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Rule Storm Chaser

NamibRand - Storm Chaser - Namibia

Maltahöhe, Hardap Region, 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
CAPE 100% failing
Cloud Drama Score 93% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Cloud Cover0%
Wind Gusts5.2m/s
Precipitation Chance0%
Air Pressure865.6hPa
CAPE0
Lifted Index10.4°C
Wind Gusts5.2m/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 80 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
Sun, May 24
06:000%0%0J/kg10°C24134m2.5m/s
07:000%6%0J/kg10°C24135m1.6m/s
08:0013%7%0J/kg10°C24134m1.9m/s
09:000%6.5%0J/kg10°C24135m3.2m/s
10:000%5.9%0J/kg11°C24134m3.1m/s
11:0014%5.9%0J/kg10°C24134m4.3m/s
12:000%9.2%0J/kg10°C24135m5.2m/s
13:000%9.1%0J/kg10°C24134m5.7m/s
14:000%5%0J/kg10°C24135m5.4m/s
15:000%6.2%0J/kg10°C24135m5.2m/s
16:000%7.8%0J/kg10°C24135m4.9m/s
17:000%27%0J/kg11°C24134m4.9m/s
18:000%33%0J/kg11°C24134m7.7m/s
19:000%28%0J/kg11°C24134m6.5m/s
20:000%13%0J/kg10°C24134m7m/s
21:000%13%0J/kg10°C24135m7m/s
22:000%15%0J/kg9.9°C24134m5.9m/s
23:000%9.4%0J/kg9.3°C24135m4.3m/s
Mon, May 25
24:000%15%0J/kg8.6°C24134m3.8m/s
01:000%15%0J/kg8.3°C24135m3m/s
02:000%15%0J/kg7.9°C24135m2.8m/s
03:000%15%0J/kg7.8°C24135m2.2m/s
04:000%12%0J/kg7.9°C24135m2.1m/s
05:000%14%0J/kg8.1°C24135m2.5m/s
06:000%9.3%0J/kg8.6°C24134m2.4m/s
07:000%59%0J/kg9.1°C24134m2.3m/s
08:000%73%0J/kg9.7°C24134m2.3m/s
09:000%28%0J/kg10°C24135m3.6m/s
10:000%55%0J/kg10°C24134m4.3m/s
11:000%41%0J/kg10°C24135m4.7m/s
12:000%34%0J/kg9.8°C24135m5.1m/s
13:000%46%0J/kg9.6°C24134m5m/s
14:000%25%0J/kg9.6°C24135m4.8m/s
15:000%47%0J/kg9.7°C24134m4.5m/s
16:000%20%0J/kg9.7°C24134m4.3m/s
17:000%26%0J/kg9.9°C24134m4.4m/s
18:000%28%0J/kg10°C24134m7.1m/s
19:000%61%0J/kg9.9°C24135m6.1m/s
20:000%14%0J/kg9.3°C24134m6.2m/s
21:000%13%0J/kg9.1°C24135m5.6m/s
22:000%14%0J/kg8.9°C24134m3.9m/s
23:000%15%0J/kg8.9°C24135m3.2m/s
Tue, May 26
24:000%14%0J/kg9°C24134m2.4m/s
01:000%13%0J/kg8.7°C24134m2.5m/s
02:000%15%0J/kg8.2°C24135m2.4m/s
03:000%15%0J/kg7.9°C24134m2m/s
04:000%15%0J/kg7.9°C24135m1.7m/s
05:000%15%0J/kg7.9°C24134m1.2m/s
06:000%15%0J/kg7.9°C24134m1.1m/s
07:000%33%0J/kg8.2°C24134m1.3m/s
08:000%66%0J/kg8.3°C24135m1.9m/s
09:000%19%0J/kg8.5°C24134m2.6m/s
10:000%25%0J/kg8.8°C24135m4.4m/s
11:000%21%0J/kg9°C24134m4.9m/s
12:000%23%0J/kg8.7°C24135m5.1m/s
13:000%18%0J/kg8.2°C24134m4.5m/s
14:000%13%0J/kg8.2°C24134m4.3m/s
15:000%16%0J/kg8.3°C24134m4.1m/s
16:000%26%0J/kg8.2°C24135m4m/s
17:000%30%0J/kg8.2°C24135m3.9m/s
18:000%42%0J/kg8.2°C24134m4.1m/s
19:000%26%0J/kg8.2°C24135m5.9m/s
20:000%10%0J/kg8.4°C24134m6.8m/s
21:000%0%0J/kg8.2°C24134m4.7m/s
22:000%0%0J/kg8°C24135m2.5m/s
23:000%0%0J/kg7.7°C24135m0.4m/s
Wed, May 27
24:000%0%0J/kg7.8°C24135m0.7m/s
01:000%0%0J/kg8°C24135m1m/s
02:0013%0%0J/kg8.1°C24135m1.3m/s
03:000%0%0J/kg8°C24135m2.3m/s
04:000%0%0J/kg7.9°C24135m3.4m/s
05:0015%0%0J/kg7.8°C24135m4.4m/s
06:000%0%0J/kg7.5°C24135m4.8m/s
07:000%11%0J/kg7.3°C24135m5.1m/s
08:0015%13%0J/kg7.1°C24135m5.4m/s
09:000%60%0J/kg7°C24135m5.5m/s
10:000%34%0J/kg7°C24135m5.6m/s
11:000%14%0J/kg6.9°C24135m5.6m/s
12:000%23%0J/kg6.9°C24135m5.7m/s
13:000%39%0J/kg6.9°C24135m5.7m/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
Sun, May 24 Sunrise 07:25 Sunset 18:12
15:00
866hPa 0J/kg 0% 10°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 13% 0mm -20dBZ 34° 0% 0mm - - 4.9m/s
16:00
866hPa 0J/kg 0% 10°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 12% 0mm -20dBZ 25° 0% 0mm - - 4.2m/s
17:00
866hPa 0J/kg 4% 11°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 11% 0mm -20dBZ 14° 4% 0mm 0.85m/s 3.5m/s 4.9m/s
18:00
866hPa 0J/kg 100% 11°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 15% 0mm -20dBZ 100% 0mm - - 5.4m/s
19:00
867hPa 0J/kg 100% 11°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 18% 0mm -20dBZ -11° 100% 0mm - - 5m/s
20:00
868hPa 0J/kg 100% 10°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 21% 0mm -20dBZ -24° 100% 0mm 7.2m/s 3.3m/s 4.9m/s
21:00
868hPa 0J/kg 100% 10°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 23% 0mm -20dBZ -37° 100% 0mm - - 4.9m/s
22:00
868hPa 0J/kg 16% 9.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 26% 0mm -20dBZ -51° 16% 0mm - - 4.8m/s
23:00
868hPa 0J/kg 0% 9.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 29% 0mm -20dBZ -65° 0% 0mm 9.6m/s 2.1m/s 4.3m/s
Mon, May 25 Sunrise 07:25 Sunset 18:12
24:00
868hPa 0J/kg 4% 8.6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 30% 0mm -20dBZ -78° 4% 0mm - - 3.7m/s
01:00
868hPa 0J/kg 89% 8.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 32% 0mm -20dBZ -85° 89% 0mm - - 3m/s
02:00
868hPa 0J/kg 5% 7.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 33% 0mm -20dBZ -73° 5% 0mm 9.1m/s 3.2m/s 2.8m/s
03:00
867hPa 0J/kg 83% 7.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 35% 0mm -20dBZ -60° 83% 0mm - - 2.2m/s
04:00
867hPa 0J/kg 78% 7.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 36% 0mm -20dBZ -46° 78% 0mm - - 2.1m/s
05:00
867hPa 0J/kg 5% 8.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 36% 0mm -20dBZ -33° 5% 0mm 8.9m/s 5m/s 2.5m/s
06:00
867hPa 0J/kg 22% 8.6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 38% 0mm -20dBZ -19° 22% 0mm - - 2.3m/s
07:00
868hPa 0J/kg 27% 9.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 39% 0mm -20dBZ -6.2° 27% 0mm - - 2.3m/s
08:00
868hPa 0J/kg 34% 9.7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 37% 0mm -20dBZ 6.3° 34% 0mm 8.4m/s 7.3m/s 2.2m/s
09:00
869hPa 0J/kg 5% 10°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 30% 0mm -20dBZ 18° 5% 0mm - - 2.4m/s
10:00
869hPa 0J/kg 28% 10°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 25% 0mm -20dBZ 29° 28% 0mm - - 3.3m/s
11:00
869hPa 0J/kg 14% 10°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 22% 0mm -20dBZ 37° 14% 0mm 6.9m/s 8.8m/s 4.1m/s
12:00
868hPa 0J/kg 13% 9.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 18% 0mm -20dBZ 43° 13% 0mm - - 4.1m/s
13:00
868hPa 0J/kg 48% 9.6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 16% 0mm -20dBZ 44° 48% 0mm - - 4.2m/s
14:00
867hPa 0J/kg 6% 9.6°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 14% 0mm -20dBZ 41° 6% 0mm 0.95m/s 5.3m/s 4.2m/s
15:00
866hPa 0J/kg 24% 9.7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 13% 0mm -20dBZ 34° 24% 0mm - - 3.8m/s
16:00
866hPa 0J/kg 5% 9.7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 12% 0mm -20dBZ 25° 5% 0mm - - 3.5m/s
17:00
866hPa 0J/kg 5% 9.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 11% 0mm -20dBZ 14° 5% 0mm 2.1m/s 3.4m/s 4.7m/s
18:00
866hPa 0J/kg 5% 10°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 14% 0mm -20dBZ 5% 0mm - - 5.2m/s
19:00
867hPa 0J/kg 51% 9.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 17% 0mm -20dBZ -11° 51% 0mm - - 4.9m/s
20:00
867hPa 0J/kg 78% 9.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 20% 0mm -20dBZ -24° 78% 0mm 8.2m/s 5.2m/s 5m/s
21:00
867hPa 0J/kg 59% 9.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 20% 0mm -20dBZ -38° 59% 0mm - - 4.6m/s
22:00
868hPa 0J/kg 53% 8.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 22% 0mm -20dBZ -51° 53% 0mm - - 3.9m/s
23:00
868hPa 0J/kg 87% 8.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 24% 0mm -20dBZ -65° 87% 0mm 9.4m/s 6.7m/s 3.1m/s
Tue, May 26 Sunrise 07:26 Sunset 18:11
24:00
868hPa 0J/kg 34% 9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 27% 0mm -20dBZ -78° 34% 0mm - - 2.4m/s
01:00
867hPa 0J/kg 100% 8.7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 27% 0mm -20dBZ -85° 100% 0mm - - 2.6m/s
02:00
867hPa 0J/kg 83% 8.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 28% 0mm -20dBZ -73° 83% 0mm 9.5m/s 6.9m/s 2.4m/s
03:00
867hPa 0J/kg 100% 7.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 29% 0mm -20dBZ -60° 100% 0mm - - 2m/s
04:00
867hPa 0J/kg 98% 7.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 30% 0mm -20dBZ -46° 98% 0mm - - 1.6m/s
05:00
867hPa 0J/kg 98% 7.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 31% 0mm -20dBZ -33° 98% 0mm 8.2m/s 6.3m/s 1.2m/s
06:00
867hPa 0J/kg 52% 7.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 31% 0mm -20dBZ -19° 52% 0mm - - 1m/s
07:00
867hPa 0J/kg 8% 8.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 32% 0mm -20dBZ -6.3° 8% 0mm - - 1.3m/s
08:00
868hPa 0J/kg 22% 8.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 30% 0mm -20dBZ 6.2° 22% 0mm 7.3m/s 4.6m/s 1.9m/s
09:00
868hPa 0J/kg 5% 8.5°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 24% 0mm -20dBZ 18° 5% 0mm - - 1.9m/s
10:00
868hPa 0J/kg 5% 8.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 21% 0mm -20dBZ 28° 5% 0mm - - 3.2m/s
11:00
868hPa 0J/kg 0% 9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 20% 0mm -20dBZ 37° 0% 0mm 6.6m/s 5.8m/s 4.4m/s
12:00
868hPa 0J/kg 5% 8.7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 19% 0mm -20dBZ 42° 5% 0mm - - 4.3m/s
13:00
867hPa 0J/kg 5% 8.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 17% 0mm -20dBZ 44° 5% 0mm - - 4.1m/s
14:00
866hPa 0J/kg 4% 8.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 15% 0mm -20dBZ 41° 4% 0mm 0.59m/s 4.2m/s 4.1m/s
15:00
865hPa 0J/kg 5% 8.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 14% 0mm -20dBZ 34° 5% 0mm - - 3.8m/s
16:00
864hPa 0J/kg 5% 8.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 14% 0mm -20dBZ 25° 5% 0mm - - 3.5m/s
17:00
865hPa 0J/kg 93% 8.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 14% 0mm -20dBZ 14° 93% 0mm 1.3m/s 5.1m/s 3.4m/s
18:00
865hPa 0J/kg 83% 8.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 18% 0mm -20dBZ 1.9° 83% 0mm - - 4.1m/s
19:00
865hPa 0J/kg 99% 8.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 22% 0mm -20dBZ -11° 99% 0mm - - 4.7m/s
20:00
866hPa 0J/kg 51% 8.4°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 24% 0mm -20dBZ -24° 51% 0mm 9.8m/s 7.7m/s 4.9m/s
21:00
863hPa 0J/kg 36% 8.2°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 27% 0mm -20dBZ -38° 36% 0mm - - 3.4m/s
22:00
861hPa 0J/kg 21% 8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 31% 0mm -20dBZ -51° 21% 0mm - - 1.9m/s
23:00
858hPa 0J/kg 6% 7.7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 34% 0mm -20dBZ -65° 6% 0mm 9.8m/s 9.2m/s 0.4m/s
Wed, May 27 Sunrise 07:26 Sunset 18:11
24:00
858hPa 0J/kg 20% 7.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 34% 0mm -20dBZ -78° 20% 0mm - - 0.67m/s
01:00
859hPa 0J/kg 34% 8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 34% 0mm -20dBZ -86° 34% 0mm - - 0.94m/s
02:00
859hPa 0J/kg 48% 8.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 35% 0mm -20dBZ -73° 48% 0mm 8.7m/s 11m/s 1.2m/s
03:00
859hPa 0J/kg 34% 8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 31% 0mm -20dBZ -60° 34% 0mm - - 1.9m/s
04:00
860hPa 0J/kg 19% 7.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 27% 0mm -20dBZ -46° 19% 0mm - - 2.7m/s
05:00
860hPa 0J/kg 5% 7.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 23% 0mm -20dBZ -33° 5% 0mm 7.4m/s 12m/s 3.4m/s
06:00
859hPa 0J/kg 5% 7.5°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 21% 0mm -20dBZ -19° 5% 0mm - - 3.8m/s
07:00
858hPa 0J/kg 5% 7.3°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 19% 0mm -20dBZ -6.4° 5% 0mm - - 4.2m/s
08:00
858hPa 0J/kg 5% 7.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 17% 0mm -20dBZ 6.1° 5% 0mm 8.2m/s 11m/s 4.6m/s
09:00
857hPa 0J/kg 36% 7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 17% 0mm -20dBZ 18° 36% 0mm - - 5.2m/s
10:00
857hPa 0J/kg 68% 7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 16% 0mm -20dBZ 28° 68% 0mm - - 5.9m/s
11:00
857hPa 0J/kg 100% 6.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 16% 0mm -20dBZ 37° 100% 0mm 6.4m/s 9.3m/s 6.6m/s
12:00
858hPa 0J/kg 71% 6.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 19% 0mm -20dBZ 42° 71% 0mm - - 5.9m/s
13:00
858hPa 0J/kg 42% 6.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 22% 0mm -20dBZ 44° 42% 0mm - - 5.3m/s
14:00
859hPa 0J/kg 14% 6.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 25% 0mm -20dBZ 41° 14% 0mm 1.9m/s 6.9m/s 4.6m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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