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 2 upcoming opportunity windows in the next 10 days.

More Cloudscapes in Costa Rica

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Rule Cloudscapes

Turrialba - Cloudscapes - Costa Rica

Turrialba, Cartago Province, Costa Rica

Multi-layered dramatic clouds for striking sky photography

Currently

Real-time conditions

Cloud Drama Score

24%

Cloud Cover57%

Wind Gusts2.9m/s

Precipitation Chance29%

Air Pressure860.6hPa

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in America/Costa_Rica

Next opportunity

Dramatic Cloud Drama at Sunset

Turrialba

Thu, Apr 23 · 17:00–18:00 · 1h window

Low confidence

38%

☁️Cloud Drama Score85.8%

Cloud Cover: 78%

Wind Gusts: 0.8m/s

Precipitation Chance: 63%

Air Pressure: 949.3hPa

Dramatic Cloud Drama at Dusk

Turrialba

Thu, Apr 23 · 18:00–19:00

☁️Cloud Drama Score:100%

Medium

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

1matching 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
Fri, Apr 17
13:00	46%	67%	0%	51%	24135m
14:00	71%	43%	3.7%	52%	19847m
15:00	70%	64%	0.8%	67%	16322m
16:00	95%	70%	6.2%	49%	15013m
17:00	81%	82%	0.6%	11%	1395m
18:00	84%	84%	4.9%	58%	597m
19:00	15%	81%	0%	61%	1698m
20:00	15%	81%	0%	94%	4072m
21:00	15%	76%	0%	93%	6241m
22:00	11%	66%	7.1%	100%	4685m
23:00	7.4%	61%	9.5%	100%	4922m
Sat, Apr 18
24:00	14%	59%	9.6%	100%	17940m
01:00	11%	77%	2.3%	5%	5522m
02:00	12%	75%	0%	47%	24134m
03:00	12%	36%	0%	5%	24135m
04:00	11%	37%	0%	95%	4972m
05:00	84%	31%	0%	56%	3166m
06:00	100%	15%	0%	41%	24134m
07:00	58%	0%	0%	18%	24134m
08:00	27%	0%	0%	5%	24134m
09:00	49%	0%	0%	19%	24134m
10:00	24%	0%	0%	7.7%	24135m
11:00	23%	0%	0%	5%	24135m
12:00	45%	24%	0%	11%	24134m
13:00	38%	56%	0%	9.5%	24135m
14:00	73%	58%	9.1%	27%	24134m
15:00	66%	40%	7.6%	5%	24135m
16:00	68%	41%	0%	5%	24135m
17:00	64%	39%	2%	4.8%	24134m
18:00	72%	57%	0%	5%	24135m
19:00	13%	57%	0%	4.1%	24135m
20:00	12%	56%	0%	5%	24134m
21:00	14%	52%	0%	6.9%	24134m
22:00	15%	51%	0%	5%	24135m
23:00	15%	53%	0%	52%	24134m
Sun, Apr 19
24:00	15%	55%	0%	32%	24135m
01:00	12%	55%	0%	49%	24135m
02:00	11%	24%	0%	6.6%	24135m
03:00	13%	0%	0%	19%	24134m
04:00	13%	0%	0%	29%	24134m
05:00	62%	0%	0%	45%	24135m
06:00	66%	0%	0%	53%	24135m
07:00	19%	0%	0%	97%	24135m
08:00	22%	0%	0%	89%	24134m
09:00	21%	0%	0%	100%	24134m
10:00	27%	0%	0%	67%	24135m
11:00	33%	1.3%	0%	54%	24134m
12:00	47%	14%	0%	18%	24135m
13:00	35%	60%	0%	4.6%	24134m
14:00	55%	58%	7.1%	0.3%	24135m
15:00	50%	60%	1.2%	0%	24135m
16:00	60%	63%	0%	2%	24134m
17:00	42%	82%	0%	0%	24134m
18:00	59%	64%	0%	0%	2363m
19:00	13%	48%	0%	0%	3710m
20:00	11%	25%	0%	0%	22767m
21:00	9.4%	8.9%	0%	0%	24135m
22:00	8.3%	8.2%	0%	0%	24135m
23:00	3.6%	3.7%	0%	0%	24134m
Mon, Apr 20
24:00	6.8%	0%	0%	0%	24134m
01:00	8.8%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
02:00	8.8%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
03:00	8.2%	0%	0%	0%	24134m
04:00	7.3%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
05:00	12%	0%	0%	0%	24134m
06:00	10%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
07:00	8.6%	0%	0%	0%	24134m
08:00	6.3%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
09:00	12%	0%	0%	0.9%	24135m
10:00	7.4%	0%	0%	3.4%	24135m
11:00	5.3%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
12:00	5.2%	0%	0%	0%	24134m
13:00	7.8%	0%	0%	2%	24134m
14:00	17%	0.1%	0%	4.5%	24134m
15:00	40%	19%	0%	3.1%	24134m
16:00	57%	66%	0%	0%	24135m
17:00	57%	72%	0%	2.8%	24134m
18:00	55%	78%	0%	0%	517m
19:00	0%	52%	0%	0%	8390m
20:00	0%	26%	0%	0%	16262m
21:00	0%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
22:00	0%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
23:00	0%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
Tue, Apr 21
24:00	0%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
01:00	0%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
02:00	0%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
03:00	0%	0%	0%	0%	24135m
04:00	0%	6.4%	0%	0%	24135m
05:00	22%	13%	0%	0%	24135m
06:00	35%	19%	0%	0%	24135m
07:00	39%	27%	0%	0%	23754m
08:00	41%	35%	0%	0%	23373m
09:00	33%	43%	0%	0%	22992m
10:00	21%	40%	0%	1.6%	23373m
11:00	22%	36%	0%	3.1%	23754m

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
Sat, Apr 18 Sunrise 05:23 Sunset 17:45
13:00	861hPa	10%	0%	29%	48%	69°	57%	2.9m/s	3.1m/s
14:00	860hPa	27%	9%	18%	53%	54°	62%	1.7m/s	2.7m/s
15:00	860hPa	5%	8%	8%	60%	39°	40%	1.7m/s	2.3m/s
16:00	860hPa	5%	0%	19%	65%	25°	41%	1.3m/s	1.9m/s
17:00	860hPa	5%	2%	29%	76%	10°	40%	1.9m/s	1.5m/s
18:00 ☾	861hPa	5%	0%	39%	92%	-4.3°	58%	0.61m/s	0.57m/s
19:00 ☾	861hPa	4%	0%	26%	91%	-19°	57%	0.41m/s	0.33m/s
20:00 ☾	862hPa	5%	0%	13%	89%	-33°	56%	0.6m/s	0.61m/s
21:00 ☾	863hPa	7%	0%	0%	90%	-46°	53%	0.51m/s	0.46m/s
22:00 ☾	863hPa	5%	0%	13%	90%	-59°	51%	0.7m/s	0.73m/s
23:00 ☾	863hPa	52%	0%	26%	90%	-67°	64%	1m/s	1.1m/s
Sun, Apr 19 Sunrise 05:22 Sunset 17:45
24:00 ☾	862hPa	32%	0%	39%	89%	-68°	55%	0.91m/s	1.1m/s
01:00 ☾	861hPa	49%	0%	26%	87%	-60°	64%	0.8m/s	0.89m/s
02:00 ☾	861hPa	7%	0%	13%	86%	-48°	24%	0.81m/s	1m/s
03:00 ☾	861hPa	19%	0%	0%	89%	-35°	19%	1m/s	1.3m/s
04:00 ☾	861hPa	29%	0%	0%	89%	-21°	29%	1.2m/s	1.5m/s
05:00 ☾	862hPa	44%	0%	0%	89%	-6.2°	44%	1.2m/s	1.5m/s
06:00	862hPa	53%	0%	0%	85%	8.4°	53%	1.1m/s	1.3m/s
07:00	863hPa	97%	0%	7%	72%	23°	97%	1.1m/s	0.96m/s
08:00	863hPa	89%	0%	15%	62%	38°	89%	1.2m/s	1.8m/s
09:00	864hPa	100%	0%	22%	55%	52°	100%	1.5m/s	2.4m/s
10:00	864hPa	66%	0%	36%	52%	67°	66%	1.6m/s	3m/s
11:00	863hPa	54%	0%	50%	51%	82°	54%	2m/s	3.1m/s
12:00	862hPa	18%	0%	64%	48%	83°	28%	2.4m/s	3.2m/s
13:00	861hPa	5%	0%	43%	49%	69°	60%	2.9m/s	3.4m/s
14:00	861hPa	0%	7%	21%	55%	54°	60%	2.1m/s	2.7m/s
15:00	860hPa	0%	1%	0%	59%	39°	60%	1.9m/s	2.4m/s
16:00	860hPa	2%	0%	0%	69%	25°	63%	1.9m/s	2.6m/s
17:00	861hPa	0%	0%	0%	86%	10°	82%	2.6m/s	2.1m/s
18:00 ☾	862hPa	0%	0%	0%	96%	-4.3°	64%	1.9m/s	1m/s
19:00 ☾	863hPa	0%	0%	0%	97%	-19°	48%	0.52m/s	0.32m/s
20:00 ☾	863hPa	0%	0%	0%	98%	-33°	25%	0.93m/s	0.93m/s
21:00 ☾	864hPa	0%	0%	0%	96%	-46°	9%	1.2m/s	1.2m/s
22:00 ☾	864hPa	0%	0%	0%	96%	-58°	8%	1.6m/s	1.5m/s
23:00 ☾	863hPa	0%	0%	0%	96%	-67°	4%	1.7m/s	1.7m/s
Mon, Apr 20 Sunrise 05:22 Sunset 17:45
24:00 ☾	863hPa	0%	0%	0%	94%	-68°	0%	1.7m/s	1.8m/s
01:00 ☾	862hPa	0%	0%	0%	89%	-60°	0%	1.4m/s	1.9m/s
02:00 ☾	862hPa	0%	0%	0%	81%	-48°	0%	1.4m/s	2m/s
03:00 ☾	862hPa	0%	0%	0%	74%	-34°	0%	1.5m/s	2.2m/s
04:00 ☾	862hPa	0%	0%	0%	69%	-20°	0%	1.6m/s	2.2m/s
05:00 ☾	863hPa	0%	0%	0%	67%	-6.1°	0%	1.6m/s	2.2m/s
06:00	863hPa	0%	0%	0%	65%	8.5°	0%	1.5m/s	2.1m/s
07:00	864hPa	0%	0%	7%	51%	23°	0%	1.1m/s	0.59m/s
08:00	864hPa	0%	0%	13%	44%	38°	0%	1.8m/s	1.4m/s
09:00	864hPa	1%	0%	20%	43%	52°	1%	2.3m/s	2.4m/s
10:00	864hPa	3%	0%	32%	44%	67°	3%	2.4m/s	2.9m/s
11:00	864hPa	0%	0%	44%	44%	82°	0%	2.3m/s	3.1m/s
12:00	863hPa	0%	0%	56%	44%	83°	0%	2.1m/s	3.3m/s
13:00	862hPa	2%	0%	50%	45%	69°	2%	2m/s	3.4m/s
14:00	862hPa	4%	0%	45%	48%	54°	4%	1.9m/s	3.1m/s
15:00	861hPa	3%	0%	39%	56%	39°	19%	1.9m/s	3.1m/s
16:00	861hPa	0%	0%	39%	68%	25°	66%	2m/s	2.8m/s
17:00	862hPa	3%	0%	39%	88%	10°	72%	2.9m/s	2.2m/s
18:00 ☾	862hPa	0%	0%	39%	98%	-4.3°	78%	2.3m/s	1.1m/s
19:00 ☾	892hPa	0%	0%	26%	94%	-19°	52%	2.4m/s	1.4m/s
20:00 ☾	921hPa	0%	0%	13%	90%	-33°	26%	2.4m/s	1.6m/s
21:00 ☾	950hPa	0%	0%	0%	86%	-46°	0%	2.4m/s	1.9m/s
22:00 ☾	951hPa	0%	0%	0%	84%	-58°	0%	2.4m/s	1.8m/s
23:00 ☾	951hPa	0%	0%	0%	82%	-67°	0%	2.3m/s	1.7m/s
Tue, Apr 21 Sunrise 05:21 Sunset 17:45
24:00 ☾	952hPa	0%	0%	0%	81%	-67°	0%	2.2m/s	1.6m/s
01:00 ☾	952hPa	0%	0%	0%	71%	-59°	0%	2m/s	1.7m/s
02:00 ☾	952hPa	0%	0%	0%	61%	-48°	0%	1.8m/s	1.7m/s
03:00 ☾	952hPa	0%	0%	0%	52%	-34°	0%	1.6m/s	1.8m/s
04:00 ☾	952hPa	0%	0%	9%	49%	-20°	6%	1.9m/s	2.3m/s
05:00 ☾	951hPa	0%	0%	17%	47%	-5.9°	13%	2.1m/s	2.9m/s
06:00	950hPa	0%	0%	26%	44%	8.6°	19%	2.3m/s	3.4m/s
07:00	950hPa	0%	0%	38%	48%	23°	27%	2.3m/s	3.4m/s
08:00	949hPa	0%	0%	50%	52%	38°	35%	2.3m/s	3.3m/s
09:00	948hPa	0%	0%	62%	56%	52°	43%	2.3m/s	3.3m/s
10:00	949hPa	2%	0%	67%	67%	67°	40%	1.8m/s	2.5m/s
11:00	950hPa	3%	0%	73%	78%	82°	36%	1.4m/s	1.7m/s
12:00	950hPa	5%	0%	79%	89%	83°	33%	0.91m/s	0.88m/s

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

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