What conditions does Cloudscapes look for?

Cloud Drama Score: ≥ 75.0%. Low Clouds: ≥ 20.0%. Mid-Level Clouds: ≥ 30.0%. High Clouds: ≥ 40.0%. Visibility: ≥ 5000.0m

How often do conditions match?

There are 6 upcoming opportunity windows in the next 10 days.

More Cloudscapes in Costa Rica

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Rule Cloudscapes

Manuel Antonio - Cloudscapes - Costa Rica

Quepos, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica

Multi-layered dramatic clouds for striking sky photography

Currently

Real-time conditions

Cloud Drama Score

Cloud Cover0%

Wind Gusts1.3m/s

Precipitation Chance13%

Air Pressure994.7hPa

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in America/Costa_Rica

Next opportunity

Dramatic Cloud Drama at Sunset

Manuel Antonio

Tomorrow · 18:00–19:00 · 1h window

Medium confidence

54%

☁️Cloud Drama Score100%

Cloud Cover: 53%

Wind Gusts: 1.9m/s

Precipitation Chance: 90%

Air Pressure: 995.2hPa

Dramatic Cloud Drama

Manuel Antonio

Wed, Apr 22 · 08:00–09:00

☁️Cloud Drama Score:91.3%

Medium

Striking Cloud Drama

Manuel Antonio

Thu, Apr 23 · 14:00–15:00

☁️Cloud Drama Score:77.4%

Low

Striking Cloud Drama at Sunset

Manuel Antonio

Fri, Apr 24 · 17:00–18:00

☁️Cloud Drama Score:83.2%

Low

Striking Cloud Drama

Manuel Antonio

Sat, Apr 25 · 08:00–09:00

☁️Cloud Drama Score:83.6%

Low

Striking Cloud Drama at Sunrise

Manuel Antonio

Tue, Apr 28 · 05:00–06:00

☁️Cloud Drama Score:75.6%

Low

What this forecast looks for

Plain-language explanation from the rule

This forecast tracks dramatic cloud conditions across Costa Rica's remarkable diversity of landscapes—from volcanic peaks to Pacific coast to pristine rainforest. We analyze cloud types, coverage patterns, and tropical atmospheric instability to predict when sky drama combines with the country's iconic natural features.

Costa Rica's position between Pacific and Caribbean, combined with volcanic peaks reaching over 3,800 meters, creates extraordinary cloud dynamics. The green season (May-November) brings afternoon convective storms and dramatic cloud buildup, while the dry season (December-April) offers clearer skies but occasionally spectacular transitions. The country's multiple microclimates mean cloud conditions can vary dramatically within short distances.

What makes Costa Rica cloudscape photography special:

Volcanic drama - Arenal, Rincón de la Vieja, and Turrialba volcanic peaks piercing cloud layers, sometimes adding volcanic steam to natural clouds
Green season storms - Afternoon convective buildups create towering cumulus and dramatic storm light over rainforest and coast
Pacific coast systems - Offshore weather approaching Tamarindo and Manuel Antonio creates layered cloud compositions over ocean
Rainforest scale - Osa Peninsula and Drake Bay's pristine wilderness under tropical cloud systems provides untouched landscape drama

Arenal Volcano provides Costa Rica's classic cloudscape composition—the symmetrical cone often partially wrapped in clouds or emerging from cloud layers, especially during green season when afternoon convection builds around the peak. Rincón de la Vieja's active volcanic features combine with cloud drama—steam vents and fumaroles adding to natural cloud formations. Tamarindo's Pacific coast works brilliantly for sunset cloudscapes when afternoon storms clear, leaving dramatic cloud remnants for golden hour. Manuel Antonio's combination of rainforest hills and Pacific creates compositions with clouds at multiple elevations. Drake Bay and Osa Peninsula offer pristine wilderness cloudscapes without human development. Green season (May-November) produces the most dramatic conditions with daily afternoon storm buildups.

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72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour

2matching hours in the next 95 hoursJump to next match

OR logic: one branch per group is enough

Meets requirement

Misses requirement

Time America/Costa_Rica	Cloud Drama Score ≥ 75.0%	Low Clouds ≥ 20.0%	Mid-Level Clouds OR1·B1 ≥ 30.0%	High Clouds OR1·B2 ≥ 40.0%	Visibility ≥ 5000.0m
Sun, Apr 19
02:00	14%	12%	5.9%	5%	24134m
03:00	15%	0.9%	37%	5%	6601m
04:00	15%	1.9%	17%	5%	23523m
05:00	57%	0.5%	17%	1.4%	24134m
06:00	40%	2.7%	3.5%	5%	24135m
07:00	41%	2%	1%	5.3%	24134m
08:00	29%	0%	1%	1.5%	24134m
09:00	29%	5.7%	0.6%	2.6%	24134m
10:00	30%	16%	0%	5%	24134m
11:00	33%	20%	0%	5%	24135m
12:00	33%	26%	0%	5%	24135m
13:00	25%	10%	0%	0%	24135m
14:00	37%	16%	0%	0%	23273m
15:00	33%	13%	0%	0%	23405m
16:00	31%	14%	0%	0%	23260m
17:00	17%	2.4%	0%	0%	23246m
18:00	18%	2.8%	0%	0%	23334m
19:00	7.4%	2.9%	0%	0%	24135m
20:00	8.2%	1.6%	0%	0%	24135m
21:00	5.6%	0%	0%	0%	24134m
22:00	5.2%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
23:00	8.3%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
Mon, Apr 20
24:00	11%	0%	0%	0%	24134m
01:00	9%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
02:00	7%	0%	0%	0%	24134m
03:00	3%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
04:00	2.7%	0%	0%	0%	16062m
05:00	7.7%	0%	0%	0%	24134m
06:00	7.9%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
07:00	16%	0%	0%	2%	24134m
08:00	10%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
09:00	10%	0%	0%	0%	24134m
10:00	5.6%	0%	0%	0%	24134m
11:00	5.7%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
12:00	6.6%	4.5%	0%	0%	24134m
13:00	8%	4.9%	0%	0%	24135m
14:00	17%	8.1%	0%	0%	24134m
15:00	20%	5%	0%	0%	24135m
16:00	21%	5%	0%	0%	24135m
17:00	23%	4.2%	0%	0%	23261m
18:00	21%	1.5%	0%	0%	23338m
19:00	11%	4.4%	0%	0%	24135m
20:00	8%	5.7%	0%	0%	24134m
21:00	7.9%	1.2%	0%	4.6%	24135m
22:00	5.6%	1.1%	0%	5%	23906m
23:00	6.6%	0.7%	0%	5%	24134m
Tue, Apr 21
24:00	11%	0%	0%	5%	24134m
01:00	12%	0%	0%	5%	24135m
02:00	9.3%	0%	0%	42%	24134m
03:00	11%	0%	0%	59%	24135m
04:00	9.1%	0%	0%	61%	24134m
05:00	14%	0%	0%	4.5%	24134m
06:00	16%	0%	0%	2.6%	24134m
07:00	23%	0%	0%	5%	24134m
08:00	21%	0%	0%	5%	24135m
09:00	19%	0.1%	0%	5%	24134m
10:00	11%	0.5%	0%	1.5%	24134m
11:00	24%	19%	0%	0%	24134m
12:00	30%	17%	0%	2.4%	24134m
13:00	48%	26%	0%	13%	24134m
14:00	79%	48%	0%	33%	24135m
15:00	93%	29%	0%	37%	24135m
16:00	93%	16%	0%	33%	24135m
17:00	100%	40%	0%	25%	23272m
18:00	100%	51%	0%	51%	23421m
19:00	14%	38%	0%	20%	23344m
20:00	14%	19%	0%	5%	23557m
21:00	14%	6.5%	0%	4.7%	23640m
22:00	14%	9.1%	0%	5%	23683m
23:00	12%	7.3%	0%	5.1%	24135m
Wed, Apr 22
24:00	12%	2.8%	0%	5%	16759m
01:00	15%	1.3%	0.2%	62%	24135m
02:00	15%	0%	0.6%	59%	24134m
03:00	14%	0%	2.5%	59%	24135m
04:00	10%	0%	0.5%	74%	24135m
05:00	30%	0%	0.5%	89%	24134m
06:00	86%	0%	2%	33%	24135m
07:00	100%	32%	28%	29%	20089m
08:00	91%	65%	53%	25%	16043m
09:00	55%	97%	79%	21%	11997m
10:00	32%	74%	79%	16%	12048m
11:00	29%	51%	79%	9.9%	12099m
12:00	33%	28%	79%	4.1%	12150m
13:00	35%	27%	54%	4.2%	14116m
14:00	62%	26%	30%	4.4%	16082m
15:00	50%	25%	5.7%	4.5%	18049m
16:00	78%	20%	4.3%	24%	20077m
17:00	88%	14%	2.8%	43%	22106m
18:00	59%	9.1%	1.4%	62%	24135m
19:00	0%	9.2%	4.8%	60%	23588m
20:00	0%	9.3%	8.2%	58%	23041m
21:00	0%	9.4%	12%	57%	22494m
22:00	0%	7.1%	10%	70%	20481m
23:00	0%	4.9%	9%	84%	18467m
Thu, Apr 23
24:00	0%	2.6%	7.7%	97%	16454m

How to read: colored cells show whether each predicate requirement is met; highlighted rows mean the full rule matched (an opportunity). For OR groups, only one branch is required, so some OR-branch predicates can be ✕ even in a matching hour.

What does Cloud Drama Score 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/Costa_Rica	Air Pressure hPa	High Clouds %	Mid-Level Clouds %	Precipitation Chance %	Relative Humidity %	Solar Elevation °	Total Cloud Coverage %	Wind Gusts m/s	Wind Speed m/s
Mon, Apr 20 Sunrise 05:24 Sunset 17:46
02:00 ☾	995hPa	0%	0%	13%	74%	-48°	0%	1.3m/s	1.4m/s
03:00 ☾	995hPa	0%	0%	0%	72%	-35°	0%	1.5m/s	1.7m/s
04:00 ☾	995hPa	0%	0%	0%	70%	-21°	0%	1.8m/s	2m/s
05:00 ☾	996hPa	0%	0%	0%	66%	-6.6°	0%	2m/s	2.2m/s
06:00	996hPa	0%	0%	0%	60%	7.9°	0%	2.4m/s	2m/s
07:00	997hPa	2%	0%	27%	49%	22°	2%	1.8m/s	1.4m/s
08:00	997hPa	0%	0%	54%	49%	37°	0%	0.51m/s	0.32m/s
09:00	997hPa	0%	0%	82%	53%	52°	0%	1.2m/s	1.4m/s
10:00	997hPa	0%	0%	84%	54%	66°	0%	1.8m/s	2.5m/s
11:00	996hPa	0%	0%	87%	56%	81°	0%	2.5m/s	3.5m/s
12:00	995hPa	0%	0%	90%	58%	84°	4%	2.6m/s	3.7m/s
13:00	995hPa	0%	0%	80%	59%	69°	5%	2.6m/s	3.6m/s
14:00	994hPa	0%	0%	71%	60%	54°	8%	2.6m/s	3.4m/s
15:00	993hPa	0%	0%	62%	61%	40°	5%	2.6m/s	3m/s
16:00	993hPa	0%	0%	64%	63%	25°	5%	2.4m/s	2.7m/s
17:00	994hPa	0%	0%	66%	67%	11°	4%	2.5m/s	2.3m/s
18:00 ☾	995hPa	0%	0%	68%	74%	-3.9°	2%	1.9m/s	1.7m/s
19:00 ☾	995hPa	0%	0%	46%	76%	-18°	4%	1.8m/s	1.6m/s
20:00 ☾	996hPa	0%	0%	23%	77%	-32°	6%	1.4m/s	1.2m/s
21:00 ☾	997hPa	5%	0%	0%	77%	-46°	5%	1.3m/s	1.2m/s
22:00 ☾	997hPa	5%	0%	13%	78%	-58°	5%	1.2m/s	1.3m/s
23:00 ☾	997hPa	5%	0%	26%	78%	-67°	5%	1.2m/s	1.3m/s
Tue, Apr 21 Sunrise 05:24 Sunset 17:46
24:00 ☾	996hPa	5%	0%	39%	77%	-68°	5%	1.2m/s	1.4m/s
01:00 ☾	996hPa	5%	0%	26%	76%	-60°	5%	1.5m/s	1.7m/s
02:00 ☾	995hPa	42%	0%	13%	73%	-48°	42%	1.6m/s	1.8m/s
03:00 ☾	995hPa	59%	0%	0%	70%	-35°	59%	1.8m/s	2m/s
04:00 ☾	996hPa	61%	0%	11%	67%	-21°	61%	1.6m/s	1.9m/s
05:00 ☾	996hPa	4%	0%	23%	66%	-6.5°	4%	1.7m/s	1.9m/s
06:00	997hPa	3%	0%	34%	65%	8°	3%	1.6m/s	1.8m/s
07:00	998hPa	5%	0%	55%	60%	23°	5%	1.2m/s	1.1m/s
08:00	998hPa	5%	0%	75%	60%	37°	5%	0.9m/s	0.62m/s
09:00	998hPa	5%	0%	95%	58%	52°	5%	1.1m/s	1.6m/s
10:00	998hPa	2%	0%	97%	58%	66°	2%	1.9m/s	2.9m/s
11:00	997hPa	0%	0%	98%	60%	81°	19%	2.7m/s	3.7m/s
12:00	996hPa	2%	0%	99%	60%	83°	17%	2.9m/s	4.1m/s
13:00	995hPa	13%	0%	96%	60%	69°	30%	2.4m/s	3.9m/s
14:00	994hPa	33%	0%	93%	61%	54°	56%	2.1m/s	3.4m/s
15:00	994hPa	37%	0%	90%	64%	40°	41%	2.3m/s	3m/s
16:00	994hPa	33%	0%	90%	64%	25°	33%	2m/s	2.4m/s
17:00	994hPa	25%	0%	90%	67%	11°	44%	2.2m/s	2.3m/s
18:00 ☾	995hPa	51%	0%	90%	76%	-3.9°	53%	1.9m/s	1.8m/s
19:00 ☾	996hPa	20%	0%	66%	79%	-18°	40%	1.5m/s	1.2m/s
20:00 ☾	997hPa	5%	0%	43%	82%	-32°	19%	1.5m/s	1.1m/s
21:00 ☾	997hPa	5%	0%	19%	82%	-46°	7%	0.9m/s	0.96m/s
22:00 ☾	998hPa	5%	0%	26%	82%	-58°	9%	0.71m/s	0.73m/s
23:00 ☾	997hPa	5%	0%	32%	82%	-67°	8%	1.1m/s	1m/s
Wed, Apr 22 Sunrise 05:23 Sunset 17:46
24:00 ☾	997hPa	5%	0%	39%	82%	-67°	5%	1.1m/s	1.2m/s
01:00 ☾	996hPa	62%	0%	26%	83%	-60°	62%	1.3m/s	1.5m/s
02:00 ☾	996hPa	59%	1%	13%	82%	-48°	59%	1.7m/s	1.9m/s
03:00 ☾	996hPa	59%	2%	0%	80%	-35°	59%	1.9m/s	2m/s
04:00 ☾	996hPa	74%	0%	28%	78%	-21°	74%	1.7m/s	1.9m/s
05:00 ☾	997hPa	89%	0%	56%	76%	-6.4°	89%	1.6m/s	1.9m/s
06:00	997hPa	33%	2%	84%	75%	8.1°	33%	1.9m/s	2.1m/s
07:00	973hPa	29%	28%	89%	77%	23°	54%	1.7m/s	1.9m/s
08:00	948hPa	25%	53%	95%	78%	37°	76%	1.5m/s	1.7m/s
09:00	924hPa	21%	79%	100%	80%	52°	97%	1.2m/s	1.4m/s
10:00	924hPa	16%	79%	100%	83%	66°	91%	1.1m/s	1.2m/s
11:00	924hPa	10%	79%	100%	86%	81°	85%	0.89m/s	0.97m/s
12:00	924hPa	4%	78%	100%	90%	83°	78%	0.72m/s	0.75m/s
13:00	925hPa	4%	54%	99%	90%	69°	61%	0.92m/s	1m/s
14:00	926hPa	4%	30%	99%	91%	54°	44%	1.1m/s	1.3m/s
15:00	926hPa	4%	6%	98%	92%	40°	27%	1.3m/s	1.5m/s
16:00	926hPa	24%	4%	99%	91%	25°	39%	1.4m/s	1.6m/s
17:00	926hPa	43%	3%	99%	90%	11°	51%	1.4m/s	1.7m/s
18:00 ☾	925hPa	62%	1%	99%	89%	-3.9°	63%	1.4m/s	1.8m/s
19:00 ☾	925hPa	60%	5%	94%	88%	-18°	61%	1.4m/s	1.8m/s
20:00 ☾	925hPa	58%	8%	90%	88%	-32°	59%	1.4m/s	1.8m/s
21:00 ☾	924hPa	57%	12%	86%	88%	-46°	57%	1.5m/s	1.9m/s
22:00 ☾	925hPa	70%	10%	86%	88%	-58°	70%	1.4m/s	1.9m/s
23:00 ☾	925hPa	84%	9%	86%	88%	-66°	84%	1.4m/s	1.8m/s
Thu, Apr 23 Sunrise 05:23 Sunset 17:46
24:00 ☾	926hPa	97%	8%	86%	88%	-67°	97%	1.4m/s	1.8m/s
01:00 ☾	926hPa	85%	7%	79%	85%	-60°	85%	1.4m/s	1.8m/s

How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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