San José - Cloudscapes - Costa Rica
Multi-layered dramatic clouds for striking sky photography
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What this forecast looks for
Plain-language explanation from the ruleThis 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 hourTime 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, May 23 | |||||
| 22:00 | 6% | 14% | 50% | 96% | 23600m |
| 23:00 | 4.1% | 12% | 79% | 100% | 23546m |
| Sun, May 24 | |||||
| 24:00 | 3.3% | 12% | 91% | 100% | 24134m |
| 01:00 | 3.6% | 30% | 100% | 100% | 23422m |
| 02:00 | 3.2% | 43% | 99% | 100% | 6121m |
| 03:00 | 6.8% | 54% | 70% | 99% | 3842m |
| 04:00 | 8.6% | 52% | 19% | 93% | 7668m |
| 05:00 | 100% | 59% | 20% | 52% | 4289m |
| 06:00 | 98% | 84% | 17% | 5% | 7749m |
| 07:00 | 85% | 34% | 5% | 5.9% | 8975m |
| 08:00 | 84% | 25% | 22% | 4.8% | 24135m |
| 09:00 | 45% | 29% | 5% | 4.8% | 24134m |
| 10:00 | 31% | 25% | 4.7% | 4.9% | 24134m |
| 11:00 | 28% | 28% | 1.1% | 0% | 7038m |
| 12:00 | 36% | 42% | 4.1% | 1.3% | 15096m |
| 13:00 | 35% | 37% | 5% | 2.3% | 8199m |
| 14:00 | 75% | 40% | 5.1% | 13% | 18899m |
| 15:00 | 71% | 38% | 4.7% | 66% | 13969m |
| 16:00 | 48% | 39% | 4.7% | 95% | 10380m |
| 17:00 | 52% | 47% | 3.6% | 95% | 23536m |
| 18:00 | 60% | 84% | 6.7% | 82% | 24135m |
| 19:00 | 12% | 93% | 5% | 94% | 9533m |
| 20:00 | 9.3% | 98% | 5.1% | 90% | 3403m |
| 21:00 | 3.5% | 100% | 30% | 98% | 1325m |
| 22:00 | 4.9% | 98% | 53% | 99% | 474m |
| 23:00 | 6.4% | 92% | 29% | 100% | 205m |
| Mon, May 25 | |||||
| 24:00 | 6.1% | 92% | 45% | 97% | 141m |
| 01:00 | 7.5% | 82% | 55% | 100% | 556m |
| 02:00 | 10% | 32% | 30% | 88% | 20938m |
| 03:00 | 8.6% | 64% | 4.4% | 74% | 7869m |
| 04:00 | 6.9% | 67% | 3.6% | 99% | 10560m |
| 05:00 | 47% | 49% | 3.4% | 100% | 24134m |
| 06:00 | 49% | 19% | 3.6% | 99% | 24135m |
| 07:00 | 51% | 14% | 4.2% | 99% | 13390m |
| 08:00 | 28% | 8.8% | 0.5% | 99% | 24134m |
| 09:00 | 28% | 6% | 1.3% | 100% | 24134m |
| 10:00 | 41% | 5.4% | 0.1% | 31% | 24134m |
| 11:00 | 33% | 5.4% | 0.1% | 66% | 24135m |
| 12:00 | 18% | 7% | 1.3% | 100% | 24134m |
| 13:00 | 20% | 19% | 1.4% | 100% | 24135m |
| 14:00 | 32% | 42% | 1.3% | 100% | 13921m |
| 15:00 | 37% | 59% | 4.6% | 100% | 17706m |
| 16:00 | 35% | 44% | 4.6% | 100% | 4698m |
| 17:00 | 41% | 60% | 4.9% | 100% | 5378m |
| 18:00 | 47% | 59% | 7% | 100% | 3878m |
| 19:00 | 3.8% | 61% | 58% | 100% | 7188m |
| 20:00 | 1.8% | 66% | 82% | 100% | 20084m |
| 21:00 | 0.2% | 62% | 7.8% | 100% | 24134m |
| 22:00 | 1.2% | 91% | 40% | 100% | 7204m |
| 23:00 | 0.7% | 95% | 99% | 100% | 3641m |
| Tue, May 26 | |||||
| 24:00 | 1.4% | 60% | 92% | 100% | 5374m |
| 01:00 | 2.9% | 31% | 97% | 99% | 24134m |
| 02:00 | 1.3% | 20% | 96% | 100% | 7906m |
| 03:00 | 2.6% | 17% | 96% | 99% | 8587m |
| 04:00 | 6.9% | 18% | 48% | 6.9% | 8036m |
| 05:00 | 59% | 45% | 5% | 73% | 3661m |
| 06:00 | 55% | 25% | 5% | 100% | 6412m |
| 07:00 | 56% | 9.1% | 65% | 100% | 24134m |
| 08:00 | 52% | 6.9% | 28% | 89% | 24135m |
| 09:00 | 21% | 8.7% | 5.9% | 100% | 24135m |
| 10:00 | 27% | 38% | 81% | 99% | 21856m |
| 11:00 | 28% | 21% | 94% | 100% | 9403m |
| 12:00 | 27% | 35% | 20% | 97% | 18703m |
| 13:00 | 23% | 53% | 46% | 98% | 14355m |
| 14:00 | 40% | 72% | 73% | 99% | 10007m |
| 15:00 | 51% | 91% | 100% | 100% | 5658m |
| 16:00 | 51% | 63% | 100% | 100% | 11283m |
| 17:00 | 60% | 35% | 100% | 100% | 16908m |
| 18:00 | 55% | 7.8% | 100% | 100% | 22533m |
| 19:00 | 0% | 6.7% | 100% | 100% | 23067m |
| 20:00 | 0% | 5.6% | 99% | 100% | 23601m |
| 21:00 | 0% | 4.5% | 99% | 100% | 24135m |
| 22:00 | 0% | 3.1% | 97% | 100% | 24135m |
| 23:00 | 0% | 1.7% | 94% | 100% | 24135m |
| Wed, May 27 | |||||
| 24:00 | 0% | 0.3% | 92% | 100% | 24135m |
| 01:00 | 0% | 0.2% | 81% | 100% | 24135m |
| 02:00 | 0% | 0.1% | 69% | 100% | 24135m |
| 03:00 | 0% | 0% | 57% | 100% | 24135m |
| 04:00 | 0% | 33% | 40% | 100% | 21098m |
| 05:00 | 62% | 66% | 24% | 99% | 18060m |
What does Cloud Drama Score mean?
Inputs that drive the scoreThis 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, May 24
Sunrise 05:14
Sunset 17:52 | |||||||||
| 07:00 | 843hPa | 6% | 5% | 99% | 86% | 24° | 34% | 4.7m/s | 2.7m/s |
| 08:00 | 843hPa | 5% | 22% | 100% | 76% | 38° | 26% | 4.4m/s | 2.6m/s |
| 09:00 | 843hPa | 5% | 5% | 100% | 69% | 52° | 29% | 4.1m/s | 2.7m/s |
| 10:00 | 843hPa | 5% | 5% | 100% | 64% | 65° | 26% | 3.9m/s | 2.8m/s |
| 11:00 | 843hPa | 0% | 1% | 100% | 62% | 76° | 28% | 3.5m/s | 2.9m/s |
| 12:00 | 842hPa | 1% | 4% | 100% | 64% | 77° | 42% | 3.2m/s | 3.2m/s |
| 13:00 | 842hPa | 2% | 5% | 93% | 72% | 66° | 37% | 3.1m/s | 2.8m/s |
| 14:00 | 841hPa | 13% | 5% | 86% | 76% | 53° | 41% | 3.3m/s | 2.7m/s |
| 15:00 | 841hPa | 66% | 5% | 78% | 79% | 39° | 78% | 3.1m/s | 2.6m/s |
| 16:00 | 841hPa | 95% | 5% | 82% | 82% | 25° | 95% | 3.4m/s | 2.5m/s |
| 17:00 | 841hPa | 95% | 4% | 86% | 87% | 11° | 95% | 3.4m/s | 2.2m/s |
| 18:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 82% | 7% | 90% | 93% | -2.5° | 93% | 3.7m/s | 2m/s |
| 19:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 94% | 5% | 77% | 92% | -16° | 100% | 3.8m/s | 2.1m/s |
| 20:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 90% | 5% | 64% | 93% | -29° | 98% | 4.1m/s | 2.1m/s |
| 21:00 ☾ | 843hPa | 98% | 30% | 51% | 94% | -41° | 100% | 4.3m/s | 2m/s |
| 22:00 ☾ | 843hPa | 99% | 53% | 52% | 94% | -52° | 100% | 4.3m/s | 2m/s |
| 23:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 100% | 29% | 54% | 96% | -58° | 100% | 4.3m/s | 2m/s |
| Mon, May 25
Sunrise 05:14
Sunset 17:52 | |||||||||
| 24:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 97% | 45% | 56% | 97% | -58° | 100% | 4.2m/s | 1.9m/s |
| 01:00 ☾ | 841hPa | 100% | 55% | 50% | 94% | -52° | 100% | 4.4m/s | 2.2m/s |
| 02:00 ☾ | 841hPa | 88% | 30% | 45% | 93% | -43° | 89% | 4.9m/s | 2.4m/s |
| 03:00 ☾ | 841hPa | 74% | 4% | 39% | 95% | -31° | 76% | 4.8m/s | 2.5m/s |
| 04:00 ☾ | 841hPa | 99% | 4% | 53% | 94% | -18° | 99% | 5m/s | 2.6m/s |
| 05:00 ☾ | 841hPa | 100% | 3% | 68% | 91% | -4° | 100% | 4.9m/s | 2.5m/s |
| 06:00 | 841hPa | 99% | 4% | 82% | 90% | 9.8° | 99% | 5.5m/s | 2.6m/s |
| 07:00 | 842hPa | 99% | 4% | 84% | 83% | 24° | 99% | 4.9m/s | 2.7m/s |
| 08:00 | 842hPa | 99% | 0% | 86% | 73% | 38° | 99% | 4.5m/s | 2.8m/s |
| 09:00 | 842hPa | 100% | 1% | 88% | 65% | 52° | 100% | 4.5m/s | 2.8m/s |
| 10:00 | 842hPa | 31% | 0% | 92% | 58% | 65° | 31% | 4.2m/s | 2.7m/s |
| 11:00 | 842hPa | 66% | 0% | 96% | 53% | 76° | 66% | 4.6m/s | 2.9m/s |
| 12:00 | 841hPa | 100% | 1% | 99% | 52% | 77° | 100% | 3.9m/s | 3m/s |
| 13:00 | 841hPa | 100% | 1% | 95% | 55% | 66° | 100% | 3.2m/s | 3.1m/s |
| 14:00 | 840hPa | 100% | 1% | 91% | 63% | 53° | 100% | 2.9m/s | 2.8m/s |
| 15:00 | 840hPa | 100% | 5% | 87% | 70% | 39° | 100% | 3.1m/s | 2.6m/s |
| 16:00 | 840hPa | 100% | 5% | 88% | 79% | 25° | 100% | 3m/s | 2.3m/s |
| 17:00 | 841hPa | 100% | 5% | 90% | 88% | 11° | 100% | 3m/s | 1.9m/s |
| 18:00 ☾ | 841hPa | 100% | 7% | 91% | 94% | -2.4° | 100% | 3.1m/s | 1.7m/s |
| 19:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 100% | 58% | 79% | 95% | -16° | 100% | 3.1m/s | 1.6m/s |
| 20:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 100% | 82% | 68% | 94% | -29° | 100% | 3.4m/s | 1.7m/s |
| 21:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 100% | 8% | 56% | 92% | -41° | 100% | 3.3m/s | 1.7m/s |
| 22:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 100% | 40% | 54% | 92% | -51° | 100% | 3.2m/s | 1.8m/s |
| 23:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 100% | 99% | 51% | 91% | -58° | 100% | 3.4m/s | 1.6m/s |
| Tue, May 26
Sunrise 05:14
Sunset 17:52 | |||||||||
| 24:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 100% | 92% | 49% | 91% | -58° | 100% | 3.2m/s | 1.6m/s |
| 01:00 ☾ | 841hPa | 99% | 97% | 46% | 94% | -52° | 99% | 3.2m/s | 1.6m/s |
| 02:00 ☾ | 841hPa | 100% | 96% | 42% | 96% | -42° | 100% | 2.9m/s | 1.6m/s |
| 03:00 ☾ | 841hPa | 99% | 96% | 39% | 96% | -30° | 100% | 3.2m/s | 1.6m/s |
| 04:00 ☾ | 841hPa | 7% | 48% | 59% | 96% | -18° | 48% | 3.4m/s | 1.7m/s |
| 05:00 ☾ | 841hPa | 73% | 5% | 79% | 98% | -4° | 86% | 3.1m/s | 1.7m/s |
| 06:00 | 841hPa | 100% | 5% | 99% | 94% | 9.8° | 100% | 3.4m/s | 1.8m/s |
| 07:00 | 842hPa | 100% | 65% | 99% | 82% | 24° | 100% | 3.5m/s | 2.1m/s |
| 08:00 | 842hPa | 89% | 28% | 100% | 70% | 38° | 89% | 2.8m/s | 2m/s |
| 09:00 | 843hPa | 100% | 6% | 100% | 61% | 52° | 100% | 2.5m/s | 2.2m/s |
| 10:00 | 843hPa | 99% | 81% | 100% | 62% | 65° | 99% | 2.4m/s | 2.2m/s |
| 11:00 | 842hPa | 100% | 94% | 100% | 75% | 76° | 100% | 2.1m/s | 2.1m/s |
| 12:00 | 842hPa | 97% | 20% | 100% | 78% | 77° | 97% | 2.1m/s | 2.1m/s |
| 13:00 | 842hPa | 98% | 46% | 84% | 84% | 66° | 98% | 3.1m/s | 2.1m/s |
| 14:00 | 842hPa | 99% | 73% | 68% | 90% | 53° | 99% | 4m/s | 2.1m/s |
| 15:00 | 843hPa | 100% | 100% | 52% | 97% | 39° | 100% | 5m/s | 2.1m/s |
| 16:00 | 842hPa | 100% | 100% | 54% | 96% | 25° | 100% | 4.9m/s | 2.1m/s |
| 17:00 | 842hPa | 100% | 100% | 57% | 95% | 11° | 100% | 4.9m/s | 2.1m/s |
| 18:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 100% | 100% | 60% | 95% | -2.4° | 100% | 4.8m/s | 2.1m/s |
| 19:00 ☾ | 841hPa | 100% | 100% | 50% | 93% | -16° | 100% | 3.6m/s | 1.9m/s |
| 20:00 ☾ | 841hPa | 100% | 99% | 40% | 91% | -29° | 100% | 2.5m/s | 1.6m/s |
| 21:00 ☾ | 840hPa | 100% | 99% | 30% | 88% | -41° | 100% | 1.3m/s | 1.4m/s |
| 22:00 ☾ | 841hPa | 100% | 97% | 30% | 89% | -51° | 100% | 1.7m/s | 1.5m/s |
| 23:00 ☾ | 841hPa | 100% | 94% | 30% | 90% | -58° | 100% | 2m/s | 1.6m/s |
| Wed, May 27
Sunrise 05:14
Sunset 17:52 | |||||||||
| 24:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 100% | 92% | 30% | 91% | -58° | 100% | 2.3m/s | 1.6m/s |
| 01:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 100% | 81% | 25% | 84% | -52° | 100% | 1.9m/s | 1.2m/s |
| 02:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 100% | 69% | 20% | 76% | -42° | 100% | 1.5m/s | 0.83m/s |
| 03:00 ☾ | 843hPa | 100% | 57% | 15% | 68% | -30° | 100% | 1m/s | 0.43m/s |
| 04:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 100% | 40% | 39% | 67% | -18° | 100% | 1.2m/s | 0.77m/s |
| 05:00 ☾ | 842hPa | 99% | 24% | 63% | 66% | -4° | 100% | 1.3m/s | 1.1m/s |
| 06:00 | 841hPa | 99% | 7% | 87% | 66% | 9.8° | 100% | 1.5m/s | 1.4m/s |
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