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Rule Storm Chaser

Crater Lake - Storm Chaser - Pacific Northwest

Klamath Falls, 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 76% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Cloud Cover69%
Wind Gusts9.2m/s
Precipitation Chance0%
Air Pressure866.3hPa
CAPE2
Lifted Index5.9°C
Wind Gusts9.2m/s
Precipitation0.0mm

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 95 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
Sat, Feb 21
17:0019%72%0J/kg7.5°C24135m17m/s
18:0019%70%0J/kg7.1°C24134m16m/s
19:0039%8.9%0J/kg6.6°C24135m16m/s
20:0017%15%0J/kg6.9°C24134m15m/s
21:0019%13%0J/kg6.4°C24135m16m/s
22:0039%12%0J/kg6.3°C24134m17m/s
23:0019%15%0J/kg6.7°C24134m18m/s
Sun, Feb 22
24:0019%15%0J/kg7.3°C24134m18m/s
01:0039%15%0J/kg7.5°C24135m18m/s
02:0019%15%0J/kg7.1°C24135m18m/s
03:0018%15%0J/kg6.5°C24135m17m/s
04:0038%15%0J/kg5.1°C24134m17m/s
05:0018%14%0J/kg5°C24135m16m/s
06:0017%34%0J/kg5.2°C24135m15m/s
07:0036%68%0J/kg5.7°C24135m14m/s
08:0017%57%0J/kg5.6°C24135m14m/s
09:0018%40%0J/kg5.6°C24135m15m/s
10:0037%34%0J/kg5.7°C24135m14m/s
11:0018%58%0J/kg5.6°C24135m13m/s
12:0016%55%0J/kg5.1°C24135m13m/s
13:0035%52%0J/kg5.3°C24134m11m/s
14:000%50%3J/kg5.3°C24134m9.9m/s
15:000%35%5J/kg5.4°C24135m8.2m/s
16:0022%40%0J/kg5.4°C24134m8.7m/s
17:000%82%12J/kg5.8°C24134m9.7m/s
18:000%100%2J/kg5.9°C24135m9.2m/s
19:0022%6.9%1J/kg6.4°C24134m9.1m/s
20:000%2%1J/kg6.8°C24134m7.9m/s
21:000%0%0J/kg7.5°C24134m7.7m/s
22:0022%1%0J/kg7.8°C24135m8.5m/s
23:000%0.6%0J/kg7.2°C21650m8.2m/s
Mon, Feb 23
24:000%1.6%0J/kg8.2°C20581m6.9m/s
01:0020%5.7%0J/kg8.2°C24135m4.3m/s
02:000%1.9%0J/kg8.3°C21030m3.6m/s
03:000%6.1%2J/kg8.5°C20623m5.3m/s
04:0019%6.9%10J/kg8.3°C20749m2.1m/s
05:000%4.8%8J/kg8.2°C20809m2.3m/s
06:000%33%2J/kg8.1°C24004m2.5m/s
07:0019%40%0J/kg8.8°C24135m3.1m/s
08:000%74%0J/kg7.6°C24135m4.9m/s
09:000%58%0J/kg7.6°C24135m5.8m/s
10:0022%54%0J/kg9.3°C24134m7.5m/s
11:000%57%2J/kg9.8°C24135m6.7m/s
12:000%58%1J/kg8.9°C24134m6.6m/s
13:0022%46%0J/kg9.4°C24134m7.1m/s
14:000%67%0J/kg9.6°C24135m6.4m/s
15:000%82%0J/kg10°C24135m6.4m/s
16:0020%62%0J/kg8.1°C24134m5.5m/s
17:000%69%0J/kg6.5°C24135m3.9m/s
18:000%67%0J/kg5°C24134m2.8m/s
19:0019%0.5%0J/kg3.5°C24134m2.5m/s
20:000%0%0J/kg3.3°C24135m3.3m/s
21:000%0.1%0J/kg2.9°C24135m3.8m/s
22:0019%0%0J/kg3°C24135m5.1m/s
23:000%0%0J/kg3.5°C24135m5.4m/s
Tue, Feb 24
24:000%0.2%0J/kg3.8°C24135m4.5m/s
01:0020%0%0J/kg4.2°C24135m2.2m/s
02:000%0%0J/kg4°C24134m1.6m/s
03:000%0%0J/kg4.5°C24135m1.4m/s
04:0020%0%0J/kg4.9°C19681m1.3m/s
05:000%0%0J/kg5°C24135m2.4m/s
06:0018%55%0J/kg4°C10513m4.6m/s
07:0034%67%0J/kg3.8°C23922m5m/s
08:0015%62%1J/kg4°C20604m4.3m/s
09:0015%60%0J/kg4°C20681m2.6m/s
10:0034%51%0J/kg4°C24134m2m/s
11:0016%51%0J/kg4.3°C10401m1.9m/s
12:0016%51%0J/kg4.2°C11473m1.9m/s
13:0037%48%0J/kg5°C24134m3.2m/s
14:0019%51%0J/kg4.6°C23554m5m/s
15:0020%53%1J/kg4.9°C24135m6.3m/s
16:0038%62%8J/kg3.9°C24134m5.6m/s
17:000%62%5J/kg5.3°C24135m2.6m/s
18:000%41%4J/kg6.2°C24061m2.5m/s
19:0022%0.9%11J/kg6.1°C23841m2.1m/s
20:000%0.2%21J/kg7.2°C24135m2.5m/s
21:000%2.3%13J/kg7.8°C20736m2.6m/s
22:0021%1.5%22J/kg8°C12668m2.2m/s
23:000%0%19J/kg9.1°C8652m3m/s
Wed, Feb 25
24:0015%0%17J/kg10°C4637m3.8m/s
01:0038%0%14J/kg11°C621m4.5m/s
02:000%0%9.3J/kg13°C8459m4.3m/s
03:000%0%4.7J/kg14°C16297m4.1m/s
04:0020%0%0J/kg16°C24135m3.8m/s
05:000%0%0J/kg16°C24135m3.5m/s
06:000%16%0J/kg16°C24135m3.2m/s
07:0018%15%0J/kg17°C24135m2.8m/s
08:000%14%0J/kg15°C24135m2.1m/s
09:000%14%0J/kg14°C24135m1.4m/s
10:0018%14%0J/kg12°C24135m0.61m/s
11:000%34%0J/kg12°C24135m0.61m/s
12:000%51%0J/kg11°C24135m0.61m/s
13:0015%18%0J/kg10°C24135m0.61m/s
14:000%45%0J/kg10°C24135m0.68m/s
15:000%51%0J/kg10°C24135m0.74m/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
Sun, Feb 22 Sunrise 06:51 Sunset 17:48
18:00
866hPa 2J/kg 12% 5.9°C 69% 0% 0% 0mm 89% 0mm -20dBZ -2.8° 69% 0mm - - 4.8m/s
19:00
867hPa 1J/kg 100% 6.4°C 94% 0% 0% 0mm 93% 0mm -20dBZ -14° 100% 0mm 22m/s 32m/s 4.7m/s
20:00
867hPa 1J/kg 97% 6.8°C 73% 0% 0% 0mm 94% 0mm -20dBZ -25° 97% 0mm - - 4.2m/s
21:00
867hPa 0J/kg 100% 7.5°C 8% 0% 0% 0mm 96% 0mm -20dBZ -36° 100% 0mm - - 4.2m/s
22:00
868hPa 0J/kg 100% 7.8°C 10% 5% 0% 0mm 96% 0mm -20dBZ -45° 100% 0mm 23m/s 35m/s 4.1m/s
23:00
868hPa 0J/kg 100% 7.2°C 69% 95% 0% 0mm 97% 0mm -20dBZ -53° 100% 0mm - - 3.9m/s
Mon, Feb 23 Sunrise 06:51 Sunset 17:48
24:00
868hPa 0J/kg 100% 8.2°C 40% 5% 0% 0mm 97% 0mm -20dBZ -57° 100% 0mm - - 3.5m/s
01:00
868hPa 0J/kg 96% 8.2°C 69% 5% 0% 0mm 95% 0mm -20dBZ -56° 96% 0mm 23m/s 34m/s 3.2m/s
02:00
868hPa 0J/kg 100% 8.3°C 32% 2% 0% 0mm 98% 0mm -20dBZ -51° 100% 0mm - - 2.7m/s
03:00
867hPa 2J/kg 100% 8.5°C 22% 4% 0% 0mm 97% 0mm -20dBZ -42° 100% 0mm - - 3.8m/s
04:00
868hPa 10J/kg 97% 8.3°C 64% 5% 0% 0mm 96% 0mm -20dBZ -32° 98% 0mm 22m/s 33m/s 1.9m/s
05:00
868hPa 8J/kg 100% 8.2°C 53% 5% 0% 0mm 97% 0mm -20dBZ -21° 100% 0mm - - 2.2m/s
06:00
868hPa 2J/kg 100% 8.1°C 43% 5% 0% 0mm 96% 0mm -20dBZ -10° 100% 0mm - - 2.4m/s
07:00
868hPa 0J/kg 100% 8.8°C 41% 5% 0% 0mm 95% 0mm -20dBZ 1.1° 100% 0mm 20m/s 35m/s 2.8m/s
08:00
868hPa 0J/kg 42% 7.6°C 48% 93% 13% 0mm 94% 0mm -20dBZ 11° 99% 0mm - - 3.1m/s
09:00
867hPa 0J/kg 69% 7.6°C 50% 100% 26% 0mm 88% 0mm -20dBZ 21° 100% 0mm - - 3.8m/s
10:00
867hPa 0J/kg 97% 9.3°C 15% 98% 39% 0mm 83% 0mm -20dBZ 29° 98% 0mm 21m/s 36m/s 4m/s
11:00
867hPa 2J/kg 92% 9.8°C 53% 100% 44% 0mm 75% 0mm -20dBZ 35° 100% 0mm - - 5.5m/s
12:00
867hPa 1J/kg 8% 8.9°C 15% 100% 48% 0mm 70% 0mm -20dBZ 38° 100% 0mm - - 5.7m/s
13:00
865hPa 0J/kg 87% 9.4°C 4% 100% 52% 0mm 68% 0mm -20dBZ 37° 100% 0mm 20m/s 34m/s 6m/s
14:00
864hPa 0J/kg 25% 9.6°C 5% 86% 57% 0mm 66% 0mm -20dBZ 33° 86% 0mm - - 5.2m/s
15:00
863hPa 0J/kg 59% 10°C 5% 16% 61% 0mm 61% 0mm -20dBZ 27° 59% 0mm - - 5.1m/s
16:00
863hPa 0J/kg 100% 8.1°C 56% 53% 66% 0mm 63% 0mm -20dBZ 18° 100% 0mm 21m/s 32m/s 4.5m/s
17:00
862hPa 0J/kg 85% 6.5°C 80% 98% 69% 0mm 74% 0mm -14dBZ 8.1° 98% 0mm - - 2.9m/s
18:00
862hPa 0J/kg 100% 5°C 100% 54% 72% 0mm 78% 0mm -7.3dBZ -2.5° 100% 0mm - - 2.8m/s
19:00
862hPa 0J/kg 100% 3.5°C 100% 100% 76% 0mm 78% 0mm -0.95dBZ -14° 100% 0mm 26m/s 31m/s 2.4m/s
20:00
862hPa 0J/kg 85% 3.3°C 100% 100% 82% 0mm 77% 0mm -0.38dBZ -25° 100% 0mm - - 2.6m/s
21:00
861hPa 0J/kg 99% 2.9°C 100% 100% 88% 0mm 75% 0mm 0.19dBZ -35° 100% 0mm - - 2.5m/s
22:00
861hPa 0J/kg 100% 3°C 100% 96% 94% 0mm 76% 0mm 0.76dBZ -45° 100% 0mm 31m/s 30m/s 2.6m/s
23:00
861hPa 0J/kg 100% 3.5°C 100% 100% 96% 0mm 76% 0mm 4.5dBZ -53° 100% 0mm - - 3.1m/s
Tue, Feb 24 Sunrise 06:50 Sunset 17:49
24:00
861hPa 0J/kg 100% 3.8°C 100% 100% 97% 0mm 79% 0mm 8.2dBZ -57° 100% 0mm - - 2.7m/s
01:00
861hPa 0J/kg 100% 4.2°C 100% 100% 99% 0mm 81% 0mm 12dBZ -56° 100% 0mm 33m/s 31m/s 2m/s
02:00
860hPa 0J/kg 100% 4°C 100% 100% 100% 0.03mm 83% 0mm 11dBZ -51° 100% 0mm - - 1.5m/s
03:00
860hPa 0J/kg 100% 4.5°C 100% 100% 100% 0.1mm 86% 0mm 10dBZ -42° 100% 0.06mm - - 1.3m/s
04:00
861hPa 0J/kg 100% 4.9°C 100% 100% 100% 0.5mm 90% 0mm 9.6dBZ -32° 100% 0.56mm 28m/s 30m/s 1.2m/s
05:00
860hPa 0J/kg 100% 5°C 100% 100% 98% 0.1mm 92% 0mm 15dBZ -21° 100% 0.25mm - - 2m/s
06:00
860hPa 0J/kg 100% 4°C 100% 100% 95% 1.1mm 95% 0mm 21dBZ -10° 100% 0.75mm - - 3m/s
07:00
860hPa 0J/kg 100% 3.8°C 100% 100% 93% 0mm 96% 0mm 26dBZ 1.4° 100% 1.1mm 20m/s 33m/s 2.8m/s
08:00
860hPa 1J/kg 100% 4°C 100% 100% 94% 0.06mm 96% 0mm 27dBZ 12° 100% 1.1mm - - 2.1m/s
09:00
860hPa 0J/kg 100% 4°C 100% 100% 95% 0.18mm 96% 0mm 27dBZ 21° 100% 1.3mm - - 1.4m/s
10:00
860hPa 0J/kg 100% 4°C 100% 100% 96% 0.1mm 95% 0mm 28dBZ 29° 100% 1.8mm 18m/s 34m/s 1.2m/s
11:00
861hPa 0J/kg 100% 4.3°C 100% 100% 86% 1.3mm 94% 0mm 28dBZ 35° 100% 0.69mm - - 1.5m/s
12:00
861hPa 0J/kg 100% 4.2°C 100% 100% 76% 1.1mm 95% 0mm 28dBZ 38° 100% 1.9mm - - 1.5m/s
13:00
861hPa 0J/kg 100% 5°C 100% 100% 65% 0.21mm 94% 0mm 28dBZ 38° 100% 2.8mm 13m/s 37m/s 2.5m/s
14:00
860hPa 0J/kg 100% 4.6°C 100% 100% 71% 0.16mm 92% 0mm 20dBZ 34° 100% 2.8mm - - 3.6m/s
15:00
860hPa 1J/kg 100% 4.9°C 100% 100% 76% 0.01mm 89% 0mm 12dBZ 27° 100% 3.1mm - - 3.2m/s
16:00
860hPa 8J/kg 100% 3.9°C 100% 91% 81% 0.08mm 89% 0mm 4dBZ 18° 100% 3.1mm 23m/s 34m/s 3.4m/s
17:00
860hPa 5J/kg 100% 5.3°C 100% 50% 69% 0.08mm 91% 0mm 10dBZ 8.4° 100% 0.06mm - - 1.8m/s
18:00
860hPa 4J/kg 86% 6.2°C 100% 0% 58% 0.09mm 93% 0mm 16dBZ -2.3° 100% 0.13mm - - 2.1m/s
19:00
861hPa 11J/kg 27% 6.1°C 100% 0% 46% 0.15mm 94% 0mm 22dBZ -13° 100% 0.25mm 18m/s 34m/s 1.8m/s
20:00
861hPa 21J/kg 95% 7.2°C 100% 0% 57% 0.03mm 96% 0mm 9.2dBZ -24° 100% 0.38mm - - 2.1m/s
21:00
861hPa 13J/kg 100% 7.8°C 95% 0% 67% 0mm 96% 0.01mm -4.1dBZ -35° 100% 0.44mm - - 2.2m/s
22:00
861hPa 22J/kg 100% 8°C 100% 0% 78% 0mm 97% 0.01mm -17dBZ -45° 100% 0.44mm 20m/s 37m/s 1.9m/s
23:00
863hPa 19J/kg 70% 9.1°C 100% 0% 68% 0.01mm 97% 0.007mm -8.8dBZ -52° 100% 0.42mm - - 2m/s
Wed, Feb 25 Sunrise 06:48 Sunset 17:51
24:00
865hPa 17J/kg 39% 10°C 100% 0% 59% 0.02mm 96% 0.003mm -0.18dBZ -57° 100% 0.4mm - - 2.2m/s
01:00
867hPa 14J/kg 9% 11°C 100% 0% 50% 0.03mm 95% 0mm 8.4dBZ -56° 100% 0.38mm 18m/s 38m/s 2.3m/s
02:00
868hPa 9.3J/kg 39% 13°C 70% 0% 50% 0.02mm 88% 0mm 3.4dBZ -50° 100% 0.4mm - - 2.3m/s
03:00
869hPa 4.7J/kg 70% 14°C 40% 0% 49% 0.02mm 81% 0mm -1.7dBZ -42° 100% 0.42mm - - 2.2m/s
04:00
870hPa 0J/kg 100% 16°C 10% 0% 49% 0.01mm 74% 0mm -6.8dBZ -32° 100% 0.44mm 16m/s 38m/s 2.2m/s
05:00
870hPa 0J/kg 100% 16°C 7% 0% 37% 0.007mm 65% 0mm -11dBZ -21° 100% 0.29mm - - 2.3m/s
06:00
870hPa 0J/kg 100% 16°C 3% 0% 26% 0.003mm 56% 0mm -16dBZ -9.7° 100% 0.15mm - - 2.4m/s
07:00
870hPa 0J/kg 100% 17°C 0% 0% 14% 0mm 46% 0mm -20dBZ 1.6° 100% 0mm 14m/s 39m/s 2.4m/s
08:00
870hPa 0J/kg 100% 15°C 0% 0% 16% 0mm 44% 0mm -20dBZ 12° 100% 0mm - - 1.9m/s
09:00
870hPa 0J/kg 100% 14°C 0% 0% 19% 0mm 42% 0mm -20dBZ 22° 100% 0mm - - 1.4m/s
10:00
870hPa 0J/kg 100% 12°C 0% 0% 22% 0mm 40% 0mm -20dBZ 30° 100% 0mm 10m/s 39m/s 0.94m/s
11:00
870hPa 0J/kg 69% 12°C 0% 0% 16% 0mm 47% 0mm -20dBZ 36° 69% 0mm - - 0.83m/s
12:00
870hPa 0J/kg 39% 11°C 0% 0% 10% 0mm 54% 0mm -20dBZ 39° 39% 0mm - - 0.72m/s
13:00
870hPa 0J/kg 8% 10°C 0% 0% 3% 0mm 62% 0mm -20dBZ 38° 8% 0mm 4.2m/s 27m/s 0.61m/s
14:00
871hPa 0J/kg 21% 10°C 0% 0% 2% 0mm 63% 0mm -20dBZ 34° 21% 0mm - - 0.66m/s
15:00
871hPa 0J/kg 34% 10°C 0% 0% 1% 0mm 63% 0mm -20dBZ 27° 34% 0mm - - 0.71m/s
16:00
872hPa 0J/kg 47% 11°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 64% 0mm -20dBZ 19° 47% 0mm 6m/s 21m/s 0.76m/s
17:00
871hPa 0J/kg 31% 10°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 63% 0mm -20dBZ 8.6° 31% 0mm - - 0.68m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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