Fog Hunter Forecast for Pacific Northwest
Fog photography in the Pacific Northwest. Track mist at Columbia River Gorge, Mount Rainier.
Upcoming Opportunities
When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.
This forecast tracks the conditions that create the Pacific Northwest's legendary atmospheric photography. We combine fog probability, dewpoint spread, visibility, and wind data to predict when and where fog will form.
The Pacific Northwest's unique geography—where cold ocean currents meet temperate rainforests and volcanic peaks—creates fog conditions unmatched anywhere in North America. From the Hoh Rainforest's ethereal mist to the Columbia River Gorge's valley fog, this region offers year-round fog photography opportunities.
What makes the Pacific Northwest special for fog photography:
- Marine influence - Cold Pacific currents generate coastal fog that rolls inland through river valleys
- Rainforest atmosphere - Olympic's temperate rainforest creates perpetual mist and filtered light
- Temperature inversions - Mountain valleys trap fog below while peaks remain clear
- Varied terrain - Photograph fog against waterfalls, old-growth forests, sea stacks, and volcanic peaks
Peak fog season runs from late summer through fall, when temperature differentials between land and sea are greatest. Morning fog often burns off by midday, so arrive before sunrise for the most dramatic conditions. The Columbia River Gorge is particularly reliable for valley fog, while coastal locations like Cannon Beach offer fog throughout the year.
Location status
0 of 10 locations currently active
Columbia River Gorge
InactiveThe Columbia River cuts between steep, forested walls lined with basalt cliffs and waterfalls, while inversion fog creates layered ridge views.
Cascade Locks, Oregon, United States
Right now: Fog Probability too low (71%, ≥ 75.0%)
Mt Rainier
InactiveMount Rainier’s heavily glaciated cone rises nearly three kilometres above the surrounding lowlands, dominating views far beyond the national park. At Paradise and Sunrise, subalpine meadows and foreground ridges contrast with summit ice, while Reflection Lakes supplies a lower, water-level composition.
Eatonville, Washington, United States
Right now: Fog Probability too low (55%, ≥ 75.0%)
Olympic Rainforest
InactiveThe Hoh Valley’s exceptional rainfall supports moss-draped maples, giant conifers, and dense fern understory on the Olympic Peninsula’s western side. Braided river bars open rare sightlines through the forest, contrasting pale gravel and glacial water with the enclosed green canopy.
Forks, Washington, United States
Right now: Fog Probability too low (55%, ≥ 75.0%)
2 opportunities in next 14 days
Crater Lake
InactiveCrater Lake’s intensely blue caldera water, sheer volcanic rim, and Wizard Island form clean geometric layers, often simplified by snow or rim cloud.
Klamath Falls, Oregon, United States
Right now: Fog Probability too low (0%, ≥ 75.0%)
Cannon Beach
InactiveHaystack Rock rises just offshore from Cannon Beach, anchoring a broad intertidal foreground of wet sand and shallow reflections. The Needles form a smaller stack group to its south, while Ecola headlands close the otherwise open Pacific horizon to the north.
Cannon Beach, Oregon, United States
Right now: Fog Probability too low (0%, ≥ 75.0%)
Astoria
InactiveAstoria climbs wooded hills at the Columbia River’s mouth, overlooking working docks and ocean-bound ship traffic on the estuary. The four-mile Astoria–Megler Bridge supplies a strong horizontal landmark, especially when river fog hides sections of the Washington shore.
Tillamook, Oregon, United States
Right now: Fog Probability too low (0%, ≥ 75.0%)
Snoqualmie
InactiveSnoqualmie Falls drops in a broad curtain into a dark basalt gorge, where spray, forest, and low valley cloud soften the surrounding rock walls.
Snoqualmie, Washington, United States
Right now: Fog Probability too low (0%, ≥ 75.0%)
Seaside
InactiveSeaside faces a long, unusually flat beach where shallow wave wash creates repeated lines and broad wet-sand reflections. Tillamook Head terminates the view to the south, giving the open resort shoreline a dark, forested counterweight in marine cloud.
Gearhart, Oregon, United States
Right now: Fog Probability too low (0%, ≥ 75.0%)
Long Beach
InactiveLong Beach occupies a narrow Washington peninsula with an uninterrupted ocean beach extending far north of the Columbia River mouth. Low dunes and beach grass create horizontal foregrounds, while driftwood and stronger surf reflect the coast’s exposure to river-influenced Pacific weather.
Gearhart, Oregon, United States
Right now: Fog Probability too low (0%, ≥ 75.0%)
Port Angeles
InactivePort Angeles faces north across the Strait of Juan de Fuca, where ferries and freighters pass beyond the sheltered harbour’s breakwater. Looking inland reverses the composition: the steep Olympic foothills rise immediately behind the waterfront toward snow-lined Hurricane Ridge.
Port Angeles, Washington, United States
Right now: Fog Probability too low (0%, ≥ 75.0%)
What's blocking opportunities
80-hour view of conditions preventing matches across 10 locations
How this forecast is made
Opportunities are threshold-based signals: PhotoWeather checks whether forecast conditions match the rules for a photography scenario. They are planning guidance, not guarantees. Forecasts can change as new model runs arrive, and confidence generally decreases farther into the forecast horizon, so recheck conditions before travelling.
The weather forecast foundation comes through Open-Meteo , which aggregates models from weather agencies. PhotoWeather applies condition-specific thresholds and derived calculations; not every condition uses every model or data input.
Get Notified of Opportunities
Create your own custom alerts for this location and more.
Create Free Account