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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 Cover67%
Wind Gusts1.8m/s
Precipitation Chance100%
Air Pressure862.5hPa

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in America/Costa_Rica
cloudscapes weather icon
Next opportunity
Striking Cloud Drama at Sunrise
Turrialba
Sun, Jul 12 · 05:00–06:00 · 1h window
Medium confidence
42%
☁️Cloud Drama Score75.4%
Cloud Cover: 100%
Wind Gusts: 1.4m/s
Precipitation Chance: 94%
Air Pressure: 949.8hPa
cloudscapes weather icon
Striking Cloud Drama
Turrialba
Sun, Jul 12 · 06:00–08:00
☁️Cloud Drama Score:79.3%
Low
cloudscapes weather icon
Dramatic Cloud Drama at Sunset
Turrialba
Sun, Jul 12 · 18:00–19:00
☁️Cloud Drama Score:98.8%
Medium
cloudscapes weather icon
Dramatic Cloud Drama at Sunrise
Turrialba
Mon, Jul 13 · 05:00–06:00
☁️Cloud Drama Score:100%
Medium
cloudscapes weather icon
Striking Cloud Drama at Sunset
Turrialba
Wed, Jul 15 · 18:00–19:00
☁️Cloud Drama Score:79.3%
Low
cloudscapes weather icon
Dramatic Cloud Drama at Sunrise
Turrialba
Thu, Jul 16 · 05:00–06:00
☁️Cloud Drama Score:92.3%
Low
cloudscapes weather icon
Dramatic Cloud Drama
Turrialba
Thu, Jul 16 · 06:00–08:00
☁️Cloud Drama Score:91-100%
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
0matching hours in the next 95 hours
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
Tue, Jul 7
07:0059%78%0%0%24135m
08:0057%78%0%4.1%24135m
09:0058%54%0%1.6%24135m
10:0045%38%0.3%4.1%24135m
11:0049%31%1.1%5%24135m
12:0049%45%0.3%5%20625m
13:0049%54%0%2.6%23719m
14:0055%68%0%0%17614m
15:0041%86%0%0.2%15781m
16:0037%91%0%0%21931m
17:0039%97%0%0%4624m
18:0039%97%0%0%3194m
19:0015%60%0%5%586m
20:0013%71%0%23%532m
21:0013%74%0%5.1%681m
22:0013%79%0%5%1649m
23:0014%74%0%4.4%7293m
Wed, Jul 8
24:0012%71%0%0%885m
01:0012%79%0%0%3541m
02:0013%77%0%0%3813m
03:0014%63%0%0%2228m
04:0014%73%0%0%1721m
05:0050%82%0%0%1794m
06:0056%77%0%0%8925m
07:0063%67%0%0%24134m
08:0052%47%0%0%24135m
09:0044%23%0%0%24135m
10:0042%47%0%0%24135m
11:0039%71%0%0%22451m
12:0041%70%0%0%18941m
13:0048%52%0%0.9%20592m
14:0054%55%0%0%20816m
15:0059%61%0%0.9%19922m
16:0041%87%0.9%1.3%5514m
17:0050%98%1.4%8.8%4300m
18:0055%92%0.3%79%4577m
19:0015%36%0%27%21635m
20:0015%44%0.3%83%23934m
21:0015%50%0.9%6.6%5894m
22:0013%69%1.1%5%952m
23:0012%84%0%5%738m
Thu, Jul 9
24:0012%80%0%5.1%598m
01:0014%69%0%35%644m
02:0015%50%0%6.9%20861m
03:0014%82%0%29%20859m
04:009.7%94%0%100%3198m
05:0051%88%0%92%1119m
06:0063%85%0%55%929m
07:0066%87%0%12%20917m
08:0050%78%0%72%24135m
09:0062%63%0%82%18941m
10:0059%74%0%44%6400m
11:0039%83%2.9%79%7177m
12:0039%89%5%72%5527m
13:0052%90%49%64%1036m
14:0056%81%32%97%1037m
15:0055%88%42%100%1004m
16:0056%92%77%100%823m
17:0060%93%100%100%568m
18:0063%78%100%100%162m
19:002.9%73%100%100%270m
20:003.7%68%77%100%418m
21:003%53%97%100%692m
22:004.2%64%97%100%679m
23:002.2%68%93%100%2486m
Fri, Jul 10
24:000.3%63%22%100%666m
01:002.1%73%5%100%974m
02:005.1%84%5%100%1162m
03:004.9%90%4.7%100%1641m
04:008.2%96%5%99%24134m
05:0051%93%5%79%24134m
06:0046%92%5%100%24134m
07:0042%85%5%100%24135m
08:0037%77%5%100%24134m
09:0040%36%5%100%19261m
10:0028%45%5%100%8816m
11:0028%56%5%100%10069m
12:0028%62%5%100%7807m
13:0039%53%34%99%6955m
14:0053%45%63%97%6103m
15:0053%36%93%96%5251m
16:0053%32%88%97%5270m
17:0060%27%83%99%5289m
18:0060%23%79%100%5308m
19:000%29%85%100%8042m
20:000%35%92%100%10776m
21:000%42%98%100%13510m
22:000%29%87%100%17051m
23:000%16%77%100%20593m
Sat, Jul 11
24:000%3.7%66%100%24135m
01:000%5.5%77%100%21395m
02:000%7.3%89%100%18656m
03:000%9.1%100%100%15916m
04:000%19%100%94%14345m
05:0060%28%100%87%12775m
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
Wed, Jul 8 Sunrise 05:19 Sunset 17:59
07:00
863hPa 0% 0% 100% 91% 22° 67% 1.8m/s 0.84m/s
08:00
863hPa 0% 0% 100% 83% 36° 47% 2.2m/s 1.6m/s
09:00
863hPa 0% 0% 100% 75% 50° 23% 2.9m/s 2.2m/s
10:00
863hPa 0% 0% 100% 70% 63° 46% 2.9m/s 2.5m/s
11:00
863hPa 0% 0% 100% 71% 74° 71% 2.8m/s 2.8m/s
12:00
862hPa 0% 0% 100% 74% 77° 70% 2.5m/s 2.6m/s
13:00
862hPa 1% 0% 97% 80% 67° 52% 2.4m/s 2.6m/s
14:00
861hPa 0% 0% 94% 82% 54° 55% 2.7m/s 2.6m/s
15:00
861hPa 1% 0% 90% 86% 41° 61% 2.6m/s 2.3m/s
16:00
861hPa 1% 1% 90% 88% 27° 87% 2.5m/s 1.9m/s
17:00
862hPa 9% 1% 90% 91% 13° 98% 2.2m/s 1.5m/s
18:00
862hPa 79% 0% 90% 96% -0.41° 95% 1.7m/s 0.93m/s
19:00
863hPa 27% 0% 76% 96% -14° 39% 1.3m/s 0.64m/s
20:00
863hPa 83% 0% 63% 99% -27° 83% 0.9m/s 0.38m/s
21:00
863hPa 7% 1% 49% 99% -39° 50% 0.8m/s 0.24m/s
22:00
864hPa 5% 1% 55% 99% -49° 69% 0.82m/s 0.31m/s
23:00
863hPa 5% 0% 60% 98% -56° 84% 1.3m/s 0.2m/s
Thu, Jul 9 Sunrise 05:20 Sunset 17:59
24:00
862hPa 5% 0% 65% 99% -57° 80% 1.4m/s 0.43m/s
01:00
862hPa 35% 0% 68% 98% -52° 69% 1.4m/s 0.32m/s
02:00
861hPa 7% 0% 70% 97% -43° 50% 1.4m/s 0.23m/s
03:00
861hPa 29% 0% 72% 98% -31° 82% 0.8m/s 0.31m/s
04:00
861hPa 100% 0% 81% 98% -19° 100% 1.2m/s 0.22m/s
05:00
862hPa 92% 0% 91% 98% -5.3° 95% 1.2m/s 0.26m/s
06:00
862hPa 55% 0% 100% 98% 8.4° 85% 1.7m/s 0.44m/s
07:00
862hPa 12% 0% 100% 95% 22° 87% 1.5m/s 0.85m/s
08:00
863hPa 72% 0% 100% 92% 36° 93% 1.8m/s 1.3m/s
09:00
863hPa 82% 0% 100% 88% 50° 83% 2.2m/s 1.7m/s
10:00
863hPa 44% 0% 100% 87% 63° 80% 2.8m/s 2.1m/s
11:00
863hPa 78% 3% 100% 89% 74° 93% 2.8m/s 2.2m/s
12:00
862hPa 72% 5% 100% 91% 77° 96% 2.9m/s 2.3m/s
13:00
862hPa 64% 49% 97% 94% 67° 94% 3.5m/s 2.6m/s
14:00
861hPa 96% 32% 93% 96% 54° 96% 3.2m/s 2.2m/s
15:00
861hPa 100% 42% 90% 95% 41° 100% 2.9m/s 2m/s
16:00
861hPa 100% 77% 89% 96% 27° 100% 2.6m/s 1.7m/s
17:00
861hPa 100% 100% 88% 98% 13° 100% 2.5m/s 1.4m/s
18:00
861hPa 100% 100% 87% 99% -0.39° 100% 1.8m/s 0.77m/s
19:00
862hPa 100% 100% 64% 99% -14° 100% 2.1m/s 0.93m/s
20:00
863hPa 100% 77% 41% 99% -27° 100% 1.7m/s 0.7m/s
21:00
863hPa 100% 97% 18% 99% -39° 100% 1.4m/s 0.61m/s
22:00
863hPa 100% 97% 27% 99% -50° 100% 1.3m/s 0.38m/s
23:00
863hPa 100% 93% 36% 98% -56° 100% 0.83m/s 0.51m/s
Fri, Jul 10 Sunrise 05:20 Sunset 17:59
24:00
862hPa 100% 22% 46% 98% -58° 100% 0.93m/s 0.54m/s
01:00
861hPa 100% 5% 59% 98% -52° 100% 0.83m/s 0.24m/s
02:00
861hPa 100% 5% 72% 98% -43° 100% 0.81m/s 0.26m/s
03:00
861hPa 100% 5% 86% 98% -31° 100% 0.71m/s 0.37m/s
04:00
861hPa 98% 5% 90% 97% -19° 99% 0.4m/s 0.36m/s
05:00
861hPa 79% 5% 95% 96% -5.3° 93% 0.5m/s 0.19m/s
06:00
861hPa 100% 5% 100% 96% 8.4° 100% 0.62m/s 0.22m/s
07:00
862hPa 100% 5% 100% 94% 22° 100% 0.84m/s 0.4m/s
08:00
862hPa 100% 5% 100% 90% 36° 100% 1.1m/s 0.74m/s
09:00
862hPa 100% 5% 100% 85% 50° 100% 1.7m/s 1.5m/s
10:00
862hPa 100% 5% 100% 80% 63° 100% 2.3m/s 2m/s
11:00
862hPa 100% 5% 100% 87% 74° 100% 2.2m/s 2.1m/s
12:00
861hPa 100% 5% 100% 89% 77° 100% 2.2m/s 2.1m/s
13:00
890hPa 99% 34% 96% 92% 67° 99% 1.7m/s 1.6m/s
14:00
920hPa 97% 63% 92% 95% 54° 99% 1.2m/s 1.1m/s
15:00
949hPa 96% 92% 88% 98% 41° 98% 0.71m/s 0.62m/s
16:00
949hPa 97% 88% 90% 98% 27° 99% 0.82m/s 0.82m/s
17:00
949hPa 99% 83% 92% 98% 13° 99% 0.93m/s 1m/s
18:00
949hPa 100% 79% 95% 98% -0.38° 100% 1m/s 1.2m/s
19:00
948hPa 100% 85% 88% 98% -14° 100% 0.94m/s 1.1m/s
20:00
947hPa 100% 92% 81% 97% -27° 100% 0.84m/s 0.94m/s
21:00
947hPa 100% 98% 75% 97% -39° 100% 0.74m/s 0.8m/s
22:00
947hPa 100% 87% 81% 96% -50° 100% 0.86m/s 0.92m/s
23:00
948hPa 100% 77% 86% 96% -57° 100% 0.99m/s 1m/s
Sat, Jul 11 Sunrise 05:20 Sunset 17:59
24:00
948hPa 100% 66% 92% 95% -58° 100% 1.1m/s 1.2m/s
01:00
949hPa 100% 77% 91% 94% -53° 100% 1.1m/s 0.98m/s
02:00
949hPa 100% 89% 89% 93% -43° 100% 1.1m/s 0.78m/s
03:00
950hPa 100% 100% 87% 91% -32° 100% 1m/s 0.59m/s
04:00
949hPa 94% 100% 91% 92% -19° 100% 0.86m/s 0.6m/s
05:00
949hPa 87% 100% 96% 93% -5.4° 100% 0.7m/s 0.61m/s
06:00
949hPa 81% 100% 100% 94% 8.3° 100% 0.54m/s 0.62m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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