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Rule Storm Chaser

Etosha Pan - Storm Chaser - Namibia

Okaukuejo, Namibia

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 100% failing
CAPE 100% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Cloud Cover4%
Wind Gusts7.5m/s
Precipitation Chance0%
Air Pressure884.8hPa
CAPE0
Lifted Index6.7°C
Wind Gusts7.5m/s
Precipitation0.0mm

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Africa/Windhoek

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 predicts rare but spectacular storm conditions across Namibia's desert landscapes, where infrequent weather events create dramatic photography opportunities in one of Earth's most arid environments. We track atmospheric instability, moisture incursion, and electrical activity to identify when thunderstorms and lightning illuminate ancient dunes and vast salt pans.

Namibia averages fewer than 30 rainy days per year, with Sossusvlei receiving only 106mm annually—making successful storm photography a rare achievement. When storms do develop during summer months, they're often spectacular with towering cumulus, dramatic lightning, and intense but brief rainfall. The desert's extreme aridity means storms stand out against typically clear skies.

What makes Namibia storm photography exceptional:

  • Desert lightning - Electrical storms over Sossusvlei's red dunes create vivid orange foreground against lightning-streaked skies
  • Etosha drama - Summer thunderstorms develop over the pan, bringing wildlife to waterholes while lightning illuminates the vast expanse
  • Rarity factor - Storm events are infrequent enough that each occurrence represents significant photographic opportunity
  • Unobstructed views - Minimal vegetation and vast open spaces allow clear sight lines to distant storm cells and lightning

Sossusvlei during rare summer storms provides Namibia's most dramatic storm photography—lightning striking across the dune sea creates compositions found nowhere else. Red dunes appear even more vivid when wet. Etosha Pan becomes particularly photogenic during storms when animals congregate at waterholes—combine wildlife with dramatic skies and distant lightning. Spitzkoppe's granite formations attract lightning—photograph from safe distances to capture bolts hitting ancient rock. Fish River Canyon under storm conditions takes on Grand Canyon-like drama with lightning illuminating the gorge. Storm season runs November through March, with peak activity January-February. Lightning safety is critical—avoid high ground and flash flood risks in canyons.

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72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour
0matching hours in the next 86 hours
OR logic: one branch per group is enough
Meets requirement
Misses requirement
Time
Africa/Windhoek
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, Apr 18
06:000%0.3%0J/kg4.7°C24135m2.9m/s
07:000%7.4%0J/kg5.7°C24134m1.9m/s
08:0015%6.6%0J/kg5.6°C24135m2.2m/s
09:000%6.8%0J/kg6.2°C24134m1.4m/s
10:000%6.2%0J/kg6°C24134m0.51m/s
11:0013%5.2%0J/kg5.7°C24135m2.6m/s
12:000%16%0J/kg5.4°C24134m4.3m/s
13:000%9.5%0J/kg4.6°C24135m6m/s
14:0016%9.6%0J/kg4.7°C24134m6.8m/s
15:000%15%0J/kg4.6°C24134m8.3m/s
16:000%8.7%0J/kg4.3°C24135m8.1m/s
17:000%15%0J/kg5.2°C24134m8.3m/s
18:000%11%0J/kg5.3°C24135m7.1m/s
19:000%7.7%0J/kg5.6°C24135m5.9m/s
20:0016%0.9%0J/kg6.1°C24134m4.4m/s
21:000%0.5%0J/kg6.7°C24135m7.5m/s
22:0016%0.2%0J/kg8.9°C24134m14m/s
23:0018%0.8%0J/kg9.5°C24135m10m/s
Sun, Apr 19
24:000%0.8%0J/kg9.5°C24135m6.9m/s
01:000%1.1%0J/kg9.5°C24134m4.3m/s
02:0016%1.1%0J/kg9.4°C24135m4m/s
03:000%0.9%0J/kg9.4°C24135m4.3m/s
04:000%7%0J/kg9.6°C24134m3.4m/s
05:0015%9.3%0J/kg9.5°C24134m2.3m/s
06:000%1.1%0J/kg9.6°C24135m1.7m/s
07:000%13%0J/kg9.7°C24134m1.4m/s
08:0016%14%0J/kg9.5°C24135m1.3m/s
09:000%20%0J/kg9.5°C24135m0.6m/s
10:000%20%0J/kg9.5°C24135m3.6m/s
11:0016%9%0J/kg9.6°C24134m5.2m/s
12:000%5.4%0J/kg9.2°C24134m6.6m/s
13:000%9.1%0J/kg8.5°C24135m7.3m/s
14:000%5.4%0J/kg8.3°C24135m7.6m/s
15:000%22%0J/kg8.4°C24135m8.1m/s
16:000%23%0J/kg8.3°C24134m7.9m/s
17:000%29%0J/kg8.4°C24134m7.7m/s
18:000%37%0J/kg8°C24135m6m/s
19:000%22%0J/kg7.8°C24134m3.3m/s
20:0016%9.6%0J/kg8.4°C24135m8.4m/s
21:000%0.8%0J/kg9.1°C24134m11m/s
22:000%3.3%0J/kg9.2°C24135m9.4m/s
23:0018%5.6%0J/kg8.8°C24135m8.1m/s
Mon, Apr 20
24:000%4.4%0J/kg9.1°C24134m7.1m/s
01:000%3.7%0J/kg9°C24134m6m/s
02:0015%0.9%0J/kg8.8°C24135m3.8m/s
03:000%1.1%0J/kg9°C24134m3.3m/s
04:000%1.1%0J/kg9.1°C24135m3.3m/s
05:0018%1.1%0J/kg9°C24135m3.1m/s
06:000%0.7%0J/kg9°C24135m3.3m/s
07:000%7.9%0J/kg9.3°C24134m3m/s
08:0015%18%0J/kg9.6°C24134m2.1m/s
09:000%23%0J/kg9.5°C24135m0.8m/s
10:000%11%0J/kg9.2°C24135m1m/s
11:0015%48%0J/kg8.3°C24134m2.1m/s
12:000%20%0J/kg7.4°C24135m3.5m/s
13:000%12%0J/kg6.7°C24134m4.8m/s
14:000%13%0J/kg6.6°C24135m5.9m/s
15:000%13%0J/kg6.3°C24134m6.2m/s
16:000%21%0J/kg6.1°C24135m7m/s
17:000%25%0J/kg6°C24135m7.1m/s
18:000%14%0J/kg6.3°C24135m6.2m/s
19:000%14%0J/kg6.5°C24135m3.6m/s
20:000%1.2%0J/kg6.5°C24134m3.3m/s
21:000%1.5%0J/kg6.4°C24134m3.4m/s
22:000%1.1%0J/kg6°C24134m4.5m/s
23:000%1%0J/kg5.4°C24134m2.2m/s
Tue, Apr 21
24:000%0.8%0J/kg5.6°C24135m6.2m/s
01:000%1.1%0J/kg5.4°C24134m7.7m/s
02:0018%4.6%0J/kg4.8°C24135m8.4m/s
03:000%0%0J/kg5.4°C24135m5.9m/s
04:000%0%0J/kg5.9°C24135m3.3m/s
05:0014%0%0J/kg6.5°C24135m0.72m/s
06:000%0%0J/kg6.2°C24135m1.4m/s
07:000%13%0J/kg5.8°C24135m2.1m/s
08:0015%6.5%0J/kg5.5°C24135m2.8m/s
09:000%6.5%0J/kg5.7°C24135m3.2m/s
10:000%5.5%0J/kg6°C24135m3.5m/s
11:0015%6.3%0J/kg6.2°C24135m3.8m/s
12:000%8.1%0J/kg6.2°C24135m2.8m/s
13:000%8.1%0J/kg6.1°C24135m1.8m/s
14:0013%8.1%0J/kg6.1°C24135m0.84m/s
15:000%8.1%0J/kg5.9°C24135m1.5m/s
16:000%9.9%0J/kg5.8°C24135m2.1m/s
17:0013%6.5%0J/kg5.7°C24135m2.7m/s
18:000%7%0J/kg4.7°C24135m3.9m/s
19:000%7%0J/kg3.8°C24135m5m/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
Africa/Windhoek
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
Sat, Apr 18 Sunrise 07:07 Sunset 18:43
21:00
885hPa 0J/kg 4% 6.7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 27% 0mm -20dBZ -33° 4% 0mm - - 5.1m/s
22:00
886hPa 0J/kg 0% 8.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 27% 0mm -20dBZ -47° 0% 0mm - - 7.4m/s
23:00
886hPa 0J/kg 0% 9.5°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 33% 0mm -20dBZ -61° 0% 0mm 12m/s 14m/s 5.2m/s
Sun, Apr 19 Sunrise 07:07 Sunset 18:43
24:00
886hPa 0J/kg 1% 9.5°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 36% 0mm -20dBZ -74° 1% 0mm - - 3.4m/s
01:00
886hPa 0J/kg 5% 9.5°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 38% 0mm -20dBZ -82° 5% 0mm - - 3.1m/s
02:00
886hPa 0J/kg 5% 9.4°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 39% 0mm -20dBZ -72° 5% 0mm 14m/s 14m/s 3.3m/s
03:00
885hPa 0J/kg 5% 9.4°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 39% 0mm -20dBZ -59° 5% 0mm - - 3.4m/s
04:00
885hPa 0J/kg 10% 9.6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 40% 0mm -20dBZ -45° 10% 0mm - - 3m/s
05:00
885hPa 0J/kg 1% 9.5°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 40% 0mm -20dBZ -31° 1% 0mm 14m/s 14m/s 2.3m/s
06:00
886hPa 0J/kg 3% 9.6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 41% 0mm -20dBZ -17° 3% 0mm - - 1.7m/s
07:00
887hPa 0J/kg 1% 9.7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 42% 0mm -20dBZ -2.5° 1% 0mm - - 1.4m/s
08:00
887hPa 0J/kg 5% 9.5°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 37% 0mm -20dBZ 11° 5% 0mm 14m/s 16m/s 1.4m/s
09:00
888hPa 0J/kg 5% 9.5°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 31% 0mm -20dBZ 25° 5% 0mm - - 0.39m/s
10:00
888hPa 0J/kg 5% 9.5°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 27% 0mm -20dBZ 37° 5% 0mm - - 1.9m/s
11:00
888hPa 0J/kg 5% 9.6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 23% 0mm -20dBZ 48° 5% 0mm 11m/s 11m/s 3.7m/s
12:00
887hPa 0J/kg 0% 9.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 21% 0mm -20dBZ 57° 0% 0mm - - 5m/s
13:00
886hPa 0J/kg 5% 8.5°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 20% 0mm -20dBZ 60° 5% 0mm - - 5.6m/s
14:00
885hPa 0J/kg 0% 8.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 18% 0mm -20dBZ 56° 0% 0mm 9.3m/s 9.6m/s 5.8m/s
15:00
885hPa 0J/kg 0% 8.4°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 16% 0mm -20dBZ 47° 0% 0mm - - 6m/s
16:00
884hPa 0J/kg 0% 8.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 16% 0mm -20dBZ 35° 0% 0mm - - 6.3m/s
17:00
884hPa 0J/kg 4% 8.4°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 16% 0mm -20dBZ 23° 4% 0mm 3m/s 7.4m/s 6m/s
18:00
884hPa 0J/kg 10% 8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 17% 0mm -20dBZ 9.1° 10% 0mm - - 4.3m/s
19:00
885hPa 0J/kg 0% 7.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 22% 0mm -20dBZ -4.7° 0% 0mm - - 3.1m/s
20:00
886hPa 0J/kg 0% 8.4°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 22% 0mm -20dBZ -19° 0% 0mm 6.1m/s 11m/s 5.1m/s
21:00
887hPa 0J/kg 0% 9.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 23% 0mm -20dBZ -33° 0% 0mm - - 4.8m/s
22:00
887hPa 0J/kg 1% 9.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 29% 0mm -20dBZ -47° 1% 0mm - - 4.6m/s
23:00
887hPa 0J/kg 2% 8.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 32% 0mm -20dBZ -61° 2% 0mm 12m/s 15m/s 4.1m/s
Mon, Apr 20 Sunrise 07:07 Sunset 18:42
24:00
887hPa 0J/kg 5% 9.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 33% 0mm -20dBZ -75° 5% 0mm - - 4m/s
01:00
887hPa 0J/kg 5% 9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 34% 0mm -20dBZ -82° 5% 0mm - - 3.7m/s
02:00
887hPa 0J/kg 5% 8.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 35% 0mm -20dBZ -73° 5% 0mm 9.4m/s 16m/s 2.9m/s
03:00
886hPa 0J/kg 0% 9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 35% 0mm -20dBZ -59° 0% 0mm - - 3m/s
04:00
886hPa 0J/kg 0% 9.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 35% 0mm -20dBZ -45° 0% 0mm - - 3.1m/s
05:00
886hPa 0J/kg 5% 9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 35% 0mm -20dBZ -31° 5% 0mm 14m/s 16m/s 3.1m/s
06:00
886hPa 0J/kg 4% 9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 35% 0mm -20dBZ -17° 4% 0mm - - 3.2m/s
07:00
887hPa 0J/kg 0% 9.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 35% 0mm -20dBZ -2.5° 0% 0mm - - 3m/s
08:00
888hPa 0J/kg 5% 9.6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 33% 0mm -20dBZ 11° 5% 0mm 13m/s 14m/s 1.9m/s
09:00
888hPa 0J/kg 8% 9.5°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 27% 0mm -20dBZ 24° 8% 0mm - - 0.91m/s
10:00
889hPa 0J/kg 4% 9.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 24% 0mm -20dBZ 37° 4% 0mm - - 1.1m/s
11:00
888hPa 0J/kg 28% 8.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 22% 0mm -20dBZ 48° 28% 0mm 11m/s 12m/s 1.8m/s
12:00
888hPa 0J/kg 6% 7.4°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 21% 0mm -20dBZ 56° 6% 0mm - - 3m/s
13:00
887hPa 0J/kg 5% 6.7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 20% 0mm -20dBZ 59° 5% 0mm - - 4.1m/s
14:00
886hPa 0J/kg 5% 6.6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 19% 0mm -20dBZ 55° 5% 0mm 10m/s 9.3m/s 5m/s
15:00
885hPa 0J/kg 2% 6.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 19% 0mm -20dBZ 46° 2% 0mm - - 4.8m/s
16:00
885hPa 0J/kg 4% 6.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 19% 0mm -20dBZ 35° 4% 0mm - - 4.4m/s
17:00
884hPa 0J/kg 5% 6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 18% 0mm -20dBZ 22° 5% 0mm 4.2m/s 6.4m/s 4.7m/s
18:00
885hPa 0J/kg 4% 6.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 19% 0mm -20dBZ 4% 0mm - - 4.5m/s
19:00
885hPa 0J/kg 1% 6.5°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 23% 0mm -20dBZ -4.9° 1% 0mm - - 3.5m/s
20:00
885hPa 0J/kg 1% 6.5°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 25% 0mm -20dBZ -19° 1% 0mm 11m/s 9m/s 3.2m/s
21:00
886hPa 0J/kg 0% 6.4°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 26% 0mm -20dBZ -33° 0% 0mm - - 3.4m/s
22:00
886hPa 0J/kg 2% 6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 27% 0mm -20dBZ -47° 2% 0mm - - 4m/s
23:00
886hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.4°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 31% 0mm -20dBZ -61° 0% 0mm 10m/s 9.1m/s 1.4m/s
Tue, Apr 21 Sunrise 07:08 Sunset 18:42
24:00
886hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 29% 0mm -20dBZ -75° 0% 0mm - - 4.7m/s
01:00
886hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.4°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 29% 0mm -20dBZ -83° 0% 0mm - - 4.9m/s
02:00
886hPa 0J/kg 0% 4.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 29% 0mm -20dBZ -73° 0% 0mm 13m/s 12m/s 4.9m/s
03:00
888hPa 0J/kg 2% 5.4°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 27% 0mm -20dBZ -59° 2% 0mm - - 3.5m/s
04:00
890hPa 0J/kg 3% 5.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 26% 0mm -20dBZ -45° 3% 0mm - - 2.1m/s
05:00
891hPa 0J/kg 5% 6.5°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 24% 0mm -20dBZ -31° 5% 0mm 14m/s 13m/s 0.76m/s
06:00
891hPa 0J/kg 3% 6.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 22% 0mm -20dBZ -17° 3% 0mm - - 1.2m/s
07:00
890hPa 0J/kg 2% 5.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 20% 0mm -20dBZ -2.6° 2% 0mm - - 1.7m/s
08:00
889hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.5°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 18% 0mm -20dBZ 11° 0% 0mm 13m/s 13m/s 2.2m/s
09:00
889hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 18% 0mm -20dBZ 24° 0% 0mm - - 2m/s
10:00
888hPa 0J/kg 0% 6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 17% 0mm -20dBZ 37° 0% 0mm - - 1.9m/s
11:00
888hPa 0J/kg 0% 6.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 17% 0mm -20dBZ 48° 0% 0mm 11m/s 14m/s 1.7m/s
12:00
888hPa 0J/kg 0% 6.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 20% 0mm -20dBZ 56° 0% 0mm - - 1.3m/s
13:00
888hPa 0J/kg 0% 6.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 24% 0mm -20dBZ 59° 0% 0mm - - 0.91m/s
14:00
889hPa 0J/kg 0% 6.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 27% 0mm -20dBZ 55° 0% 0mm 8m/s 13m/s 0.5m/s
15:00
889hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 27% 0mm -20dBZ 46° 0% 0mm - - 1.2m/s
16:00
889hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 26% 0mm -20dBZ 35° 0% 0mm - - 1.8m/s
17:00
889hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 26% 0mm -20dBZ 22° 0% 0mm 6.6m/s 14m/s 2.5m/s
18:00
889hPa 0J/kg 0% 4.7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 26% 0mm -20dBZ 8.8° 0% 0mm - - 3.2m/s
19:00
889hPa 0J/kg 0% 3.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 27% 0mm -20dBZ -5° 0% 0mm - - 3.9m/s
20:00
889hPa 0J/kg 0% 2.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 28% 0mm -20dBZ -19° 0% 0mm 6.6m/s 16m/s 4.6m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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