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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 Cover63%
Mid Cloud Cover5%
High Cloud Cover0%
Sun Elevation-30.6° (Astronomical night)

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
Tomorrow · 06:34–07:38 · 1h window
Medium confidence
57%
🌇Golden Hour Potential94.5-97%
Low Cloud Cover: 5%
Mid Cloud Cover: 0%
High Cloud Cover: 38%
Sun Elevation: -9.0° (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 74 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
Wed, Apr 8
22:003.6%51%116m
23:006%67%288m
Thu, Apr 9
24:009.1%82%8068m
01:0011%62%9320m
02:0017%42%23280m
03:0016%22%23503m
04:0017%42%23501m
05:0012%62%22163m
06:0069%82%22403m
07:0066%87%19010m
08:007.8%93%4202m
09:008.4%98%4941m
10:009.9%98%9729m
11:0011%99%13136m
12:007.8%99%2369m
13:008.3%66%3078m
14:007.5%33%1337m
15:007.7%0%2267m
16:0011%0%12187m
17:0012%0%21041m
18:0015%0%23345m
19:0018%0%24135m
20:0088%0%24135m
21:0092%0%24135m
22:0015%0%24134m
23:0016%0%24135m
Fri, Apr 10
24:0017%0%24135m
01:0017%0%24134m
02:0017%0%24134m
03:0016%0%24135m
04:0017%0%24135m
05:0017%0%24135m
06:0097%0%24135m
07:0095%0%24135m
08:0017%0%24134m
09:0018%0%24135m
10:0014%0%24134m
11:0017%0%24135m
12:0014%0%24134m
13:0019%0%24135m
14:0018%0%24135m
15:0017%0%24134m
16:0017%0%24135m
17:0017%0%24135m
18:0017%0%24134m
19:0017%0%24135m
20:0050%0%18280m
21:0052%0%17932m
22:0016%0%24134m
23:007.8%0%24135m
Sat, Apr 11
24:007.8%0%24135m
01:0011%3.3%24134m
02:008.8%6.7%24134m
03:008.8%10%24134m
04:007.8%40%24135m
05:007.8%70%24135m
06:0049%100%24134m
07:0047%72%23330m
08:008.3%45%22525m
09:008.6%17%21721m
10:007.7%27%14621m
11:006.2%36%7522m
12:003.6%46%422m
13:003.6%52%289m
14:003.6%59%156m
15:003.6%65%23m
16:003.6%69%27m
17:003.6%72%30m
18:004%75%34m
19:004%73%58m
20:0022%70%81m
21:0024%68%104m
22:004%73%88m
23:003.6%79%72m
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
Thu, Apr 9 Sunrise 06:57 Sunset 20:24
01:00
- 0% 63% 5% 98% 63% 1.2m/s
02:00
- 0% 21% 4% 95% 21% 1.5m/s
03:00
- 0% 14% 3% 95% 14% 1.6m/s
04:00
- 0% 9% 4% 95% 9% 1.7m/s
05:00
- 0% 60% 1% 95% 60% 1.7m/s
06:00
- 0% 69% 0% 95% 69% 1.8m/s
07:00
- 0% 73% 0% 95% 73% 1.6m/s
08:00
- 0% 86% 0% 91% 86% 0.98m/s
09:00
- 0% 82% 0% 87% 82% 0.76m/s
10:00
- 0% 100% 0% 82% 100% 1.1m/s
11:00
- 5% 100% 0% 79% 100% 1.2m/s
12:00
- 5% 100% 4% 84% 100% 1.6m/s
13:00
- 1% 100% 5% 82% 100% 2m/s
14:00
- 0% 99% 6% 85% 99% 2.3m/s
15:00
- 0% 87% 2% 84% 87% 2.2m/s
16:00
- 0% 78% 0% 82% 78% 2m/s
17:00
- 0% 74% 0% 79% 74% 1.8m/s
18:00
- 0% 59% 0% 79% 59% 1.5m/s
19:00
- 0% 26% 0% 84% 26% 1.3m/s
20:00
- 5% 6% 0% 96% 6% 0.86m/s
21:00
- 5% 5% 0% 96% 5% 1.9m/s
22:00
- 5% 5% 0% 94% 5% 2.1m/s
23:00
- 44% 5% 0% 93% 44% 2.2m/s
Fri, Apr 10 Sunrise 06:55 Sunset 20:26
24:00
- 28% 5% 0% 92% 28% 2.3m/s
01:00
- 25% 5% 0% 91% 25% 2.5m/s
02:00
- 10% 5% 0% 90% 10% 2.5m/s
03:00
- 11% 5% 0% 90% 11% 2.6m/s
04:00
- 25% 5% 0% 90% 25% 2.7m/s
05:00
- 30% 5% 0% 89% 30% 2.8m/s
06:00
- 38% 5% 0% 89% 38% 2.9m/s
07:00
- 46% 5% 0% 89% 46% 2.9m/s
08:00
- 12% 5% 0% 85% 12% 2.7m/s
09:00
- 23% 0% 0% 75% 23% 2m/s
10:00
- 62% 0% 0% 65% 62% 1.4m/s
11:00
- 52% 0% 0% 58% 52% 0.97m/s
12:00
- 67% 0% 0% 53% 67% 0.72m/s
13:00
- 29% 0% 0% 50% 29% 0.59m/s
14:00
- 6% 0% 0% 49% 6% 1.3m/s
15:00
- 5% 0% 0% 54% 5% 2m/s
16:00
- 5% 0% 0% 61% 5% 2.3m/s
17:00
- 5% 5% 0% 69% 6% 2.1m/s
18:00
- 5% 12% 0% 76% 12% 1.9m/s
19:00
- 20% 1% 0% 90% 20% 1.5m/s
20:00
- 100% 15% 7% 98% 100% 0.33m/s
21:00
- 100% 11% 28% 97% 100% 1.7m/s
22:00
- 8% 5% 6% 96% 10% 2m/s
23:00
- 89% 5% 94% 95% 94% 2m/s
Sat, Apr 11 Sunrise 06:53 Sunset 20:27
24:00
- 99% 5% 86% 94% 99% 1.8m/s
01:00
- 77% 4% 1% 94% 77% 1.9m/s
02:00
- 100% 4% 32% 94% 100% 1.9m/s
03:00
- 100% 5% 68% 95% 100% 1.8m/s
04:00
- 100% 6% 100% 95% 100% 1.8m/s
05:00
- 100% 8% 92% 96% 100% 1.6m/s
06:00
- 100% 13% 96% 96% 100% 1.3m/s
07:00
- 100% 42% 97% 92% 100% 1.6m/s
08:00
- 100% 71% 99% 88% 100% 1.8m/s
09:00
- 100% 100% 100% 83% 100% 2m/s
10:00
- 100% 100% 100% 88% 100% 1.9m/s
11:00
- 99% 100% 100% 92% 100% 1.7m/s
12:00
- 99% 100% 100% 96% 100% 1.6m/s
13:00
- 99% 100% 100% 97% 100% 1.6m/s
14:00
- 100% 100% 100% 99% 100% 1.6m/s
15:00
- 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 1.5m/s
16:00
- 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 1.5m/s
17:00
- 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 1.4m/s
18:00
- 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 1.3m/s
19:00
- 100% 100% 100% 99% 100% 1.2m/s
20:00
- 100% 99% 100% 99% 100% 1.1m/s
21:00
- 100% 99% 100% 99% 100% 1m/s
22:00
- 100% 99% 100% 99% 100% 1.2m/s
23:00
- 100% 100% 100% 99% 100% 1.4m/s
Sun, Apr 12 Sunrise 06:51 Sunset 20:29
24:00
- 100% 100% 100% 99% 100% 1.6m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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