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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 75% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Cloud Cover98%
Wind Gusts11.1m/s
Precipitation Chance99%
Air Pressure853.7hPa
CAPE13
Lifted Index2.1°C
Wind Gusts11.1m/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%8.4%12J/kg0.4°C24135m5.5m/s
22:000%9.1%15J/kg0.4°C24134m4.9m/s
23:000%3.1%24J/kg0.4°C13466m5.3m/s
Sat, Apr 11
24:000%8.5%8J/kg0.9°C24135m4.8m/s
01:000%10%7J/kg1.2°C24134m5.9m/s
02:0016%10%3J/kg1.2°C22441m5.4m/s
03:0028%8%0J/kg1°C8285m5.2m/s
04:0026%8.2%0J/kg1.4°C14570m2.1m/s
05:0021%10%0J/kg1.1°C7094m2.8m/s
06:000%63%10J/kg1.3°C15527m3.5m/s
07:0018%69%2J/kg1.9°C1294m4.1m/s
08:0034%65%0J/kg1.6°C134m6.6m/s
09:0029%52%0J/kg2°C2574m8.5m/s
10:0031%51%23J/kg1.9°C1663m8.6m/s
11:0021%44%15J/kg2.3°C24101m11m/s
12:000%52%13J/kg2.1°C24135m11m/s
13:000%48%17J/kg1.7°C23978m10m/s
14:0018%53%13J/kg2°C24134m9.6m/s
15:0019%46%12J/kg2.3°C20491m13m/s
16:0018%53%0J/kg2.2°C24135m10m/s
17:0020%55%1J/kg1.4°C24134m10m/s
18:000%65%0J/kg1.4°C23750m11m/s
19:000%71%3J/kg1.7°C24135m11m/s
20:0023%69%2J/kg1.9°C24135m10m/s
21:000%4.5%1J/kg2°C24134m9.1m/s
22:000%4.3%0J/kg1.5°C24135m6.3m/s
23:0017%1.4%0J/kg1°C24134m4m/s
Sun, Apr 12
24:000%2.1%0J/kg1°C24135m6.2m/s
01:000%0.2%3J/kg0.8°C24135m7.4m/s
02:0021%0.4%1J/kg0.8°C24134m8m/s
03:000%0%8J/kg1.3°C24135m6.8m/s
04:000%1.3%2J/kg2.6°C24135m6.9m/s
05:0018%0.8%0J/kg3.1°C24135m8.2m/s
06:0015%59%0J/kg3.9°C2462m6.8m/s
07:000%69%0J/kg4.1°C24135m2.2m/s
08:000%60%0J/kg4.5°C24135m2.5m/s
09:000%56%0J/kg2.8°C24135m3.9m/s
10:000%53%0J/kg3.8°C24134m3.5m/s
11:000%44%7J/kg3.3°C18362m3.2m/s
12:000%42%10J/kg3°C14109m1.9m/s
13:000%44%15J/kg3.2°C12601m1.8m/s
14:000%43%9J/kg3.4°C24135m2.8m/s
15:000%44%25J/kg2.9°C22222m4.2m/s
16:000%44%3J/kg3°C24135m6.1m/s
17:0018%56%7J/kg3°C24135m5.8m/s
18:000%73%10J/kg2.4°C24135m6.9m/s
19:000%85%7J/kg2.4°C24135m6.3m/s
20:0024%69%4J/kg2.5°C24135m6.7m/s
21:000%1.7%1J/kg3.1°C24134m5.5m/s
22:000%2.5%1J/kg3.2°C24134m4.3m/s
23:0013%5.8%0J/kg3.2°C22999m5.4m/s
Mon, Apr 13
24:000%3.9%0J/kg3.9°C24135m4.7m/s
01:000%1%0J/kg4.4°C21443m4.2m/s
02:0015%1.6%0J/kg4.9°C21715m4m/s
03:000%0.6%0J/kg5.1°C21130m2.6m/s
04:000%0.2%0J/kg5.2°C21199m3.1m/s
05:000%1%0J/kg5.7°C20580m2.9m/s
06:0017%29%1J/kg6.4°C668m2.6m/s
07:0017%30%0J/kg5.6°C1176m2.4m/s
08:0020%34%0J/kg5.5°C35m2.1m/s
09:0019%54%1J/kg6.2°C71m3m/s
10:000%47%0J/kg6°C19971m3.9m/s
11:000%41%0J/kg6.1°C7367m5m/s
12:0015%31%16J/kg6.1°C3215m5.5m/s
13:000%50%22J/kg5.6°C6349m5.8m/s
14:000%30%21J/kg5.6°C23148m6m/s
15:000%23%22J/kg5.7°C24135m6m/s
16:000%34%22J/kg5.7°C24135m6m/s
17:000%53%8J/kg6.9°C24134m6.1m/s
18:000%100%5.3J/kg7.7°C24134m4.5m/s
19:000%100%2.7J/kg8.5°C24135m3m/s
20:000%98%0J/kg9.4°C24135m1.4m/s
21:000%0%0J/kg9.1°C24135m1.4m/s
22:000%0%0J/kg8.8°C24135m1.3m/s
23:000%0%0J/kg8.6°C24135m1.3m/s
Tue, Apr 14
24:000%0%0J/kg8.5°C24135m1.5m/s
01:000%0%0J/kg8.5°C24135m1.8m/s
02:0013%0%0J/kg8.4°C24135m2.1m/s
03:000%0%0J/kg7.3°C24135m2.6m/s
04:000%0%0J/kg6.2°C24135m3.1m/s
05:0013%0%0J/kg5.1°C24135m3.7m/s
06:000%60%0J/kg5.3°C24135m4.5m/s
07:000%64%0J/kg5.4°C24135m5.3m/s
08:0015%53%0J/kg5.5°C24135m6.1m/s
09:000%64%0J/kg5.5°C24135m6.6m/s
10:000%54%0J/kg5.5°C24135m7m/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 06:32 Sunset 19:42
12:00
854hPa 13J/kg 5% 2.1°C 98% 97% 99% 0.02mm 80% 0.08mm 8.4dBZ 53° 98% 0.06mm - - 7.3m/s
13:00
853hPa 17J/kg 5% 1.7°C 100% 100% 98% 0mm 76% 0.09mm 3.1dBZ 56° 100% 0.19mm - - 6.8m/s
14:00
853hPa 13J/kg 52% 2°C 70% 100% 98% 0mm 78% 0.05mm -2.2dBZ 54° 100% 0.25mm 7.6m/s 11m/s 7.3m/s
15:00
853hPa 12J/kg 100% 2.3°C 97% 100% 98% 0.2mm 74% 0.08mm -5.4dBZ 48° 100% 0.38mm - - 8.6m/s
16:00
852hPa 0J/kg 68% 2.2°C 53% 97% 98% 0mm 71% 0mm -8.5dBZ 40° 97% 0.44mm - - 8.5m/s
17:00
852hPa 1J/kg 100% 1.4°C 46% 100% 99% 0mm 70% 0.01mm -12dBZ 29° 100% 0.44mm 6.1m/s 17m/s 7.5m/s
18:00
851hPa 0J/kg 100% 1.4°C 100% 100% 78% 0.22mm 74% 0mm -14dBZ 18° 100% 0mm - - 7.9m/s
19:00
851hPa 3J/kg 99% 1.7°C 19% 100% 58% 0mm 81% 0mm -17dBZ 7.4° 100% 0.19mm - - 6.2m/s
20:00
851hPa 2J/kg 100% 1.9°C 25% 100% 38% 0mm 82% 0mm -20dBZ -3.6° 100% 0.19mm 17m/s 17m/s 5.9m/s
21:00
851hPa 1J/kg 100% 2°C 11% 100% 48% 0mm 84% 0mm -7dBZ -14° 100% 0.19mm - - 5.3m/s
22:00
851hPa 0J/kg 100% 1.5°C 84% 100% 58% 0mm 90% 0mm 5.8dBZ -23° 100% 0.19mm - - 3.6m/s
23:00
850hPa 0J/kg 100% 1°C 70% 100% 68% 0.01mm 89% 0mm 19dBZ -31° 100% 0.19mm 12m/s 13m/s 2.1m/s
Sun, Apr 12 Sunrise 06:31 Sunset 19:44
24:00
849hPa 0J/kg 100% 1°C 100% 43% 52% 0mm 91% 0mm 19dBZ -37° 100% 0mm - - 2.6m/s
01:00
849hPa 3J/kg 15% 0.8°C 100% 100% 37% 0.01mm 86% 0.02mm 19dBZ -39° 100% 0.06mm - - 3.1m/s
02:00
848hPa 1J/kg 100% 0.8°C 100% 84% 21% 0mm 88% 0.05mm 19dBZ -38° 100% 0.19mm 7.2m/s 20m/s 3.1m/s
03:00
848hPa 8J/kg 100% 1.3°C 91% 90% 24% 0mm 82% 0.06mm 18dBZ -33° 100% 0.25mm - - 3.5m/s
04:00
849hPa 2J/kg 100% 2.6°C 62% 93% 28% 0mm 90% 0.06mm 16dBZ -26° 100% 0.31mm - - 5.4m/s
05:00
849hPa 0J/kg 100% 3.1°C 95% 83% 31% 0.03mm 84% 0mm 15dBZ -17° 100% 0.38mm 1.5m/s 12m/s 6.2m/s
06:00
850hPa 0J/kg 100% 3.9°C 80% 99% 45% 0.07mm 79% 0mm 3.3dBZ -6.3° 100% 0.06mm - - 4.5m/s
07:00
851hPa 0J/kg 100% 4.1°C 63% 97% 58% 0mm 80% 0mm -8.2dBZ 4.6° 100% 0.13mm - - 2.3m/s
08:00
851hPa 0J/kg 100% 4.5°C 62% 100% 72% 0mm 72% 0mm -20dBZ 16° 100% 0.13mm 6.8m/s 4.4m/s 2.3m/s
09:00
852hPa 0J/kg 65% 2.8°C 57% 100% 80% 0mm 67% 0mm -20dBZ 27° 100% 0.13mm - - 3.8m/s
10:00
852hPa 0J/kg 100% 3.8°C 40% 98% 88% 0mm 62% 0mm -20dBZ 37° 100% 0.13mm - - 3.4m/s
11:00
852hPa 7J/kg 100% 3.3°C 67% 100% 96% 0mm 60% 0.02mm -20dBZ 46° 100% 0.13mm 4m/s 5.1m/s 2.8m/s
12:00
852hPa 10J/kg 100% 3°C 82% 100% 94% 0mm 55% 0.02mm -7.7dBZ 54° 100% 0mm - - 1.6m/s
13:00
853hPa 15J/kg 100% 3.2°C 82% 100% 92% 0mm 51% 0.07mm 4.3dBZ 57° 100% 0.06mm - - 1.1m/s
14:00
853hPa 9J/kg 100% 3.4°C 63% 100% 90% 0mm 49% 0.03mm 16dBZ 55° 100% 0.13mm 2.8m/s 7.9m/s 2.7m/s
15:00
853hPa 25J/kg 100% 2.9°C 68% 100% 92% 0mm 55% 0.13mm 11dBZ 49° 100% 0.19mm - - 5.1m/s
16:00
853hPa 3J/kg 100% 3°C 5% 100% 93% 0mm 57% 0.01mm 4.8dBZ 40° 100% 0.25mm - - 5.8m/s
17:00
853hPa 7J/kg 49% 3°C 9% 100% 95% 0mm 50% 0mm -0.98dBZ 29° 100% 0.25mm 1.5m/s 12m/s 5.5m/s
18:00
854hPa 10J/kg 15% 2.4°C 5% 100% 91% 0mm 55% 0mm 9.5dBZ 19° 100% 0mm - - 6.1m/s
19:00
854hPa 7J/kg 33% 2.4°C 34% 100% 87% 0mm 62% 0mm 20dBZ 7.6° 100% 0mm - - 5m/s
20:00
855hPa 4J/kg 96% 2.5°C 66% 100% 83% 0mm 69% 0mm 30dBZ -3.3° 100% 0mm 5m/s 12m/s 4.1m/s
21:00
856hPa 1J/kg 100% 3.1°C 99% 100% 87% 0mm 72% 0mm 14dBZ -14° 100% 0mm - - 3.1m/s
22:00
857hPa 1J/kg 100% 3.2°C 100% 100% 90% 0mm 75% 0mm -2.3dBZ -23° 100% 0mm - - 2.5m/s
23:00
857hPa 0J/kg 100% 3.2°C 100% 100% 94% 0mm 86% 0.02mm -19dBZ -31° 100% 0mm 8.1m/s 11m/s 2.4m/s
Mon, Apr 13 Sunrise 06:29 Sunset 19:45
24:00
858hPa 0J/kg 64% 3.9°C 100% 65% 86% 0.01mm 82% 0.02mm -4.9dBZ -36° 100% 0.06mm - - 3m/s
01:00
858hPa 0J/kg 20% 4.4°C 100% 69% 77% 0.01mm 84% 0.02mm 8.9dBZ -39° 100% 0.06mm - - 2.3m/s
02:00
858hPa 0J/kg 5% 4.9°C 100% 22% 69% 0.01mm 85% 0.02mm 23dBZ -37° 100% 0.06mm 9.7m/s 11m/s 1.9m/s
03:00
859hPa 0J/kg 5% 5.1°C 100% 47% 76% 0mm 85% 0.09mm 18dBZ -33° 100% 0.13mm - - 1.7m/s
04:00
859hPa 0J/kg 5% 5.2°C 100% 5% 83% 0mm 85% 0.09mm 13dBZ -25° 100% 0.19mm - - 2.1m/s
05:00
860hPa 0J/kg 4% 5.7°C 100% 4% 90% 0.06mm 91% 0.07mm 8.8dBZ -16° 100% 0.31mm 8.4m/s 9.4m/s 2m/s
06:00
860hPa 1J/kg 0% 6.4°C 96% 5% 87% 0mm 93% 0.07mm 5.8dBZ -6° 96% 0.06mm - - 2m/s
07:00
861hPa 0J/kg 0% 5.6°C 99% 0% 85% 0.09mm 92% 0.03mm 2.8dBZ 4.9° 99% 0.13mm - - 1.8m/s
08:00
862hPa 0J/kg 1% 5.5°C 100% 0% 82% 0.12mm 98% 0.04mm -0.2dBZ 16° 100% 0.31mm 7.3m/s 8.7m/s 1.7m/s
09:00
862hPa 1J/kg 28% 6.2°C 97% 0% 85% 0.01mm 94% 0.04mm 2.6dBZ 27° 97% 0.38mm - - 2.1m/s
10:00
863hPa 0J/kg 52% 6°C 92% 0% 89% 0mm 78% 0.06mm 5.3dBZ 37° 92% 0.44mm - - 2.4m/s
11:00
862hPa 0J/kg 54% 6.1°C 88% 0% 93% 0mm 65% 0.07mm 8.1dBZ 47° 91% 0.5mm 3.4m/s 5.5m/s 3.6m/s
12:00
862hPa 16J/kg 99% 6.1°C 97% 0% 75% 0mm 65% 0.08mm 6.9dBZ 54° 99% 0.06mm - - 4.9m/s
13:00
862hPa 22J/kg 6% 5.6°C 76% 0% 57% 0mm 61% 0.08mm 5.7dBZ 57° 76% 0.13mm - - 4.9m/s
14:00
862hPa 21J/kg 0% 5.6°C 81% 0% 39% 0mm 54% 0.08mm 4.4dBZ 55° 81% 0.25mm 0.66m/s 5m/s 5.2m/s
15:00
862hPa 22J/kg 0% 5.7°C 94% 0% 39% 0mm 52% 0.08mm 1.1dBZ 49° 94% 0.31mm - - 5.6m/s
16:00
862hPa 22J/kg 0% 5.7°C 89% 0% 39% 0mm 52% 0.07mm -2.3dBZ 40° 89% 0.38mm - - 6m/s
17:00
862hPa 8J/kg 0% 6.9°C 65% 0% 39% 0mm 52% 0.01mm -5.7dBZ 30° 65% 0.44mm 3.1m/s 2m/s 5.9m/s
18:00
863hPa 5.3J/kg 14% 7.7°C 46% 15% 26% 0mm 66% 0.007mm -10dBZ 19° 59% 0.29mm - - 4.5m/s
19:00
865hPa 2.7J/kg 28% 8.5°C 26% 30% 13% 0mm 81% 0.003mm -15dBZ 7.8° 53% 0.15mm - - 3m/s
20:00
866hPa 0J/kg 42% 9.4°C 7% 45% 0% 0mm 96% 0mm -20dBZ -3.1° 47% 0mm 3.5m/s 4.6m/s 1.5m/s
21:00
866hPa 0J/kg 31% 9.1°C 6% 54% 0% 0mm 96% 0mm -20dBZ -14° 56% 0mm - - 1.5m/s
22:00
866hPa 0J/kg 20% 8.8°C 6% 63% 0% 0mm 96% 0mm -20dBZ -23° 64% 0mm - - 1.4m/s
23:00
866hPa 0J/kg 8% 8.6°C 5% 72% 0% 0mm 96% 0mm -20dBZ -31° 72% 0mm 4.5m/s 8.1m/s 1.4m/s
Tue, Apr 14 Sunrise 06:27 Sunset 19:46
24:00
867hPa 0J/kg 7% 8.5°C 9% 50% 0% 0mm 92% 0mm -20dBZ -36° 54% 0mm - - 1.3m/s
01:00
867hPa 0J/kg 6% 8.5°C 13% 27% 0% 0mm 88% 0mm -20dBZ -38° 36% 0mm - - 1.3m/s
02:00
867hPa 0J/kg 5% 8.4°C 18% 5% 0% 0mm 83% 0mm -20dBZ -37° 18% 0mm 6.3m/s 10m/s 1.3m/s
03:00
867hPa 0J/kg 19% 7.3°C 12% 3% 0% 0mm 69% 0mm -20dBZ -32° 28% 0mm - - 1.8m/s
04:00
867hPa 0J/kg 34% 6.2°C 6% 2% 0% 0mm 56% 0mm -20dBZ -25° 38% 0mm - - 2.2m/s
05:00
867hPa 0J/kg 48% 5.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 42% 0mm -20dBZ -16° 48% 0mm 7.8m/s 13m/s 2.7m/s
06:00
866hPa 0J/kg 41% 5.3°C 0% 2% 0% 0mm 39% 0mm -20dBZ -5.7° 41% 0mm - - 3.4m/s
07:00
866hPa 0J/kg 34% 5.4°C 0% 3% 0% 0mm 37% 0mm -20dBZ 5.2° 34% 0mm - - 4.2m/s
08:00
866hPa 0J/kg 27% 5.5°C 0% 5% 0% 0mm 35% 0mm -20dBZ 16° 27% 0mm 8.5m/s 12m/s 5m/s
09:00
865hPa 0J/kg 51% 5.5°C 15% 5% 0% 0mm 36% 0mm -20dBZ 27° 51% 0mm - - 4.9m/s
10:00
865hPa 0J/kg 76% 5.5°C 30% 6% 0% 0mm 36% 0mm -20dBZ 38° 76% 0mm - - 4.8m/s
11:00
864hPa 0J/kg 100% 5.5°C 45% 6% 0% 0mm 37% 0mm -20dBZ 47° 100% 0mm 5.7m/s 10m/s 4.8m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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