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Rule Storm Chaser

Na Pali Coast - Storm Chaser - Hawaii

Hanalei, Hawaii, United States

Dramatic storm conditions — from atmospheric builds to active thunderstorms

No opportunities right now
Here’s what usually blocks matches

No Storm Chaser opportunities in the next 14 days

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Rule requirements (key thresholds)
Storm Intensity · ≥ 55.0% Cloud Drama Score · ≥ 55.0% CAPE · ≥ 1200.0J/kg Lifted Index · ≤ -2.0°C

Tip: Scroll down to the 72-hour table to see exactly which condition fails hour by hour.

Most common blockers (next 72 hours)
Storm Intensity 100% failing
CAPE 99% failing
Cloud Drama Score 76% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Cloud Cover100%
Wind Gusts1.7m/s
Precipitation Chance99%
Air Pressure986.7hPa
CAPE239
Lifted Index-1.7°C
Wind Gusts1.7m/s
Precipitation0.2mm

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Pacific/Honolulu

No opportunities in the next 10 days

See the blocker timeline below to understand which conditions are preventing matches.

What this forecast looks for

Plain-language explanation from the rule

This forecast tracks Hawaii's tropical storm conditions, focusing on the dramatic convective storms and rain squalls that create spectacular photography opportunities. We monitor atmospheric instability, trade wind patterns, and convective development to predict when tropical storms will produce dramatic skies and lighting conditions.

Hawaii's tropical location means storm systems behave differently than mainland storms. Trade wind showers create brief, intense rain squalls that pass quickly, often producing rainbows. Kona storms—winter low-pressure systems from the southwest—bring more widespread drama. Summer afternoon convection builds towering clouds over island mountains.

What makes Hawaii special for storm photography:

  • Tropical convection - Towering cumulus clouds develop over volcanic peaks in afternoon heat
  • Dramatic cloud formations - Trade winds create lenticular clouds and wave patterns
  • Kona storm drama - Winter southwest storms bring unusual widespread rain and dramatic conditions
  • Rain squalls with rainbows - Brief intense showers followed immediately by sunshine and rainbows

Hawaiian storm photography is unique because storms are rarely dangerous to photographers—most are brief convective cells or passing squalls rather than severe weather. The dramatic part is the towering cloud formations, not dangerous conditions. Afternoon convection over Mauna Kea and Haleakala creates spectacular anvil clouds and light shows. Kona storms, occurring October through April, bring the most widespread dramatic conditions with dark clouds, wind-driven rain, and spectacular clearing. The windward coasts see more frequent trade wind squalls—brief heavy showers that create dramatic light when sun breaks through. The combination of tropical moisture, volcanic terrain, and reliable sunshine means storm photography often includes rainbows as a bonus. Watch for conditions where dark storm clouds contrast with bright sunlit areas.

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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
Pacific/Honolulu
Storm Intensity
≥ 55.0%
Cloud Drama Score
≥ 55.0%
CAPE
OR1·B1
≥ 1200.0J/kg
Lifted Index
OR1·B2
≤ -2.0°C
Visibility
≥ 2500.0m
Wind Gusts
≤ 22.0m/s
Sat, Feb 21
15:0018%52%88J/kg-0.5°C7149m1.2m/s
16:0019%70%82J/kg-0.5°C15555m1.1m/s
17:0019%68%144J/kg-1.2°C18868m1.3m/s
18:0015%67%184J/kg-1.3°C23751m1.7m/s
19:0015%72%260J/kg-1.8°C24135m2.8m/s
20:0017%14%320J/kg-1.9°C24134m3.1m/s
21:000%15%213J/kg-0.9°C24134m1.4m/s
22:000%14%231J/kg-0.9°C24134m2.4m/s
23:000%13%207J/kg-0.6°C24135m2.2m/s
Sun, Feb 22
24:000%13%249J/kg-0.8°C24135m1.8m/s
01:000%11%241J/kg-1°C24135m1.7m/s
02:000%9%224J/kg-0.9°C24134m1.4m/s
03:000%14%235J/kg-1.2°C24135m1.5m/s
04:000%13%207J/kg-1°C24135m1.4m/s
05:000%13%222J/kg-1.1°C24135m1.3m/s
06:000%12%221J/kg-1°C24135m1.3m/s
07:000%30%239J/kg-1.1°C24135m1.3m/s
08:000%29%249J/kg-1°C24135m1.1m/s
09:000%100%353J/kg-1.9°C24135m0.72m/s
10:000%82%389J/kg-2.1°C24135m1m/s
11:0013%87%402J/kg-2.3°C24134m1.3m/s
12:000%56%377J/kg-2.3°C24134m1.7m/s
13:000%58%316J/kg-2°C24135m1.7m/s
14:0029%56%275J/kg-2°C13683m1.8m/s
15:000%55%239J/kg-1.7°C24134m1.7m/s
16:000%65%211J/kg-1.5°C24135m2.4m/s
17:0013%73%201J/kg-1.2°C24134m2.7m/s
18:0018%75%161J/kg-0.9°C12655m3.6m/s
19:0017%93%86J/kg-0.4°C16464m4.8m/s
20:0038%13%97J/kg-0.3°C9966m5.3m/s
21:0016%13%105J/kg-0.3°C12422m5.7m/s
22:0021%15%126J/kg-0.2°C5836m5.9m/s
23:0022%13%146J/kg-0.6°C8522m6m/s
Mon, Feb 23
24:0039%15%157J/kg-0.8°C4339m6m/s
01:0028%14%141J/kg-0.5°C6999m6.8m/s
02:0044%13%94J/kg-0.1°C7792m6.5m/s
03:0019%14%81J/kg-0.1°C7654m6.4m/s
04:0025%13%88J/kg-0.4°C8773m6.9m/s
05:0039%13%66J/kg-0.3°C8027m7m/s
06:0025%14%68J/kg-0.3°C6547m7.4m/s
07:0029%68%46J/kg-0.1°C8482m8m/s
08:0033%69%28J/kg0.1°C14979m7.5m/s
09:000%58%11J/kg1°C23275m6.7m/s
10:000%58%6J/kg1°C24134m6.1m/s
11:0013%48%6J/kg1°C24134m6.1m/s
12:000%44%7J/kg0.9°C24135m6m/s
13:000%40%6J/kg1.2°C24135m5.5m/s
14:000%51%3J/kg1.3°C24134m5.4m/s
15:000%50%2J/kg1.6°C24135m5.1m/s
16:000%83%2J/kg1.9°C24134m5.2m/s
17:000%47%4J/kg2.3°C24134m5m/s
18:000%59%4J/kg2.7°C24135m4.8m/s
19:000%65%0J/kg3.5°C24135m4.6m/s
20:000%15%2J/kg4.1°C24135m4.5m/s
21:000%15%11J/kg4°C24135m4.5m/s
22:000%15%17J/kg4.1°C24135m4.6m/s
23:0011%15%10J/kg4.4°C24135m4.7m/s
Tue, Feb 24
24:000%15%7J/kg4.8°C24134m4.4m/s
01:000%15%3J/kg5.2°C24135m4.1m/s
02:0013%15%3J/kg5.7°C24135m4m/s
03:000%15%0J/kg5.9°C24135m3.8m/s
04:000%15%1J/kg5.8°C24135m4m/s
05:0014%15%19J/kg3.8°C24134m4.6m/s
06:000%15%43J/kg2.7°C19778m5.2m/s
07:000%70%41J/kg2.6°C19232m5.7m/s
08:0016%40%35J/kg2.9°C14971m5.7m/s
09:000%36%15J/kg3.2°C19215m5.8m/s
10:000%33%11J/kg4.4°C23596m5.8m/s
11:0012%29%10J/kg4.9°C24134m5.2m/s
12:000%29%13J/kg5.1°C23339m4.9m/s
13:000%35%8J/kg5°C24135m4.4m/s
14:0012%48%7J/kg5°C24134m4.1m/s
15:000%46%5J/kg5.1°C24135m4.1m/s
16:000%47%9J/kg5.1°C24135m4.4m/s
17:009.8%58%6J/kg5.5°C24134m4.8m/s
18:000%69%9J/kg5.7°C24135m5m/s
19:000%70%21J/kg5.7°C24134m5.4m/s
20:0013%15%26J/kg5.2°C24135m5.6m/s
21:000%0%18J/kg5.7°C24135m5.5m/s
22:000%0%11J/kg6.2°C24135m5.4m/s
23:0015%0%3J/kg6.7°C24135m5.3m/s
Wed, Feb 25
24:000%0%2J/kg8°C24135m5.1m/s
01:000%0%1J/kg9.3°C24135m4.9m/s
02:0015%0%0J/kg11°C24135m4.7m/s
03:000%0%0J/kg11°C24135m4.5m/s
04:000%0%0J/kg11°C24135m4.2m/s
05:0015%0%0J/kg11°C24135m3.9m/s
06:000%0%0.67J/kg9.8°C24135m3.8m/s
07:000%55%1.3J/kg9°C24135m3.6m/s
08:0015%51%2J/kg8.3°C24135m3.4m/s
09:000%43%1.3J/kg8.2°C24135m3.4m/s
10:000%43%0.67J/kg8.2°C24135m3.5m/s
11:0015%32%0J/kg8.1°C24135m3.5m/s
12:000%32%0J/kg8.5°C24135m3.5m/s
13:000%27%0J/kg8.8°C24135m3.6m/s
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
Pacific/Honolulu
Air Pressure
hPa
CAPE
J/kg
High Clouds
%
Lifted Index
°C
Low Clouds
%
Mid-Level Clouds
%
Precipitation Chance
%
Rainfall
mm
Relative Humidity
%
Showers
mm
Simulated Reflectivity
dBZ
Solar Elevation
°
Total Cloud Coverage
%
Total Precipitation
mm
Wind Shear 0-3 km
m/s
Wind Shear 0-6 km
m/s
Wind Speed
m/s
Sun, Feb 22 Sunrise 07:03 Sunset 18:38
15:00
987hPa 239J/kg 88% -1.7°C 77% 100% 99% 0.01mm 77% 0.09mm 17dBZ 45° 100% 0.25mm - - 2.3m/s
16:00
987hPa 211J/kg 100% -1.5°C 74% 100% 98% 0mm 79% 0.06mm 6dBZ 34° 100% 0.38mm - - 2.6m/s
17:00
987hPa 201J/kg 98% -1.2°C 73% 100% 97% 0mm 80% 0.03mm -5.5dBZ 21° 100% 0.44mm 8.5m/s 12m/s 2.9m/s
18:00
988hPa 161J/kg 62% -0.9°C 70% 100% 98% 0mm 83% 1.3mm -9.6dBZ 8.1° 100% 0.88mm - - 3.4m/s
19:00
989hPa 86J/kg 7% -0.4°C 79% 64% 99% 0mm 86% 0.89mm -14dBZ -5.6° 83% 1.9mm - - 4.5m/s
20:00
990hPa 97J/kg 2% -0.3°C 67% 7% 100% 0.03mm 87% 0.96mm -18dBZ -19° 67% 2.9mm 9.2m/s 13m/s 4.7m/s
21:00
990hPa 105J/kg 4% -0.3°C 76% 29% 100% 0mm 86% 1.2mm -15dBZ -33° 76% 1mm - - 4.9m/s
22:00
991hPa 126J/kg 46% -0.2°C 98% 97% 99% 0.05mm 87% 1.6mm -13dBZ -47° 98% 2.3mm - - 4.9m/s
23:00
991hPa 146J/kg 50% -0.6°C 99% 98% 99% 0.05mm 87% 1.3mm -11dBZ -61° 99% 3.9mm 5.1m/s 9.8m/s 5m/s
Mon, Feb 23 Sunrise 07:03 Sunset 18:38
24:00
991hPa 157J/kg 52% -0.8°C 82% 62% 99% 0.03mm 87% 1.5mm -0.45dBZ -72° 96% 5.3mm - - 5.2m/s
01:00
990hPa 141J/kg 2% -0.5°C 84% 5% 99% 0mm 87% 1.2mm 9.6dBZ -77° 84% 6.4mm - - 6m/s
02:00
991hPa 94J/kg 0% -0.1°C 85% 27% 99% 0mm 86% 1.2mm 20dBZ -69° 85% 7.6mm 5m/s 13m/s 5.6m/s
03:00
991hPa 81J/kg 0% -0.1°C 99% 14% 88% 0.02mm 86% 1.2mm 22dBZ -57° 99% 1.1mm - - 5.4m/s
04:00
990hPa 88J/kg 0% -0.4°C 99% 14% 77% 0.08mm 86% 1.2mm 25dBZ -43° 99% 2.2mm - - 5.9m/s
05:00
991hPa 66J/kg 0% -0.3°C 100% 21% 65% 0.03mm 85% 1.1mm 28dBZ -29° 100% 3.4mm 5.9m/s 11m/s 6.1m/s
06:00
991hPa 68J/kg 0% -0.3°C 100% 54% 67% 0.44mm 85% 1mm 22dBZ -15° 100% 4.5mm - - 6.4m/s
07:00
992hPa 46J/kg 0% -0.1°C 99% 52% 69% 0.35mm 83% 0.83mm 16dBZ -1.4° 100% 5.7mm - - 7.1m/s
08:00
993hPa 28J/kg 0% 0.1°C 99% 89% 71% 0.28mm 81% 0.23mm 11dBZ 12° 100% 6.4mm 5.3m/s 13m/s 6.8m/s
09:00
993hPa 11J/kg 0% 1°C 92% 83% 60% 0.03mm 79% 0.06mm 3.3dBZ 25° 100% 0.31mm - - 6.1m/s
10:00
994hPa 6J/kg 0% 1°C 95% 49% 50% 0mm 78% 0.02mm -4dBZ 37° 95% 0.38mm - - 5.7m/s
11:00
993hPa 6J/kg 0% 1°C 94% 31% 39% 0mm 75% 0.02mm -11dBZ 48° 94% 0.38mm 5m/s 11m/s 5.6m/s
12:00
993hPa 7J/kg 0% 0.9°C 95% 82% 39% 0mm 74% 0.03mm -12dBZ 56° 95% 0.38mm - - 5.5m/s
13:00
993hPa 6J/kg 0% 1.2°C 92% 98% 39% 0mm 71% 0.02mm -13dBZ 58° 98% 0.38mm - - 5.1m/s
14:00
992hPa 3J/kg 0% 1.3°C 85% 91% 39% 0mm 70% 0.02mm -14dBZ 54° 91% 0.44mm 3.7m/s 8.4m/s 5m/s
15:00
992hPa 2J/kg 1% 1.6°C 82% 98% 39% 0mm 69% 0mm -14dBZ 45° 98% 0mm - - 4.8m/s
16:00
992hPa 2J/kg 1% 1.9°C 75% 28% 39% 0mm 70% 0.01mm -15dBZ 34° 75% 0mm - - 4.8m/s
17:00
992hPa 4J/kg 0% 2.3°C 84% 0% 39% 0mm 70% 0.02mm -16dBZ 21° 84% 0mm 5.3m/s 9m/s 4.5m/s
18:00
993hPa 4J/kg 0% 2.7°C 74% 0% 45% 0.01mm 70% 0mm -14dBZ 8.2° 74% 0mm - - 4.3m/s
19:00
993hPa 0J/kg 5% 3.5°C 78% 0% 50% 0mm 70% 0.01mm -12dBZ -5.5° 78% 0.06mm - - 4m/s
20:00
994hPa 2J/kg 2% 4.1°C 66% 0% 56% 0.01mm 71% 0.01mm -10dBZ -19° 66% 0.06mm 6.5m/s 9.4m/s 3.9m/s
21:00
995hPa 11J/kg 0% 4°C 71% 0% 56% 0mm 74% 0.03mm -13dBZ -33° 71% 0mm - - 4m/s
22:00
995hPa 17J/kg 0% 4.1°C 75% 0% 56% 0mm 74% 0.04mm -16dBZ -47° 75% 0.06mm - - 4.2m/s
23:00
995hPa 10J/kg 0% 4.4°C 60% 0% 56% 0mm 72% 0.02mm -18dBZ -60° 60% 0.06mm 6.7m/s 13m/s 4.3m/s
Tue, Feb 24 Sunrise 07:02 Sunset 18:39
24:00
995hPa 7J/kg 0% 4.8°C 47% 0% 60% 0.01mm 71% 0.01mm -19dBZ -72° 47% 0.06mm - - 3.9m/s
01:00
995hPa 3J/kg 0% 5.2°C 58% 0% 64% 0.01mm 70% 0mm -19dBZ -77° 58% 0.13mm - - 3.7m/s
02:00
994hPa 3J/kg 0% 5.7°C 28% 0% 69% 0mm 67% 0mm -20dBZ -69° 28% 0.13mm 7.7m/s 15m/s 3.7m/s
03:00
994hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.9°C 10% 0% 73% 0mm 66% 0mm -9.3dBZ -57° 10% 0mm - - 3.3m/s
04:00
993hPa 1J/kg 0% 5.8°C 8% 0% 77% 0mm 66% 0mm 1.1dBZ -43° 8% 0mm - - 3.3m/s
05:00
994hPa 19J/kg 0% 3.8°C 44% 0% 82% 0mm 76% 0.1mm 11dBZ -29° 44% 0.06mm 8.3m/s 16m/s 4.4m/s
06:00
994hPa 43J/kg 0% 2.7°C 71% 0% 82% 0mm 83% 0.26mm 11dBZ -15° 71% 0.25mm - - 4.8m/s
07:00
995hPa 41J/kg 0% 2.6°C 66% 0% 82% 0mm 84% 0.38mm 10dBZ -1.2° 66% 0.56mm - - 5m/s
08:00
995hPa 35J/kg 0% 2.9°C 99% 0% 83% 0.07mm 82% 0.4mm 9.9dBZ 12° 99% 1mm 9.3m/s 16m/s 5m/s
09:00
995hPa 15J/kg 0% 3.2°C 100% 0% 74% 0.09mm 79% 0.09mm 9.9dBZ 25° 100% 0.25mm - - 5.2m/s
10:00
996hPa 11J/kg 0% 4.4°C 100% 0% 65% 0.01mm 76% 0.08mm 9.8dBZ 38° 100% 0.38mm - - 5.3m/s
11:00
996hPa 10J/kg 0% 4.9°C 99% 0% 56% 0mm 73% 0.06mm 9.8dBZ 48° 99% 0.44mm 8.6m/s 14m/s 4.7m/s
12:00
996hPa 13J/kg 0% 5.1°C 100% 0% 65% 0.05mm 72% 0.05mm 0.41dBZ 56° 100% 0.5mm - - 4.5m/s
13:00
995hPa 8J/kg 2% 5°C 95% 0% 73% 0mm 69% 0.02mm -9dBZ 59° 95% 0.5mm - - 4.1m/s
14:00
995hPa 7J/kg 5% 5°C 74% 0% 82% 0mm 69% 0.02mm -18dBZ 54° 74% 0.5mm 7m/s 15m/s 4.1m/s
15:00
994hPa 5J/kg 3% 5.1°C 55% 0% 82% 0mm 69% 0.01mm -17dBZ 46° 55% 0mm - - 3.8m/s
16:00
993hPa 9J/kg 0% 5.1°C 40% 0% 82% 0mm 66% 0.01mm -15dBZ 34° 40% 0mm - - 4.2m/s
17:00
993hPa 6J/kg 0% 5.5°C 44% 0% 82% 0.01mm 65% 0mm -13dBZ 22° 44% 0mm 4.3m/s 15m/s 4.5m/s
18:00
994hPa 9J/kg 0% 5.7°C 53% 0% 86% 0mm 66% 0.02mm -7.1dBZ 8.3° 53% 0mm - - 4.6m/s
19:00
994hPa 21J/kg 0% 5.7°C 59% 0% 90% 0mm 72% 0.05mm -0.86dBZ -5.4° 59% 0.06mm - - 4.7m/s
20:00
995hPa 26J/kg 0% 5.2°C 69% 0% 95% 0.01mm 74% 0.09mm 5.4dBZ -19° 69% 0.13mm 5.5m/s 19m/s 4.9m/s
21:00
986hPa 18J/kg 0% 5.7°C 55% 0% 78% 0.01mm 79% 0.06mm -0.23dBZ -33° 55% 0.13mm - - 4.2m/s
22:00
977hPa 11J/kg 0% 6.2°C 42% 0% 62% 0.01mm 83% 0.04mm -5.8dBZ -47° 42% 0.13mm - - 3.5m/s
23:00
968hPa 3J/kg 0% 6.7°C 28% 0% 45% 0.01mm 88% 0.01mm -11dBZ -60° 28% 0.13mm 6.6m/s 15m/s 2.9m/s
Wed, Feb 25 Sunrise 07:02 Sunset 18:39
24:00
968hPa 2J/kg 6% 8°C 19% 0% 47% 0.007mm 83% 0.007mm -11dBZ -72° 25% 0.13mm - - 2.9m/s
01:00
969hPa 1J/kg 12% 9.3°C 11% 0% 48% 0.003mm 78% 0.003mm -11dBZ -77° 22% 0.13mm - - 2.9m/s
02:00
969hPa 0J/kg 18% 11°C 2% 0% 49% 0mm 73% 0mm -11dBZ -69° 18% 0.13mm 7.3m/s 15m/s 2.8m/s
03:00
969hPa 0J/kg 13% 11°C 5% 0% 45% 0.003mm 66% 0mm -6.6dBZ -56° 17% 0.08mm - - 2.9m/s
04:00
969hPa 0J/kg 8% 11°C 8% 0% 40% 0.007mm 60% 0mm -2dBZ -43° 15% 0.04mm - - 3m/s
05:00
969hPa 0J/kg 2% 11°C 11% 0% 36% 0.01mm 54% 0mm 2.6dBZ -29° 14% 0mm 5.5m/s 16m/s 3.1m/s
06:00
968hPa 0.67J/kg 3% 9.8°C 23% 0% 37% 0.007mm 54% 0mm -4.8dBZ -15° 24% 0mm - - 3.2m/s
07:00
968hPa 1.3J/kg 3% 9°C 34% 0% 38% 0.003mm 54% 0mm -12dBZ -1° 35% 0mm - - 3.3m/s
08:00
967hPa 2J/kg 4% 8.3°C 45% 0% 40% 0mm 54% 0mm -20dBZ 12° 45% 0mm 3.8m/s 20m/s 3.4m/s
09:00
967hPa 1.3J/kg 3% 8.2°C 48% 0% 35% 0mm 56% 0mm -20dBZ 25° 48% 0mm - - 3.3m/s
10:00
967hPa 0.67J/kg 1% 8.2°C 50% 0% 30% 0mm 57% 0mm -20dBZ 38° 50% 0mm - - 3.2m/s
11:00
967hPa 0J/kg 0% 8.1°C 53% 0% 25% 0mm 58% 0mm -20dBZ 49° 53% 0mm 3m/s 19m/s 3.1m/s
12:00
967hPa 0J/kg 0% 8.5°C 36% 2% 29% 0mm 64% 0mm -20dBZ 57° 37% 0mm - - 2.9m/s
13:00
968hPa 0J/kg 0% 8.8°C 19% 3% 34% 0mm 71% 0mm -20dBZ 59° 22% 0mm - - 2.8m/s
14:00
968hPa 0J/kg 0% 9.1°C 2% 5% 39% 0mm 78% 0mm -20dBZ 55° 6% 0mm 4.8m/s 19m/s 2.6m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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