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Rule Rainbow Chaser

Hilo - Rainbow Chaser - Hawaii

Hilo, Hawaii, United States

Sun breaking through rain — perfect rainbow conditions

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Pacific/Honolulu
Next opportunity
Good Chance of Rainbow
Hilo
Tomorrow · 15:00–16:00 · 1h window
Medium confidence
46%
Rainbow Chaser
Hilo
Mon, Jan 12 · 15:00–17:00
Low
Good Chance of Rainbow
Hilo
Wed, Jan 14 · 15:00–16:00
Low
Rainbow Chaser
Hilo
Wed, Jan 14 · 16:00–17:00
Low
Good Chance of Rainbow
Hilo
Thu, Jan 15 · 10:00–11:00
Low
Good Chance of Rainbow
Hilo
Fri, Jan 16 · 16:00–17:00
Low
Good Chance of Rainbow
Hilo
Sat, Jan 17 · 09:00–11:00
Low
+7 more windows in the next 14 days

What this forecast looks for

Plain-language explanation from the rule

This forecast tracks Hawaii's world-famous rainbow conditions. We analyze sun position, precipitation patterns, cloud breaks, and visibility to predict when and where rainbows are most likely to appear.

Hawaii sees more rainbows than almost anywhere else on Earth. The combination of consistent trade winds, abundant tropical showers, and reliable sunshine creates the perfect recipe. In Hawaiian culture, rainbows (ānuenue) hold deep spiritual significance—they're even on the state license plate.

What makes Hawaii special for rainbow photography:

  • Frequency - Trade wind showers and sunshine create multiple daily rainbow opportunities
  • Dramatic backdrops - Volcanic peaks, waterfalls, and tropical valleys frame the arcs
  • Double rainbows - Common in Hawaii due to intense tropical light
  • Accessibility - Rainbows appear frequently in easily-reached locations

Rainbows are most common in the morning and late afternoon when sun angle is optimal. The windward (east/north) sides of islands see more rain and therefore more rainbows. Look for conditions where sun breaks through behind you while rain falls ahead—our forecast helps identify these alignments. The Hana Highway on Maui and Hilo on the Big Island are particularly reliable rainbow zones.

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72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour
3matching hours in the next 72 hoursJump to next match
AND logic: all conditions required
Meets requirement
Misses requirement
Time
Pacific/Honolulu
Rainbow Probability
≥ 60.0%
Visibility
≥ 8000.0m
Sat, Jan 10
09:000%24140m
10:000%24140m
11:000%24140m
12:000%24140m
13:000%24140m
14:000%24140m
15:0055%24140m
16:0045%24140m
17:0027%24140m
18:000%24140m
19:000%24140m
20:000%24140m
21:000%24140m
22:000%24140m
23:000%24140m
Sun, Jan 11
24:000%24140m
01:000%24140m
02:000%24140m
03:000%24140m
04:000%24140m
05:000%24140m
06:000%24140m
07:000%24140m
08:000%24140m
09:000%24140m
10:000%24140m
11:000%24140m
12:000%24140m
13:000%24140m
14:000%24140m
15:0065%24140m
16:000%24140m
17:000%24140m
18:000%24140m
19:000%24140m
20:000%24140m
21:000%24140m
22:000%24140m
23:000%24140m
Mon, Jan 12
24:000%24140m
01:000%24140m
02:000%24140m
03:000%24140m
04:000%24140m
05:000%24140m
06:000%24140m
07:000%24140m
08:000%24140m
09:000%24140m
10:000%24140m
11:000%24140m
12:000%24140m
13:000%24140m
14:000%24140m
15:0070%24140m
16:0070%24140m
17:000%24140m
18:000%18080m
19:000%13100m
20:000%20960m
21:000%12000m
22:000%5760m
23:000%4140m
Tue, Jan 13
24:000%3380m
01:000%3780m
02:000%5080m
03:000%9940m
04:000%8420m
05:000%6000m
06:000%5460m
07:000%6800m
08:0039%15360m
How to read: colored cells show whether each predicate requirement is met; highlighted rows mean the full rule matched (an opportunity).

What does Rainbow Probability 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
Pacific/Honolulu
Rainfall
mm
Showers
mm
Solar Elevation
°
Sunshine Duration
seconds
Total Cloud Coverage
%
Total Precipitation
mm
Sat, Jan 10 Sunrise 06:57 Sunset 17:58
10:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 35° 3600seconds 41% 0mm
11:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 43° 3600seconds 67% 0mm
12:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 48° 3600seconds 73% 0mm
13:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 48° 3600seconds 85% 0mm
14:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 43° 3600seconds 94% 0mm
15:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 34° 3600seconds 87% 0mm
16:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 24° 3600seconds 91% 0mm
17:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 12° 1263seconds 97% 0mm
18:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -0.74° 0seconds 97% 0mm
19:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -14° 0seconds 88% 0mm
20:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -28° 0seconds 83% 0mm
21:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -42° 0seconds 83% 0mm
22:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -55° 0seconds 80% 0mm
23:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -69° 0seconds 87% 0mm
Sun, Jan 11 Sunrise 06:57 Sunset 17:58
24:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -83° 0seconds 83% 0mm
01:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -82° 0seconds 64% 0mm
02:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -68° 0seconds 25% 0mm
03:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -55° 0seconds 29% 0mm
04:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -41° 0seconds 0% 0mm
05:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -27° 0seconds 0% 0mm
06:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -13° 0seconds 0% 0mm
07:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 0.26° 0seconds 0% 0mm
08:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 13° 2403seconds 0% 0mm
09:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 24° 3600seconds 4% 0mm
10:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 35° 3600seconds 33% 0mm
11:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 43° 3600seconds 57% 0mm
12:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 48° 3600seconds 61% 0mm
13:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 48° 3600seconds 51% 0mm
14:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 43° 3600seconds 68% 0mm
15:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 34° 3600seconds 76% 0mm
16:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 24° 3600seconds 72% 0mm
17:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 12° 3600seconds 75% 0mm
18:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -0.55° 996seconds 75% 0mm
19:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -14° 0seconds 84% 0mm
20:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -28° 0seconds 82% 0mm
21:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -41° 0seconds 77% 0mm
22:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -55° 0seconds 52% 0mm
23:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -69° 0seconds 24% 0mm
Mon, Jan 12 Sunrise 06:57 Sunset 17:59
24:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -83° 0seconds 10% 0mm
01:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -82° 0seconds 29% 0mm
02:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -69° 0seconds 38% 0mm
03:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -55° 0seconds 41% 0mm
04:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -41° 0seconds 32% 0mm
05:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -27° 0seconds 55% 0mm
06:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -13° 0seconds 69% 0mm
07:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 0.24° 0seconds 54% 0mm
08:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 13° 2397seconds 38% 0mm
09:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 24° 3600seconds 0% 0mm
10:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 35° 3600seconds 35% 0mm
11:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 43° 3600seconds 65% 0mm
12:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 48° 3600seconds 72% 0mm
13:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 48° 3600seconds 96% 0mm
14:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 43° 3600seconds 93% 0mm
15:00 ☾
0mm 0.2mm 35° 1814seconds 92% 0.2mm
16:00 ☾
0mm 0.4mm 24° 339seconds 100% 0.4mm
17:00 ☾
0mm 0.6mm 12° 0seconds 100% 0.6mm
18:00 ☾
0mm 0.5mm -0.34° 0seconds 100% 0.5mm
19:00 ☾
0mm 0.3mm -14° 0seconds 100% 0.3mm
20:00 ☾
0mm 0.1mm -28° 0seconds 97% 0.1mm
21:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -41° 0seconds 99% 0mm
22:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -55° 0seconds 93% 0mm
23:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -69° 0seconds 99% 0mm
Tue, Jan 13 Sunrise 06:57 Sunset 18:00
24:00 ☾
0mm 0.1mm -83° 0seconds 100% 0.2mm
01:00 ☾
0mm 0.1mm -83° 0seconds 100% 0.1mm
02:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -69° 0seconds 100% 0mm
03:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -55° 0seconds 96% 0mm
04:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -41° 0seconds 96% 0mm
05:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -27° 0seconds 92% 0mm
06:00 ☾
0mm 0mm -14° 0seconds 85% 0mm
07:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 0.22° 0seconds 88% 0mm
08:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 13° 0seconds 86% 0mm
09:00 ☾
0mm 0mm 24° 2336seconds 90% 0mm
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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