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Rule Storm Chaser

Columbia River Gorge - Storm Chaser - Pacific Northwest

Cascade Locks, Oregon, 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 100% failing
Cloud Drama Score 71% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Cloud Cover85%
Wind Gusts3.2m/s
Precipitation Chance85%
Air Pressure936.2hPa
CAPE18
Lifted Index2.6°C
Wind Gusts3.2m/s
Precipitation0.1mm

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in America/Los_Angeles

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 Pacific storm systems hitting the Northwest coast, identifying when conditions create dramatic photography opportunities while balancing safety considerations. We monitor storm intensity, wave height, wind patterns, and King Tide timing to predict optimal storm photography windows.

The Pacific Northwest receives powerful storm systems throughout fall and winter, creating spectacular wave action along its rugged coastline. These storms combine with the region's dramatic sea stacks, headlands, and coastal forests to produce compelling images. Winter "King Tides"—exceptionally high tides—amplify storm impacts.

What makes the Pacific Northwest special for storm photography:

  • Pacific storm power - Powerful winter systems bring dramatic wave action to exposed coastlines
  • King Tides - December-February extreme high tides create exceptional wave drama
  • Haystack Rock storms - Cannon Beach's iconic sea stack withstanding storm waves
  • Cape Disappointment - One of the most dangerous bar crossings offers dramatic lighthouse storm scenes

Cannon Beach becomes a premier storm photography destination during winter storm events, particularly during King Tides when waves can reach spectacular heights around Haystack Rock and the surrounding sea stacks. The combination of accessible beach, dramatic rock formations, and powerful Pacific swells creates world-class opportunities. Cape Disappointment at the mouth of the Columbia River offers lighthouse drama during storms—waves crash against the rocky headland while the historic lighthouse stands sentinel. Shore Acres State Park near Coos Bay features a protected viewing platform where photographers can safely capture massive storm waves exploding against the cliff face. The Olympic coast provides wilderness storm photography with sea stacks and rugged shoreline. Safety is essential—our forecast helps identify conditions that are dramatic but manageable, tracking when peak storm intensity has passed but seas remain photogenic. Never turn your back on the ocean, watch for sneaker waves, and maintain safe distances from surf.

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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
America/Los_Angeles
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
Fri, Apr 10
21:000%10%1J/kg1.6°C24135m0.4m/s
22:000%7%3J/kg1.8°C6150m1.4m/s
23:0033%0.2%51J/kg0.6°C959m2.3m/s
Sat, Apr 11
24:0032%0.4%37J/kg0.8°C130m2m/s
01:0035%0%27J/kg1.6°C193m4.2m/s
02:0040%0%2J/kg2.7°C367m3.1m/s
03:0040%0%2J/kg2.7°C290m4m/s
04:0042%0%3J/kg2.9°C183m6.1m/s
05:0038%0%2J/kg2.7°C4032m3.8m/s
06:0032%67%1J/kg3.7°C132m5.7m/s
07:0032%67%2J/kg3.5°C118m6.5m/s
08:0018%60%2J/kg3.6°C22742m3.4m/s
09:0017%67%6J/kg3.5°C24135m1.3m/s
10:0017%58%11J/kg3.4°C24135m1.3m/s
11:0018%47%0J/kg3.1°C24135m1.7m/s
12:000%62%18J/kg2.6°C24135m3.2m/s
13:000%55%25J/kg1.8°C24134m3.2m/s
14:000%38%23J/kg1.2°C24134m3.5m/s
15:000%29%25J/kg1.3°C24134m3.4m/s
16:000%88%18J/kg1.5°C24135m3.2m/s
17:000%59%15J/kg1.4°C24134m3m/s
18:000%66%9J/kg1.6°C24135m3.2m/s
19:000%60%18J/kg1.4°C24078m2.3m/s
20:000%55%6J/kg1.3°C24135m1.3m/s
21:000%2.9%0J/kg2°C24134m1.3m/s
22:000%10%0J/kg2.7°C24135m1.3m/s
23:0013%9.6%0J/kg2.7°C24134m0.81m/s
Sun, Apr 12
24:000%9%0J/kg2.8°C24135m1.1m/s
01:000%12%0J/kg2.9°C24135m0.91m/s
02:000%13%0J/kg2.2°C24134m0.9m/s
03:000%14%0J/kg1.7°C24135m1.1m/s
04:000%6%0J/kg1.5°C24135m1.1m/s
05:000%6%0J/kg2°C24135m1.1m/s
06:000%58%0J/kg1.5°C24135m1m/s
07:000%25%0J/kg2.1°C24135m1.1m/s
08:000%49%0J/kg1.7°C24135m1.6m/s
09:000%30%0J/kg1.9°C24135m1.7m/s
10:000%52%0J/kg2.1°C24134m1.8m/s
11:000%43%0J/kg2.4°C24134m2.5m/s
12:000%42%0J/kg2.6°C24134m3.1m/s
13:000%42%0J/kg2.8°C24135m3.5m/s
14:000%42%0J/kg3.1°C24135m3.9m/s
15:000%45%1J/kg3.5°C24135m4.7m/s
16:000%55%15J/kg3.6°C24135m6.1m/s
17:000%73%20J/kg3.4°C24135m6.5m/s
18:000%83%10J/kg2.9°C24135m6.2m/s
19:000%72%6J/kg3.5°C24135m4.5m/s
20:000%51%6J/kg4°C23957m4.2m/s
21:000%8.7%17J/kg3.6°C24093m4.3m/s
22:0016%9.4%11J/kg4.1°C4618m4.8m/s
23:000%8.5%6J/kg4.7°C24101m6.9m/s
Mon, Apr 13
24:000%9.3%1J/kg4.9°C22950m7.4m/s
01:000%6.7%2J/kg4.8°C23002m7.8m/s
02:000%2.1%4J/kg5.1°C22072m7.7m/s
03:000%5.8%1J/kg6°C22410m8.1m/s
04:000%8.4%1J/kg6.5°C23829m7.6m/s
05:000%5%1J/kg6.7°C24135m7.8m/s
06:0019%34%1J/kg6.8°C1871m7.2m/s
07:0021%36%2J/kg7°C415m6.8m/s
08:0023%33%2J/kg6.8°C336m6.1m/s
09:0033%30%2J/kg6.8°C304m6.2m/s
10:0033%34%1J/kg7.7°C273m6.2m/s
11:0036%31%1J/kg8.1°C214m6.4m/s
12:0021%31%2J/kg8.5°C237m6.6m/s
13:0021%31%18J/kg9.1°C292m6.9m/s
14:0024%36%2J/kg9.4°C420m6.5m/s
15:0016%40%8J/kg9.9°C23782m6.8m/s
16:0017%87%30J/kg11°C23390m7.5m/s
17:0020%49%50J/kg9.8°C16212m8.1m/s
18:0017%62%34J/kg11°C11489m7.8m/s
19:000%70%17J/kg13°C6766m7.6m/s
20:0021%70%1J/kg14°C2043m7.3m/s
21:0020%60%0.67J/kg14°C1999m7.2m/s
22:0018%0%0.33J/kg14°C1955m7.1m/s
23:0021%0%0J/kg14°C1911m7m/s
Tue, Apr 14
24:0019%0%0.33J/kg13°C1475m7.5m/s
01:0019%0%0.67J/kg13°C1039m8.1m/s
02:0035%0%1J/kg13°C604m8.6m/s
03:0018%0%1J/kg13°C3447m8.3m/s
04:000%0%1J/kg13°C6291m8m/s
05:0021%0%1J/kg13°C9134m7.8m/s
06:000%67%9J/kg13°C10131m8.5m/s
07:000%67%17J/kg13°C11127m9.3m/s
08:0020%62%25J/kg13°C12124m10m/s
09:0020%55%24J/kg12°C8127m11m/s
10:0030%55%22J/kg12°C4130m12m/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
America/Los_Angeles
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 11 Sunrise 06:28 Sunset 19:47
12:00
936hPa 18J/kg 7% 2.6°C 55% 85% 85% 0mm 86% 0.1mm 12dBZ 50° 85% 0.06mm - - 1.2m/s
13:00
936hPa 25J/kg 0% 1.8°C 61% 7% 70% 0mm 70% 0.07mm 10dBZ 53° 61% 0.19mm - - 1.6m/s
14:00
935hPa 23J/kg 0% 1.2°C 84% 5% 55% 0mm 60% 0.07mm 8.1dBZ 51° 84% 0.25mm 6.1m/s 8.3m/s 2.1m/s
15:00
935hPa 25J/kg 0% 1.3°C 100% 5% 55% 0mm 60% 0.08mm 9.3dBZ 46° 100% 0.31mm - - 2.5m/s
16:00
934hPa 18J/kg 48% 1.5°C 68% 5% 56% 0mm 63% 0.04mm 11dBZ 38° 68% 0.38mm - - 2.2m/s
17:00
934hPa 15J/kg 44% 1.4°C 96% 5% 56% 0mm 58% 0.03mm 12dBZ 28° 96% 0.44mm 2.6m/s 7.9m/s 2.1m/s
18:00
934hPa 9J/kg 100% 1.6°C 99% 20% 42% 0mm 61% 0.05mm 1.2dBZ 18° 100% 0mm - - 2.3m/s
19:00
934hPa 18J/kg 100% 1.4°C 86% 100% 27% 0mm 77% 0.1mm -9.4dBZ 7.7° 100% 0.13mm - - 1.7m/s
20:00
934hPa 6J/kg 100% 1.3°C 5% 63% 13% 0mm 86% 0mm -20dBZ -2.5° 100% 0.13mm 2m/s 6.3m/s 1.4m/s
21:00
935hPa 0J/kg 89% 2°C 5% 5% 14% 0mm 96% 0mm -19dBZ -12° 89% 0.13mm - - 1.5m/s
22:00
934hPa 0J/kg 60% 2.7°C 5% 5% 14% 0mm 96% 0mm -19dBZ -21° 60% 0.13mm - - 1.4m/s
23:00
934hPa 0J/kg 80% 2.7°C 5% 5% 15% 0mm 96% 0mm -18dBZ -28° 80% 0.13mm 4.5m/s 12m/s 0.84m/s
Sun, Apr 12 Sunrise 06:27 Sunset 19:48
24:00
934hPa 0J/kg 100% 2.8°C 1% 100% 10% 0mm 97% 0mm -14dBZ -33° 100% 0mm - - 1.2m/s
01:00
933hPa 0J/kg 99% 2.9°C 5% 79% 5% 0mm 97% 0mm -9.3dBZ -36° 99% 0mm - - 0.91m/s
02:00
933hPa 0J/kg 6% 2.2°C 5% 5% 0% 0mm 97% 0mm -5.1dBZ -34° 6% 0mm 1.9m/s 9m/s 0.98m/s
03:00
932hPa 0J/kg 98% 1.7°C 5% 6% 15% 0mm 97% 0mm -10dBZ -30° 98% 0mm - - 1.3m/s
04:00
932hPa 0J/kg 100% 1.5°C 5% 5% 31% 0mm 97% 0mm -15dBZ -23° 100% 0mm - - 1.1m/s
05:00
932hPa 0J/kg 100% 2°C 16% 5% 46% 0mm 96% 0mm -20dBZ -15° 100% 0mm 4.9m/s 4.3m/s 1.1m/s
06:00
932hPa 0J/kg 100% 1.5°C 5% 92% 47% 0mm 95% 0mm -20dBZ -5.3° 100% 0mm - - 1.1m/s
07:00
932hPa 0J/kg 100% 2.1°C 5% 5% 47% 0mm 92% 0mm -20dBZ 100% 0mm - - 1.2m/s
08:00
933hPa 0J/kg 100% 1.7°C 5% 51% 48% 0mm 85% 0mm -20dBZ 15° 100% 0mm 3m/s 5.8m/s 1.1m/s
09:00
933hPa 0J/kg 9% 1.9°C 9% 7% 59% 0mm 79% 0mm -14dBZ 26° 10% 0mm - - 1.3m/s
10:00
933hPa 0J/kg 100% 2.1°C 58% 100% 70% 0mm 66% 0mm -8dBZ 36° 100% 0mm - - 1.7m/s
11:00
933hPa 0J/kg 100% 2.4°C 26% 100% 81% 0mm 66% 0mm -2dBZ 44° 100% 0mm 1.5m/s 6.2m/s 2.5m/s
12:00
933hPa 0J/kg 100% 2.6°C 66% 100% 84% 0mm 71% 0.02mm 3.4dBZ 50° 100% 0mm - - 3.1m/s
13:00
934hPa 0J/kg 100% 2.8°C 94% 100% 87% 0mm 75% 0.03mm 8.9dBZ 53° 100% 0.06mm - - 3.3m/s
14:00
934hPa 0J/kg 100% 3.1°C 70% 98% 90% 0mm 76% 0.03mm 14dBZ 52° 100% 0.06mm 5.9m/s 5.1m/s 3m/s
15:00
934hPa 1J/kg 100% 3.5°C 99% 100% 92% 0mm 70% 0.03mm 8.5dBZ 46° 100% 0.13mm - - 3m/s
16:00
935hPa 15J/kg 100% 3.6°C 100% 100% 95% 0mm 73% 0.08mm 2.7dBZ 38° 100% 0.13mm - - 3.3m/s
17:00
935hPa 20J/kg 28% 3.4°C 100% 96% 97% 0.01mm 80% 0.05mm -3.1dBZ 29° 100% 0.25mm 9.1m/s 4.2m/s 3.1m/s
18:00
935hPa 10J/kg 13% 2.9°C 100% 92% 88% 0.01mm 82% 0.04mm 5.5dBZ 18° 100% 0.06mm - - 2.8m/s
19:00
936hPa 6J/kg 73% 3.5°C 100% 79% 78% 0.03mm 92% 0.02mm 14dBZ 100% 0.13mm - - 2.4m/s
20:00
937hPa 6J/kg 60% 4°C 100% 5% 69% 0.04mm 95% 0.02mm 23dBZ -2.3° 100% 0.19mm 11m/s 5.1m/s 2.4m/s
21:00
937hPa 17J/kg 5% 3.6°C 100% 5% 76% 0.02mm 96% 0.04mm 19dBZ -12° 100% 0.25mm - - 2.5m/s
22:00
938hPa 11J/kg 4% 4.1°C 100% 5% 83% 0.02mm 96% 0.05mm 16dBZ -21° 100% 0.31mm - - 2.8m/s
23:00
938hPa 6J/kg 0% 4.7°C 100% 4% 90% 0mm 96% 0.02mm 13dBZ -28° 100% 0.38mm 13m/s 6.3m/s 2.9m/s
Mon, Apr 13 Sunrise 06:25 Sunset 19:50
24:00
939hPa 1J/kg 0% 4.9°C 100% 4% 88% 0mm 96% 0.02mm 14dBZ -33° 100% 0mm - - 3m/s
01:00
940hPa 2J/kg 0% 4.8°C 100% 5% 85% 0.01mm 96% 0.01mm 16dBZ -35° 100% 0.06mm - - 2.9m/s
02:00
940hPa 4J/kg 0% 5.1°C 100% 5% 83% 0.01mm 96% 0mm 17dBZ -34° 100% 0.06mm 14m/s 4.3m/s 3m/s
03:00
941hPa 1J/kg 0% 6°C 100% 5% 85% 0.06mm 95% 0mm 19dBZ -30° 100% 0.13mm - - 2.9m/s
04:00
941hPa 1J/kg 0% 6.5°C 100% 5% 88% 0.05mm 95% 0.02mm 20dBZ -23° 100% 0.19mm - - 2.6m/s
05:00
942hPa 1J/kg 0% 6.7°C 100% 5% 90% 0.08mm 95% 0.03mm 22dBZ -15° 100% 0.31mm 14m/s 6.4m/s 2.7m/s
06:00
942hPa 1J/kg 0% 6.8°C 100% 5% 93% 0.26mm 96% 0.02mm 19dBZ -5° 100% 0.19mm - - 2.5m/s
07:00
943hPa 2J/kg 0% 7°C 100% 4% 96% 0.3mm 98% 0.06mm 15dBZ 5.3° 100% 0.56mm - - 2.4m/s
08:00
944hPa 2J/kg 0% 6.8°C 100% 5% 99% 0.14mm 98% 0.09mm 11dBZ 16° 100% 0.94mm 14m/s 5.8m/s 2.5m/s
09:00
944hPa 2J/kg 0% 6.8°C 100% 5% 100% 0.09mm 98% 0.1mm 13dBZ 26° 100% 1.1mm - - 2.5m/s
10:00
945hPa 1J/kg 0% 7.7°C 100% 0% 100% 0.15mm 98% 0.12mm 14dBZ 36° 100% 1.4mm - - 2.5m/s
11:00
945hPa 1J/kg 0% 8.1°C 100% 0% 100% 0.15mm 98% 0.1mm 15dBZ 44° 100% 1.6mm 11m/s 4.8m/s 2.6m/s
12:00
946hPa 2J/kg 0% 8.5°C 100% 0% 100% 0.07mm 98% 0.15mm 15dBZ 51° 100% 0.25mm - - 2.4m/s
13:00
946hPa 18J/kg 0% 9.1°C 100% 0% 99% 0.1mm 98% 0.23mm 16dBZ 54° 100% 0.5mm - - 2.4m/s
14:00
946hPa 2J/kg 0% 9.4°C 100% 0% 99% 0.1mm 98% 0.16mm 16dBZ 52° 100% 0.81mm 12m/s 9.3m/s 2.3m/s
15:00
946hPa 8J/kg 5% 9.9°C 100% 0% 99% 0.03mm 98% 0.16mm 16dBZ 46° 100% 1.1mm - - 2.4m/s
16:00
946hPa 30J/kg 48% 11°C 71% 8% 99% 0mm 95% 0.22mm 16dBZ 38° 71% 1.3mm - - 2.3m/s
17:00
946hPa 50J/kg 64% 9.8°C 100% 5% 99% 0mm 91% 0.29mm 15dBZ 29° 100% 1.6mm 11m/s 9.3m/s 3.2m/s
18:00
942hPa 34J/kg 75% 11°C 100% 27% 94% 0.01mm 93% 0.19mm 15dBZ 19° 100% 1.1mm - - 2.8m/s
19:00
937hPa 17J/kg 87% 13°C 100% 49% 88% 0.02mm 95% 0.1mm 14dBZ 8.2° 100% 0.6mm - - 2.4m/s
20:00
933hPa 1J/kg 98% 14°C 100% 72% 82% 0.03mm 97% 0mm 13dBZ -2.1° 100% 0.13mm 11m/s 6.2m/s 2.1m/s
21:00
933hPa 0.67J/kg 99% 14°C 100% 49% 86% 0.03mm 98% 0mm 10dBZ -12° 100% 0.15mm - - 2.1m/s
22:00
933hPa 0.33J/kg 99% 14°C 100% 27% 90% 0.03mm 98% 0mm 7.3dBZ -21° 100% 0.17mm - - 2.2m/s
23:00
932hPa 0J/kg 100% 14°C 100% 5% 95% 0.03mm 98% 0mm 4.2dBZ -28° 100% 0.19mm 14m/s 9.8m/s 2.3m/s
Tue, Apr 14 Sunrise 06:23 Sunset 19:51
24:00
933hPa 0.33J/kg 100% 13°C 100% 5% 90% 0.02mm 98% 0.03mm 0.44dBZ -33° 100% 0.19mm - - 2.4m/s
01:00
933hPa 0.67J/kg 100% 13°C 100% 5% 86% 0.01mm 98% 0.05mm -3.3dBZ -35° 100% 0.19mm - - 2.4m/s
02:00
933hPa 1J/kg 100% 13°C 100% 6% 82% 0mm 98% 0.08mm -7dBZ -34° 100% 0.19mm 12m/s 12m/s 2.5m/s
03:00
933hPa 1J/kg 100% 13°C 100% 34% 87% 0.01mm 94% 0.07mm -5.5dBZ -29° 100% 0.25mm - - 2.8m/s
04:00
932hPa 1J/kg 100% 13°C 100% 63% 91% 0.02mm 91% 0.05mm -4dBZ -23° 100% 0.31mm - - 3.1m/s
05:00
932hPa 1J/kg 100% 13°C 100% 92% 96% 0.03mm 88% 0.04mm -2.4dBZ -14° 100% 0.38mm 14m/s 12m/s 3.4m/s
06:00
932hPa 9J/kg 100% 13°C 98% 78% 91% 0.02mm 87% 0.07mm 0.61dBZ -4.7° 100% 0.33mm - - 4m/s
07:00
931hPa 17J/kg 100% 13°C 96% 64% 85% 0.01mm 85% 0.09mm 3.6dBZ 5.6° 100% 0.29mm - - 4.5m/s
08:00
931hPa 25J/kg 100% 13°C 94% 50% 79% 0mm 84% 0.12mm 6.7dBZ 16° 100% 0.25mm 13m/s 14m/s 5.1m/s
09:00
930hPa 24J/kg 100% 12°C 96% 66% 82% 0.52mm 89% 0.18mm 7.7dBZ 26° 100% 1mm - - 5.1m/s
10:00
930hPa 22J/kg 100% 12°C 98% 83% 86% 1mm 94% 0.24mm 8.8dBZ 36° 100% 1.8mm - - 5.1m/s
11:00
929hPa 21J/kg 100% 11°C 100% 100% 89% 1.6mm 99% 0.3mm 9.8dBZ 45° 100% 2.6mm 14m/s 14m/s 5.1m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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