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

Kananaskis - Golden Hour - Canadian Rockies

Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada

That magical warm light just after sunrise or before sunset

Currently

Real-time conditions
Low Cloud Cover0%
Mid Cloud Cover100%
High Cloud Cover100%
Sun Elevation27.9° (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
Kananaskis
Thu, Feb 26 · 07:09–08:00 · 1h window
Medium confidence
40%
🌇Golden Hour Potential88.8%
Low Cloud Cover: 1%
Mid Cloud Cover: 0%
High Cloud Cover: 59%
Sun Elevation: -5.5° (Civil 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.

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
12:009.4%0%24135m
13:0011%0%24134m
14:0011%0%24135m
15:0011%13%24135m
16:005.8%26%1219m
17:004.2%39%873m
18:0022%0%666m
19:0012%0%802m
20:005.2%0.001%1038m
21:007.2%0%1157m
22:005.2%0%1239m
23:005.2%0%1375m
Sun, Feb 22
24:005.4%0%2611m
01:006.6%0%7257m
02:007%0%8725m
03:007%0%9383m
04:007.6%0%13618m
05:009%0%19462m
06:009.8%0%24135m
07:0061%0%24135m
08:0061%0%24135m
09:0011%0%24135m
10:0016%0%24135m
11:0010%0%24135m
12:0010%0%24134m
13:0012%0%24134m
14:0019%0.001%24135m
15:0019%0%24135m
16:0013%0%24135m
17:009.4%0%24135m
18:00100%13%19523m
19:0053%26%18848m
20:0017%39%18750m
21:0016%39%23077m
22:0016%39%23412m
23:0015%39%23365m
Mon, Feb 23
24:0015%38%24135m
01:0015%37%24134m
02:0015%36%23953m
03:0016%51%23956m
04:0016%67%23672m
05:0015%82%24135m
06:0015%79%24134m
07:0082%76%23030m
08:00100%73%16443m
09:0017%79%21262m
10:0013%84%24134m
11:009.3%90%24134m
12:0013%81%24135m
13:0010%73%24135m
14:0010%64%24135m
15:0011%63%24135m
16:0019%62%24134m
17:0014%61%24135m
18:0064%41%24134m
19:0038%20%21014m
20:0016%0%23083m
21:0013%17%22960m
22:0016%33%23386m
23:0012%50%23054m
Tue, Feb 24
24:008.6%50%15536m
01:004.8%50%1464m
02:004.6%50%645m
03:0016%50%23792m
04:0015%50%24134m
05:0016%50%24135m
06:0016%40%23491m
07:0096%30%23487m
08:0098%20%23483m
09:0016%30%24134m
10:0017%40%24135m
11:0019%50%24135m
12:0018%50%24134m
13:0018%50%24134m
14:0017%50%24134m
15:0017%67%24134m
16:0017%83%24134m
17:0017%100%24135m
18:0099%67%24135m
19:0052%33%24135m
20:0015%0%24135m
21:0015%0%24135m
22:0011%0%24135m
23:008.1%0%24135m
Wed, Feb 25
24:009.1%0%24135m
01:009.1%0%24135m
02:0010%0%24135m
03:0010%0%24135m
04:0011%0%24135m
05:0011%0%24135m
06:0010%0%24135m
07:0059%0%24135m
08:0056%0%24135m
09:0013%0%24135m
10:0018%0%24135m
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 07:38 Sunset 18:07
12:00
- 100% 0% 100% 62% 100% 0.3m/s
13:00
- 76% 2% 68% 60% 76% 0.9m/s
14:00
- 43% 3% 8% 60% 43% 1.1m/s
15:00
- 15% 3% 0% 62% 15% 1.3m/s
16:00
- 74% 3% 0% 67% 74% 0.98m/s
17:00
- 95% 3% 100% 77% 100% 0.59m/s
18:00
- 0% 21% 4% 95% 21% 0.91m/s
19:00
- 0% 30% 0% 96% 30% 2.2m/s
20:00
- 0% 24% 4% 93% 24% 2.7m/s
21:00
- 0% 10% 0% 91% 10% 3.3m/s
22:00
- 0% 9% 0% 90% 9% 3.9m/s
23:00
- 0% 5% 0% 89% 5% 4.5m/s
Mon, Feb 23 Sunrise 07:36 Sunset 18:08
24:00
- 0% 5% 0% 89% 5% 4.2m/s
01:00
- 0% 5% 5% 90% 5% 4.3m/s
02:00
- 0% 5% 1% 90% 5% 3.9m/s
03:00
- 0% 8% 1% 90% 8% 3.7m/s
04:00
- 0% 5% 39% 90% 39% 3.6m/s
05:00
- 0% 5% 3% 91% 5% 3.5m/s
06:00
- 0% 5% 0% 91% 5% 3.4m/s
07:00
- 0% 39% 46% 91% 49% 3.2m/s
08:00
- 0% 14% 22% 90% 25% 3.4m/s
09:00
- 0% 8% 10% 84% 10% 3.1m/s
10:00
- 5% 2% 66% 69% 66% 2.9m/s
11:00
- 100% 2% 100% 57% 100% 3.2m/s
12:00
- 17% 2% 72% 51% 72% 3.5m/s
13:00
- 32% 5% 100% 47% 100% 3.3m/s
14:00
- 23% 11% 100% 46% 100% 3.2m/s
15:00
- 0% 2% 94% 44% 94% 2.9m/s
16:00
- 0% 2% 27% 49% 27% 2.2m/s
17:00
- 0% 4% 66% 60% 66% 1.8m/s
18:00
- 0% 7% 100% 83% 100% 2.6m/s
19:00
- 0% 29% 66% 90% 66% 2.8m/s
20:00
- 0% 19% 40% 92% 40% 2.7m/s
21:00
- 0% 8% 53% 92% 54% 2.9m/s
22:00
- 0% 9% 6% 93% 9% 3.1m/s
23:00
- 0% 20% 63% 93% 63% 2.7m/s
Tue, Feb 24 Sunrise 07:34 Sunset 18:10
24:00
- 0% 57% 96% 94% 96% 2.2m/s
01:00
- 0% 100% 100% 95% 100% 1.9m/s
02:00
- 0% 73% 100% 96% 100% 1.8m/s
03:00
- 0% 8% 0% 94% 8% 2.1m/s
04:00
- 0% 5% 0% 94% 5% 2.7m/s
05:00
- 0% 8% 0% 92% 8% 3.1m/s
06:00
- 0% 8% 0% 92% 8% 3m/s
07:00
- 0% 9% 0% 92% 9% 3m/s
08:00
- 0% 8% 0% 93% 8% 2.8m/s
09:00
- 0% 5% 0% 81% 5% 2.1m/s
10:00
- 0% 5% 0% 69% 5% 1.6m/s
11:00
- 0% 14% 0% 60% 14% 1.1m/s
12:00
- 0% 11% 0% 52% 11% 1.2m/s
13:00
- 0% 11% 0% 47% 11% 1.6m/s
14:00
- 0% 5% 0% 45% 5% 1.7m/s
15:00
- 0% 5% 0% 45% 5% 1.6m/s
16:00
- 0% 2% 0% 45% 2% 1.7m/s
17:00
- 0% 0% 0% 56% 0% 1.2m/s
18:00
- 1% 2% 1% 67% 2% 2m/s
19:00
- 2% 3% 3% 78% 3% 2.8m/s
20:00
- 3% 5% 4% 88% 5% 3.6m/s
21:00
- 34% 5% 36% 87% 36% 3.7m/s
22:00
- 65% 5% 67% 86% 68% 3.7m/s
23:00
- 96% 5% 99% 85% 99% 3.8m/s
Wed, Feb 25 Sunrise 07:32 Sunset 18:12
24:00
- 65% 5% 99% 85% 99% 3.9m/s
01:00
- 35% 5% 100% 85% 100% 4m/s
02:00
- 5% 5% 100% 85% 100% 4.2m/s
03:00
- 36% 4% 69% 77% 100% 4.3m/s
04:00
- 68% 2% 38% 69% 100% 4.4m/s
05:00
- 100% 1% 6% 61% 100% 4.5m/s
06:00
- 89% 1% 34% 56% 96% 4.9m/s
07:00
- 79% 0% 61% 50% 92% 5.3m/s
08:00
- 69% 0% 89% 45% 89% 5.7m/s
09:00
- 48% 0% 60% 49% 61% 5.5m/s
10:00
- 27% 0% 32% 54% 34% 5.4m/s
11:00
- 6% 0% 3% 58% 6% 5.2m/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