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Rule Storm Chaser

Waipio Valley - Storm Chaser - Hawaii

Honokaa, 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
Cloud Drama Score 96% failing
CAPE 86% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Cloud Cover0%
Wind Gusts4.6m/s
Precipitation Chance98%
Air Pressure875.2hPa
CAPE114
Lifted Index-1.7°C
Wind Gusts4.6m/s
Precipitation0.0mm

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
09:000%80%23J/kg0.4°C24135m2m/s
10:000%46%66J/kg0.9°C14928m2.5m/s
11:0018%42%92J/kg-0.1°C14833m2.8m/s
12:0022%41%135J/kg-1°C11399m3m/s
13:0020%43%249J/kg-1.6°C11096m2.8m/s
14:0038%48%274J/kg-1.4°C5495m2.8m/s
15:0035%71%140J/kg-0.6°C2304m3.1m/s
16:0019%89%100J/kg0.1°C23150m4.1m/s
17:0039%100%117J/kg-0.6°C19566m4.4m/s
18:0040%100%106J/kg-0.1°C2384m5.3m/s
19:0040%64%36J/kg0.4°C2027m5.3m/s
20:0019%15%15J/kg0.7°C23926m3.9m/s
21:000%13%4J/kg0.6°C22915m2.7m/s
22:000%10%1J/kg0.3°C22916m3.2m/s
23:000%8.5%1J/kg0.3°C24135m3.5m/s
Sun, Feb 22
24:000%14%1J/kg0.6°C24135m3.2m/s
01:000%9.8%2J/kg0.5°C24135m2.7m/s
02:000%9.3%5J/kg0.4°C24134m3m/s
03:000%7.2%0J/kg-0.1°C24135m4m/s
04:000%2.1%2J/kg-0.1°C24135m3.3m/s
05:0015%3.3%0J/kg-0.2°C24135m3.9m/s
06:000%19%2J/kg-0.2°C24135m3.5m/s
07:000%21%14J/kg-0.4°C24135m3.3m/s
08:0013%19%35J/kg-0.9°C24135m4.4m/s
09:000%16%114J/kg-1.7°C24134m4.6m/s
10:000%14%263J/kg-2.3°C24134m4.8m/s
11:000%16%389J/kg-2.7°C24135m5.4m/s
12:000%17%390J/kg-2.6°C24135m6.2m/s
13:000%18%398J/kg-2.9°C24135m6.8m/s
14:000%20%390J/kg-2.9°C20582m7.2m/s
15:000%21%452J/kg-3.2°C20581m7.3m/s
16:000%22%381J/kg-2.8°C20497m7.4m/s
17:0016%35%299J/kg-2.2°C20651m7.2m/s
18:000%27%274J/kg-2°C24134m6.4m/s
19:000%37%251J/kg-2°C16639m4.6m/s
20:0018%9.9%175J/kg-1.5°C8245m5m/s
21:000%11%119J/kg-1°C7562m6.7m/s
22:000%14%87J/kg-0.6°C12721m6.2m/s
23:000%15%73J/kg0.3°C24135m4.8m/s
Mon, Feb 23
24:000%15%59J/kg0.9°C24134m4m/s
01:000%15%68J/kg0.7°C24134m4.3m/s
02:000%15%61J/kg1.4°C24135m4.2m/s
03:000%13%67J/kg1.8°C24134m3.7m/s
04:000%12%61J/kg2.3°C24135m3.1m/s
05:000%9.6%46J/kg2.6°C24135m3.3m/s
06:000%42%34J/kg3.5°C24134m2.4m/s
07:000%37%18J/kg4.2°C17173m2.2m/s
08:000%42%34J/kg4.2°C24134m1.9m/s
09:000%43%36J/kg3.8°C24135m2.1m/s
10:000%37%29J/kg3.5°C24135m2.7m/s
11:0028%39%37J/kg2.7°C1854m3.1m/s
12:000%42%41J/kg2.1°C19171m3.5m/s
13:000%43%28J/kg2.1°C5606m3.7m/s
14:0035%48%45J/kg1.4°C456m3.7m/s
15:0020%46%61J/kg0.7°C443m3.3m/s
16:0020%50%103J/kg0.3°C376m2.9m/s
17:0032%62%95J/kg0°C479m2.4m/s
18:0018%48%70J/kg-0.4°C591m1.8m/s
19:0018%73%79J/kg-0.7°C746m1.2m/s
20:0031%15%63J/kg-0.6°C655m0.81m/s
21:0017%15%33J/kg-0.4°C718m1.3m/s
22:0018%15%44J/kg-0.3°C304m1.1m/s
23:0027%15%47J/kg0.6°C1268m1.2m/s
Tue, Feb 24
24:0015%15%51J/kg0.8°C4823m1.8m/s
01:000%15%28J/kg1°C24134m2.6m/s
02:0014%13%1J/kg1.1°C24135m3.1m/s
03:000%10%0J/kg2.3°C24134m2.3m/s
04:000%9.1%0J/kg2.5°C24135m2.3m/s
05:0013%8.7%0J/kg2.4°C24135m2.1m/s
06:000%31%0J/kg2.5°C23921m1.9m/s
07:000%47%0J/kg2.7°C23110m1.7m/s
08:0014%44%0J/kg2.6°C11058m1.5m/s
09:000%40%2J/kg2.4°C24134m1.5m/s
10:000%40%10J/kg2.1°C23997m1.5m/s
11:0015%46%11J/kg1.8°C20800m2m/s
12:000%47%17J/kg0.8°C13782m2.4m/s
13:0018%30%34J/kg0.3°C605m2.5m/s
14:0032%42%62J/kg-0.1°C367m2.1m/s
15:0020%31%44J/kg1.2°C457m1.9m/s
16:0018%43%26J/kg2.6°C546m1.7m/s
17:0030%51%8J/kg3.9°C636m1.5m/s
18:0020%55%6.7J/kg4.3°C857m1.6m/s
19:0027%47%5.3J/kg4.7°C1077m1.8m/s
20:0031%0%4J/kg5.1°C1298m1.9m/s
21:0027%0%3.7J/kg5.2°C1595m1.6m/s
22:0016%0%3.3J/kg5.4°C1891m1.3m/s
23:0025%0%3J/kg5.5°C2188m1m/s
Wed, Feb 25
24:0015%0%2.7J/kg5.9°C2078m1.4m/s
01:0017%0%2.3J/kg6.3°C1967m1.7m/s
02:0031%0%2J/kg6.7°C1857m2.1m/s
03:000%0%1.7J/kg6.4°C9283m2.2m/s
04:000%0%1.3J/kg6.1°C16709m2.4m/s
05:0015%0%1J/kg5.7°C24135m2.6m/s
06:000%65%0.67J/kg5.6°C24135m2.9m/s
07:000%55%0.33J/kg5.4°C24135m3.1m/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 06:46 Sunset 18:23
09:00
875hPa 114J/kg 0% -1.7°C 0% 0% 98% 0mm 66% 0mm -19dBZ 29° 0% 0mm - - 2.8m/s
10:00
876hPa 263J/kg 0% -2.3°C 1% 0% 97% 0mm 67% 0mm -18dBZ 41° 1% 0mm - - 3.6m/s
11:00
875hPa 389J/kg 0% -2.7°C 1% 0% 96% 0mm 67% 0.05mm -18dBZ 52° 1% 0mm 5.4m/s 8.7m/s 4.3m/s
12:00
875hPa 390J/kg 0% -2.6°C 2% 0% 97% 0mm 64% 0.15mm -15dBZ 59° 2% 0.19mm - - 5.1m/s
13:00
874hPa 398J/kg 0% -2.9°C 1% 0% 97% 0mm 63% 0.06mm -12dBZ 59° 1% 0.5mm - - 5.3m/s
14:00
874hPa 390J/kg 0% -2.9°C 6% 0% 98% 0mm 64% 0.3mm -9.8dBZ 53° 6% 0.81mm 7.4m/s 8.4m/s 5.5m/s
15:00
874hPa 452J/kg 0% -3.2°C 5% 0% 78% 0mm 67% 0.38mm -9.5dBZ 43° 5% 0.31mm - - 5.6m/s
16:00
874hPa 381J/kg 0% -2.8°C 7% 0% 59% 0mm 70% 0.29mm -9.3dBZ 31° 7% 0.63mm - - 5.7m/s
17:00
875hPa 299J/kg 0% -2.2°C 11% 0% 39% 0mm 73% 0.28mm -9dBZ 18° 11% 0.81mm 8.1m/s 11m/s 4.9m/s
18:00
875hPa 274J/kg 0% -2°C 1% 0% 45% 0mm 80% 0mm -13dBZ 4.9° 1% 0.81mm - - 4m/s
19:00
876hPa 251J/kg 0% -2°C 10% 0% 50% 0mm 89% 0.01mm -16dBZ -9.1° 10% 0.88mm - - 3.1m/s
20:00
876hPa 175J/kg 0% -1.5°C 14% 0% 56% 0mm 86% 0mm -20dBZ -23° 14% 0.88mm 7.4m/s 10m/s 3.2m/s
21:00
877hPa 119J/kg 0% -1°C 14% 0% 47% 0mm 83% 0.01mm -17dBZ -37° 14% 0mm - - 4.2m/s
22:00
877hPa 87J/kg 0% -0.6°C 10% 0% 38% 0mm 85% 0.02mm -15dBZ -51° 10% 0.06mm - - 4.1m/s
23:00
877hPa 73J/kg 0% 0.3°C 1% 0% 28% 0mm 79% 0.02mm -13dBZ -65° 1% 0.13mm 9.4m/s 9.2m/s 3.5m/s
Mon, Feb 23 Sunrise 06:46 Sunset 18:24
24:00
877hPa 59J/kg 0% 0.9°C 1% 0% 40% 0mm 77% 0mm -13dBZ -77° 2% 0.13mm - - 2.7m/s
01:00
877hPa 68J/kg 0% 0.7°C 10% 22% 52% 0mm 80% 0.03mm -13dBZ -78° 24% 0.19mm - - 3m/s
02:00
876hPa 61J/kg 0% 1.4°C 8% 26% 64% 0mm 77% 0.01mm -13dBZ -67° 26% 0.19mm 9.2m/s 9m/s 2.6m/s
03:00
876hPa 67J/kg 0% 1.8°C 21% 2% 56% 0mm 75% 0.04mm -15dBZ -54° 21% 0.06mm - - 2.6m/s
04:00
876hPa 61J/kg 0% 2.3°C 20% 0% 48% 0mm 73% 0.02mm -17dBZ -40° 20% 0.06mm - - 2.2m/s
05:00
876hPa 46J/kg 0% 2.6°C 20% 0% 40% 0mm 72% 0.03mm -20dBZ -26° 20% 0.13mm 8.4m/s 7.6m/s 2.4m/s
06:00
877hPa 34J/kg 0% 3.5°C 18% 0% 50% 0mm 69% 0.02mm -20dBZ -11° 18% 0.13mm - - 1.7m/s
07:00
877hPa 18J/kg 0% 4.2°C 13% 0% 59% 0mm 66% 0.01mm -20dBZ 2.7° 13% 0.19mm - - 1.5m/s
08:00
878hPa 34J/kg 0% 4.2°C 19% 0% 68% 0mm 63% 0.04mm -20dBZ 16° 19% 0.25mm 7.4m/s 8.9m/s 0.63m/s
09:00
879hPa 36J/kg 0% 3.8°C 25% 0% 78% 0mm 58% 0.02mm -17dBZ 29° 25% 0.06mm - - 1.6m/s
10:00
879hPa 29J/kg 0% 3.5°C 26% 0% 87% 0mm 58% 0.02mm -15dBZ 42° 26% 0.06mm - - 2.2m/s
11:00
878hPa 37J/kg 0% 2.7°C 21% 0% 96% 0mm 60% 0.06mm -12dBZ 52° 21% 0.13mm 8.6m/s 13m/s 2.8m/s
12:00
878hPa 41J/kg 0% 2.1°C 27% 0% 97% 0mm 64% 0.05mm -5.1dBZ 59° 27% 0.19mm - - 2.9m/s
13:00
877hPa 28J/kg 0% 2.1°C 25% 0% 98% 0mm 67% 0.16mm 1.9dBZ 60° 25% 0.25mm - - 3m/s
14:00
877hPa 45J/kg 0% 1.4°C 30% 0% 99% 0mm 73% 0.08mm 8.9dBZ 54° 30% 0.38mm 10m/s 16m/s 2.9m/s
15:00
877hPa 61J/kg 0% 0.7°C 48% 0% 93% 0.01mm 79% 0.1mm 11dBZ 44° 48% 0.13mm - - 2.9m/s
16:00
877hPa 103J/kg 0% 0.3°C 76% 0% 88% 0.01mm 86% 0.22mm 12dBZ 32° 76% 0.25mm - - 2.6m/s
17:00
877hPa 95J/kg 0% 0°C 74% 1% 83% 0.01mm 89% 0.08mm 14dBZ 19° 74% 0.38mm 8.8m/s 15m/s 2.1m/s
18:00
878hPa 70J/kg 0% -0.4°C 87% 0% 83% 0mm 92% 0.06mm 4.8dBZ 87% 0.44mm - - 1.7m/s
19:00
879hPa 79J/kg 3% -0.7°C 64% 9% 84% 0mm 94% 0.07mm -4.2dBZ -9° 64% 0.5mm - - 0.93m/s
20:00
879hPa 63J/kg 0% -0.6°C 55% 31% 85% 0mm 97% 0.06mm -13dBZ -23° 55% 0.56mm 8.3m/s 17m/s 0.78m/s
21:00
880hPa 33J/kg 0% -0.4°C 55% 50% 75% 0.06mm 96% 0.03mm -13dBZ -37° 55% 0.06mm - - 1.2m/s
22:00
880hPa 44J/kg 0% -0.3°C 50% 11% 66% 0mm 95% 0.01mm -12dBZ -51° 50% 0.13mm - - 0.94m/s
23:00
879hPa 47J/kg 0% 0.6°C 19% 2% 56% 0mm 88% 0.01mm -12dBZ -65° 19% 0.13mm 7.2m/s 13m/s 0.12m/s
Tue, Feb 24 Sunrise 06:45 Sunset 18:24
24:00
879hPa 51J/kg 0% 0.8°C 11% 0% 61% 0mm 78% 0.01mm -14dBZ -76° 11% 0.13mm - - 0.81m/s
01:00
879hPa 28J/kg 0% 1°C 4% 1% 66% 0mm 66% 0mm -17dBZ -78° 4% 0.13mm - - 1.8m/s
02:00
878hPa 1J/kg 0% 1.1°C 2% 1% 71% 0mm 59% 0mm -20dBZ -67° 2% 0.13mm 5.8m/s 11m/s 2.4m/s
03:00
878hPa 0J/kg 0% 2.3°C 2% 0% 67% 0mm 59% 0mm -20dBZ -53° 3% 0mm - - 1.8m/s
04:00
878hPa 0J/kg 0% 2.5°C 0% 0% 63% 0mm 61% 0.01mm -20dBZ -39° 0% 0mm - - 1.9m/s
05:00
878hPa 0J/kg 0% 2.4°C 1% 0% 59% 0mm 63% 0.01mm -20dBZ -25° 1% 0.06mm 5.7m/s 11m/s 2.1m/s
06:00
879hPa 0J/kg 0% 2.5°C 11% 0% 70% 0mm 63% 0.1mm -18dBZ -11° 11% 0.13mm - - 1.9m/s
07:00
879hPa 0J/kg 0% 2.7°C 17% 0% 80% 0mm 64% 0.01mm -17dBZ 2.9° 17% 0.19mm - - 1.3m/s
08:00
880hPa 0J/kg 0% 2.6°C 18% 2% 90% 0mm 66% 0.01mm -15dBZ 16° 18% 0.19mm 4.6m/s 13m/s 0.93m/s
09:00
880hPa 2J/kg 0% 2.4°C 17% 4% 91% 0mm 65% 0.03mm -14dBZ 30° 17% 0mm - - 1.7m/s
10:00
880hPa 10J/kg 0% 2.1°C 25% 2% 92% 0mm 70% 0.08mm -12dBZ 42° 25% 0.06mm - - 2.1m/s
11:00
880hPa 11J/kg 0% 1.8°C 31% 0% 93% 0mm 74% 0.24mm -10dBZ 53° 31% 0.19mm 6m/s 15m/s 2.7m/s
12:00
880hPa 17J/kg 0% 0.8°C 56% 0% 95% 0mm 78% 0.21mm -2.7dBZ 59° 56% 0.31mm - - 2.9m/s
13:00
879hPa 34J/kg 0% 0.3°C 68% 0% 97% 0mm 82% 0.12mm 5dBZ 60° 68% 0.38mm - - 2.9m/s
14:00
878hPa 62J/kg 0% -0.1°C 77% 0% 99% 0mm 88% 0.11mm 13dBZ 54° 77% 0.5mm 8.1m/s 15m/s 2.7m/s
15:00
879hPa 44J/kg 0% 1.2°C 70% 0% 96% 0.04mm 90% 0.1mm 10dBZ 44° 70% 0.58mm - - 2.2m/s
16:00
880hPa 26J/kg 0% 2.6°C 64% 0% 94% 0.07mm 93% 0.09mm 8.1dBZ 32° 64% 0.67mm - - 1.6m/s
17:00
880hPa 8J/kg 0% 3.9°C 57% 0% 92% 0.11mm 95% 0.08mm 5.8dBZ 19° 57% 0.75mm 8.7m/s 13m/s 1m/s
18:00
880hPa 6.7J/kg 0% 4.3°C 57% 0% 93% 0.18mm 94% 0.08mm 6.9dBZ 5.1° 57% 1mm - - 1.2m/s
19:00
879hPa 5.3J/kg 0% 4.7°C 57% 0% 95% 0.24mm 92% 0.09mm 8dBZ -8.9° 57% 1.3mm - - 1.3m/s
20:00
879hPa 4J/kg 0% 5.1°C 57% 0% 97% 0.31mm 91% 0.09mm 9.1dBZ -23° 57% 1.5mm 7.3m/s 14m/s 1.4m/s
21:00
879hPa 3.7J/kg 0% 5.2°C 56% 0% 92% 0.25mm 89% 0.07mm 6.3dBZ -37° 56% 1.2mm - - 1.1m/s
22:00
879hPa 3.3J/kg 0% 5.4°C 54% 0% 87% 0.18mm 88% 0.05mm 3.5dBZ -51° 54% 0.96mm - - 0.82m/s
23:00
879hPa 3J/kg 0% 5.5°C 52% 0% 82% 0.12mm 86% 0.03mm 0.69dBZ -65° 52% 0.69mm 7.4m/s 13m/s 0.55m/s
Wed, Feb 25 Sunrise 06:44 Sunset 18:24
24:00
879hPa 2.7J/kg 0% 5.9°C 45% 0% 83% 0.09mm 82% 0.02mm 5.1dBZ -76° 45% 0.81mm - - 0.9m/s
01:00
879hPa 2.3J/kg 0% 6.3°C 38% 0% 84% 0.06mm 78% 0.01mm 9.6dBZ -77° 38% 0.94mm - - 1.2m/s
02:00
880hPa 2J/kg 0% 6.7°C 31% 0% 85% 0.03mm 74% 0mm 14dBZ -67° 31% 1.1mm 6m/s 14m/s 1.6m/s
03:00
880hPa 1.7J/kg 14% 6.4°C 29% 0% 78% 0.02mm 71% 0.007mm 12dBZ -53° 36% 0.73mm - - 2.1m/s
04:00
880hPa 1.3J/kg 28% 6.1°C 28% 0% 71% 0.01mm 68% 0.01mm 9.9dBZ -39° 41% 0.4mm - - 2.6m/s
05:00
880hPa 1J/kg 43% 5.7°C 26% 0% 64% 0mm 66% 0.02mm 7.9dBZ -25° 46% 0.06mm 7.3m/s 14m/s 3.2m/s
06:00
879hPa 0.67J/kg 62% 5.6°C 25% 0% 66% 0mm 66% 0.01mm 0.64dBZ -11° 64% 0.08mm - - 2.9m/s
07:00
879hPa 0.33J/kg 81% 5.4°C 23% 0% 69% 0mm 65% 0.007mm -6.6dBZ 82% 0.1mm - - 2.6m/s
08:00
878hPa 0J/kg 100% 5.3°C 21% 0% 72% 0mm 65% 0mm -14dBZ 17° 100% 0.13mm 7.7m/s 16m/s 2.4m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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