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Rule Golden Hour

Ponta de São Lourenço - Golden Hour - Madeira

Caniçal, Madeira, Portugal

That magical warm light just after sunrise or before sunset

Currently

Real-time conditions
Low Cloud Cover4%
Mid Cloud Cover0%
High Cloud Cover0%
Sun Elevation-49.7° (Astronomical night)

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Atlantic/Madeira
golden-hour weather icon
Next opportunity
Exceptional Golden Hour (breezy) at Sunset
Ponta de São Lourenço
Mon, Apr 13 · 20:03–20:51 · 1h window
Medium confidence
58%
🌇Golden Hour Potential92.1%
Low Cloud Cover: 14%
Mid Cloud Cover: 0%
High Cloud Cover: 0%
Sun Elevation: 6.7° (Daylight)
golden-hour weather icon
Exceptional Golden Hour (breezy) at Sunrise
Ponta de São Lourenço
Tue, Apr 14 · 07:22–08:10
🌇Golden Hour Potential:91.2-93.5%
Low
golden-hour weather icon
Exceptional Golden Hour at Sunset
Ponta de São Lourenço
Thu, Apr 16 · 20:05–20:53
🌇Golden Hour Potential:89.8%
Medium
golden-hour weather icon
Exceptional Golden Hour at Sunrise
Ponta de São Lourenço
Fri, Apr 17 · 07:19–08:07
🌇Golden Hour Potential:92.2-93.7%
Low
golden-hour weather icon
Exceptional Golden Hour at Sunset
Ponta de São Lourenço
Fri, Apr 17 · 20:05–20:54
🌇Golden Hour Potential:98.3%
Medium

What this forecast looks for

Plain-language explanation from the rule

This forecast identifies optimal golden hour conditions for Madeira's volcanic landscapes, sea cliffs, terraced hillsides, and coastal villages. We track cloud cover, visibility, and atmospheric conditions to predict when warm light enhances the island's distinctive red volcanic rock and whitewashed villages.

Madeira's volcanic geology creates exceptional golden hour photography—red tuff cliffs glow under warm light, while terraced agriculture creates geometric patterns emphasized by low-angle sun. East-west valleys like Ribeira Brava channel morning and evening light through volcanic gorges.

What makes Madeira golden-hour photography distinctive:

  • Volcanic cliff glow - Cabo Girão's 580-meter sea cliff catches sunrise light, appearing to glow red-orange from within
  • Terraced landscapes - Banana plantations, vineyards, and agriculture create striped patterns under low sun
  • Fishing village light - Câmara de Lobos' colourful boats and waterfront buildings gain warmth painted by Churchill himself
  • Headland drama - Ponta de São Lourenço's barren volcanic peninsula glows gold against deep blue Atlantic waters

Cabo Girão at sunrise delivers Europe's most dramatic sea cliff composition—warm light hits the near-vertical red cliff while the glass skywalk platform and terraced fields glow golden. Câmara de Lobos works beautifully at sunset—Churchill painted this exact scene, and golden hour reveals why. Ponta de São Lourenço's eastern headland provides spectacular sunrise photography with barren volcanic formations. Funchal's harbour gains romantic character with warm light on terracotta roofs and tropical gardens. Santana's traditional thatched houses take on storybook quality under low sun against green ridges. Machico's historic bay offers golden light on black sand beach. Spring and autumn provide optimal angles.

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72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour
0matching hours in the next 92 hours
AND logic: all conditions required
Meets requirement
Misses requirement
Time
Atlantic/Madeira
Golden Hour
Any
Golden Hour Potential
≥ 80.0%
Precipitation Chance
≤ 5.0%
Visibility
≥ 1000.0m
Wed, Apr 8
05:0016%69%24134m
06:0015%82%24134m
07:0088%95%24135m
08:0099%76%24135m
09:0017%58%24134m
10:0015%39%24135m
11:0016%53%24134m
12:0016%67%24135m
13:0016%82%24134m
14:0016%87%24134m
15:0015%92%24134m
16:0016%98%24135m
17:0014%98%24135m
18:0016%99%23692m
19:0053%100%19555m
20:0087%93%11207m
21:0075%87%24134m
22:0015%82%23633m
23:0014%87%23233m
Thu, Apr 9
24:0015%93%22744m
01:0016%99%23616m
02:0014%94%23503m
03:0014%89%23561m
04:0015%83%23642m
05:008.6%87%23481m
06:009.6%90%23423m
07:0074%93%22939m
08:0060%75%11132m
09:008.8%57%9556m
10:009.3%39%10264m
11:007.5%53%10083m
12:008.1%68%22915m
13:006.9%82%9859m
14:008.6%68%16876m
15:0014%53%24134m
16:0016%39%24135m
17:0016%45%24134m
18:0016%50%24134m
19:0015%56%24135m
20:0084%65%24135m
21:0082%74%24134m
22:0015%83%24134m
23:009.1%85%24027m
Fri, Apr 10
24:008.4%88%22531m
01:0010%90%23062m
02:008.4%77%23679m
03:0015%63%24086m
04:0014%50%24089m
05:009.9%58%22773m
06:0015%65%23920m
07:0047%73%22392m
08:0047%62%22582m
09:0014%50%23271m
10:0012%39%10883m
11:0015%53%24134m
12:0012%67%24120m
13:0015%82%24129m
14:0015%67%24134m
15:0011%53%24134m
16:0015%39%24132m
17:0011%45%24133m
18:0014%50%24135m
19:008.7%56%24135m
20:0044%50%24126m
21:0041%45%24134m
22:007.5%39%24135m
23:0015%53%24134m
Sat, Apr 11
24:0015%68%24135m
01:0015%82%24134m
02:0014%68%24134m
03:0014%53%24134m
04:0014%39%24135m
05:0015%53%24135m
06:0016%68%24135m
07:0092%82%24135m
08:0088%68%24135m
09:0010%53%24135m
10:008.5%39%24135m
11:0011%39%24135m
12:0015%39%24135m
13:0014%39%24135m
14:0015%41%24135m
15:0015%42%24135m
16:0015%44%24135m
17:0015%48%24135m
18:0012%52%24135m
19:009%56%24135m
20:0065%51%24135m
21:0073%46%24135m
22:0016%41%24135m
23:0011%46%24135m
Sun, Apr 12
24:0010%51%24135m
How to read: colored cells show whether each predicate requirement is met; highlighted rows mean the full rule matched (an opportunity).

What does Golden Hour Potential 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
Atlantic/Madeira
Golden Hour
High Clouds
%
Low Clouds
%
Mid-Level Clouds
%
Relative Humidity
%
Total Cloud Coverage
%
Wind Speed
m/s
Thu, Apr 9 Sunrise 07:45 Sunset 20:32
02:00
- 0% 4% 0% 74% 4% 12m/s
03:00
- 0% 5% 0% 72% 5% 13m/s
04:00
- 0% 6% 0% 71% 6% 13m/s
05:00
- 0% 96% 0% 73% 96% 13m/s
06:00
- 0% 75% 0% 78% 75% 13m/s
07:00
- 0% 57% 0% 77% 57% 13m/s
08:00
- 0% 62% 0% 78% 62% 12m/s
09:00
- 0% 68% 1% 79% 68% 11m/s
10:00
- 0% 74% 0% 79% 74% 11m/s
11:00
- 0% 100% 3% 82% 100% 11m/s
12:00
- 0% 84% 1% 81% 84% 12m/s
13:00
- 0% 100% 1% 82% 100% 11m/s
14:00
- 0% 99% 0% 76% 99% 11m/s
15:00
- 0% 50% 0% 73% 50% 9.9m/s
16:00
- 0% 18% 0% 70% 18% 9.4m/s
17:00
- 0% 9% 2% 70% 9% 9.2m/s
18:00
- 0% 16% 3% 71% 16% 9.2m/s
19:00
- 0% 10% 0% 72% 10% 9.3m/s
20:00
- 0% 1% 0% 73% 1% 9.1m/s
21:00
- 0% 5% 0% 72% 5% 8.3m/s
22:00
- 0% 8% 0% 72% 8% 8.4m/s
23:00
- 0% 100% 7% 79% 100% 7.8m/s
Fri, Apr 10 Sunrise 07:45 Sunset 20:32
24:00
- 1% 97% 12% 84% 97% 9.4m/s
01:00
- 5% 71% 1% 83% 71% 10m/s
02:00
- 0% 82% 0% 84% 82% 9.6m/s
03:00
- 0% 44% 3% 83% 44% 9.5m/s
04:00
- 0% 50% 1% 84% 50% 9.4m/s
05:00
- 0% 71% 1% 84% 71% 9.6m/s
06:00
- 0% 43% 0% 86% 43% 10m/s
07:00
- 0% 100% 0% 87% 100% 11m/s
08:00
- 0% 100% 0% 87% 100% 11m/s
09:00
- 0% 49% 0% 85% 49% 11m/s
10:00
- 0% 55% 0% 84% 55% 10m/s
11:00
- 0% 41% 0% 83% 41% 9.3m/s
12:00
- 0% 59% 0% 79% 59% 9m/s
13:00
- 0% 37% 4% 79% 37% 8.9m/s
14:00
- 0% 33% 1% 77% 33% 8.4m/s
15:00
- 0% 68% 0% 77% 68% 8.3m/s
16:00
- 0% 42% 0% 79% 42% 8.4m/s
17:00
- 2% 61% 0% 80% 61% 8.8m/s
18:00
- 0% 47% 0% 81% 47% 8.9m/s
19:00
- 69% 54% 0% 82% 75% 9m/s
20:00
- 100% 55% 0% 84% 100% 8.9m/s
21:00
- 98% 27% 0% 83% 98% 8.9m/s
22:00
- 100% 23% 0% 81% 100% 9m/s
23:00
- 3% 22% 0% 81% 22% 9.1m/s
Sat, Apr 11 Sunrise 07:43 Sunset 20:33
24:00
- 5% 20% 0% 81% 20% 9.7m/s
01:00
- 5% 11% 0% 78% 11% 9.7m/s
02:00
- 0% 2% 0% 76% 2% 9.9m/s
03:00
- 0% 2% 0% 75% 2% 10m/s
04:00
- 0% 1% 0% 74% 1% 9.7m/s
05:00
- 0% 11% 0% 76% 11% 9.4m/s
06:00
- 0% 28% 0% 77% 28% 9.1m/s
07:00
- 0% 22% 0% 82% 22% 8.8m/s
08:00
- 30% 14% 0% 82% 44% 9.4m/s
09:00
- 60% 7% 0% 81% 67% 10m/s
10:00
- 90% 0% 0% 81% 90% 11m/s
11:00
- 62% 0% 0% 80% 62% 11m/s
12:00
- 33% 1% 0% 80% 33% 11m/s
13:00
- 5% 1% 0% 80% 5% 10m/s
14:00
- 3% 6% 0% 79% 8% 11m/s
15:00
- 2% 10% 0% 78% 12% 12m/s
16:00
- 0% 15% 0% 78% 15% 12m/s
17:00
- 0% 37% 0% 76% 37% 12m/s
18:00
- 0% 58% 0% 74% 59% 11m/s
19:00
- 0% 80% 0% 73% 80% 11m/s
20:00
- 0% 67% 0% 74% 67% 11m/s
21:00
- 0% 54% 0% 76% 54% 10m/s
22:00
- 0% 41% 0% 77% 41% 10m/s
23:00
- 0% 60% 0% 74% 60% 11m/s
Sun, Apr 12 Sunrise 07:42 Sunset 20:33
24:00
- 0% 79% 0% 70% 79% 11m/s
01:00
- 1% 98% 0% 66% 98% 12m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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