19700m |
| 01:00 | 2.4m/s | 3.5m/s | 3.3% | 21917m |
| 02:00 | 2.7m/s | 4.4m/s | 4.9% | 24135m |
| 03:00 | 2.4m/s | 4.3m/s | 3.3% | 24135m |
| 04:00 | 2.1m/s | 4.2m/s | 1.6% | 24135m |
| 05:00 | 1.8m/s | 4.1m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 06:00 | 2m/s | 5.1m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 07:00 | 2.2m/s | 6.1m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 08:00 | 2.4m/s | 7m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 09:00 | 2.9m/s | 8.4m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 10:00 | 3.5m/s | 9.8m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 11:00 | 4m/s | 11m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 12:00 | 4.9m/s | 13m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 13:00 | 5.7m/s | 14m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 14:00 | 6.5m/s | 16m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 15:00 | 5.3m/s | 13m/s | 0% | 24135m |
| 16:00 | 4.1m/s | 9.9m/s | 0% | 24135m |
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