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Rule Storm Chaser

Mt Rainier - Storm Chaser - Pacific Northwest

Eatonville, Washington, 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 82% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Cloud Cover62%
Wind Gusts1.7m/s
Precipitation Chance0%
Air Pressure951.8hPa
CAPE0
Lifted Index5.8°C
Wind Gusts1.7m/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 79 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
Tue, Jul 7
22:000%80%0J/kg8.7°C24134m0.7m/s
23:0013%15%0J/kg8.8°C24135m1m/s
Wed, Jul 8
24:000%15%0J/kg9.2°C22242m0.82m/s
01:000%15%0J/kg9.3°C22046m1.2m/s
02:0014%15%0J/kg8.8°C24134m1.4m/s
03:000%15%0J/kg7.5°C14064m1.4m/s
04:000%62%0J/kg7.4°C24134m1.4m/s
05:0013%62%0J/kg6.5°C24134m2.1m/s
06:000%68%0J/kg5.7°C24134m2.1m/s
07:000%90%0J/kg5.8°C24135m1.7m/s
08:0013%75%0J/kg5.5°C24135m1.1m/s
09:000%41%0J/kg5.6°C24135m1.9m/s
10:0016%44%0J/kg5.8°C22122m1.9m/s
11:0015%40%0J/kg6.7°C22073m1.7m/s
12:0016%40%5J/kg8°C22155m2.3m/s
13:0016%34%10J/kg8.3°C24134m2.7m/s
14:0013%37%6J/kg8.7°C24135m2.6m/s
15:000%22%0J/kg9.1°C24134m3.3m/s
16:000%59%0J/kg9.4°C24134m3.6m/s
17:0013%41%0J/kg9.7°C24135m3.5m/s
18:000%24%0J/kg10°C24135m3.4m/s
19:000%30%0J/kg11°C24135m3.6m/s
20:000%28%0J/kg12°C24134m4.1m/s
21:000%64%0J/kg13°C24134m1.2m/s
22:000%35%0J/kg13°C24134m0.7m/s
23:0014%14%0J/kg13°C24135m1m/s
Thu, Jul 9
24:000%12%0J/kg14°C24135m1.4m/s
01:000%9.5%0J/kg15°C24134m1.3m/s
02:0015%10%0J/kg16°C24135m1.4m/s
03:000%15%0J/kg16°C24134m1.4m/s
04:000%73%0J/kg15°C24135m1.4m/s
05:0014%30%0J/kg14°C24135m1.4m/s
06:000%29%0J/kg14°C24134m2m/s
07:000%60%0J/kg14°C24135m2m/s
08:0014%73%0J/kg12°C24135m1.9m/s
09:000%65%0J/kg10°C24134m1.7m/s
10:000%51%0J/kg7.3°C24135m2.2m/s
11:000%45%0J/kg7°C24135m3m/s
12:000%67%0J/kg7.3°C24134m3.5m/s
13:000%31%0J/kg7.6°C24135m3.9m/s
14:000%40%0J/kg8.2°C24135m4.1m/s
15:000%58%0J/kg8.7°C24135m4.3m/s
16:000%39%5J/kg8.5°C24135m4.2m/s
17:0014%50%2J/kg8.6°C24135m3.7m/s
18:000%45%2J/kg8.8°C24135m3.5m/s
19:000%61%2J/kg8.8°C24135m2.8m/s
20:0013%42%0J/kg9°C24134m2.5m/s
21:000%22%0J/kg8.9°C24135m1.1m/s
22:000%30%0J/kg8.9°C24134m0.73m/s
23:0012%6.8%0J/kg8.5°C24135m0.63m/s
Fri, Jul 10
24:000%8.8%0J/kg8.1°C24134m0.53m/s
01:000%13%0J/kg7.9°C24134m0.91m/s
02:0012%12%0J/kg7.9°C24135m0.91m/s
03:000%12%0J/kg7.8°C24134m0.6m/s
04:000%28%0J/kg7.7°C24134m0.4m/s
05:0012%27%0J/kg7.7°C24134m0.62m/s
06:000%28%0J/kg7.6°C24135m0.84m/s
07:000%27%0J/kg7.4°C24134m1.2m/s
08:0013%28%1J/kg7°C24134m1.5m/s
09:000%27%1J/kg6.5°C24135m1.2m/s
10:000%30%0J/kg7.1°C24135m1.2m/s
11:0014%30%0J/kg7.8°C24135m1.6m/s
12:000%14%0.67J/kg7.2°C24135m2.6m/s
13:000%20%1.3J/kg6.5°C24135m3.6m/s
14:0011%26%2J/kg5.9°C24135m4.6m/s
15:0011%38%1.7J/kg5.8°C24135m3.7m/s
16:000%38%1.3J/kg5.8°C24135m2.7m/s
17:0011%26%1J/kg5.8°C24135m1.7m/s
18:000%32%0.67J/kg5.7°C24135m1.4m/s
19:000%36%0.33J/kg5.6°C24135m1.1m/s
20:0011%36%0J/kg5.5°C24135m0.84m/s
21:000%43%2.3J/kg5.5°C24135m1.9m/s
22:000%36%4.7J/kg5.6°C24135m3m/s
23:0012%0%7J/kg5.6°C24135m4.1m/s
Sat, Jul 11
24:000%0%7.3J/kg6°C24135m4.7m/s
01:000%0%7.7J/kg6.4°C24135m5.2m/s
02:0015%0%8J/kg6.7°C24135m5.7m/s
03:000%0%6.3J/kg7.1°C24135m5.2m/s
04:000%17%4.7J/kg7.5°C24135m4.7m/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
America/Los_Angeles
Air Pressure
hPa
CAPE
J/kg
Convective Precip Fraction
fraction
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
Wed, Jul 8 Sunrise 05:23 Sunset 21:04
07:00
952hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 51% 5.8°C 33% 0% 0% 0mm 87% 0mm 0.77dBZ 14° 62% 0mm - - 1.1m/s
08:00
952hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 8% 5.5°C 39% 0% 0% 0mm 77% 0mm 11dBZ 24° 39% 0mm 7.2m/s 11m/s 1m/s
09:00
952hPa 0J/kg 0.2fraction 5% 5.6°C 85% 0% 0% 0.01mm 69% 0mm 6.9dBZ 34° 85% 0mm - - 1.5m/s
10:00
952hPa 0J/kg 0.41fraction 95% 5.8°C 95% 0% 0% 0mm 72% 0mm 2.6dBZ 44° 95% 0mm - - 1.7m/s
11:00
952hPa 0J/kg 0.61fraction 100% 6.7°C 86% 3% 0% 0mm 74% 0.01mm -1.7dBZ 54° 100% 0mm 6.1m/s 10m/s 1.8m/s
12:00
952hPa 5J/kg 0.58fraction 100% 8°C 90% 76% 0% 0mm 70% 0.01mm -2dBZ 61° 100% 0mm - - 2.1m/s
13:00
953hPa 10J/kg 0.55fraction 100% 8.3°C 89% 100% 0% 0mm 71% 0.02mm -2.2dBZ 65° 100% 0.06mm - - 2.5m/s
14:00
952hPa 6J/kg 0.53fraction 100% 8.7°C 39% 84% 0% 0mm 67% 0.01mm -2.5dBZ 64° 100% 0.06mm 5.3m/s 11m/s 2.4m/s
15:00
952hPa 0J/kg 0.35fraction 97% 9.1°C 1% 7% 0% 0mm 54% 0mm -8.3dBZ 58° 97% 0.06mm - - 3.2m/s
16:00
952hPa 0J/kg 0.18fraction 24% 9.4°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 49% 0mm -14dBZ 49° 24% 0.06mm - - 3m/s
17:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 12% 9.7°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 46% 0mm -20dBZ 39° 12% 0.06mm 6.4m/s 11m/s 2.5m/s
18:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 5% 10°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 44% 0mm -20dBZ 29° 5% 0mm - - 2m/s
19:00
950hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 5% 11°C 0% 3% 0% 0mm 42% 0mm -20dBZ 19° 5% 0mm - - 2.6m/s
20:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 5% 12°C 0% 5% 0% 0mm 51% 0mm -20dBZ 8.9° 5% 0mm 5.7m/s 8.5m/s 2.6m/s
21:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 25% 13°C 0% 5% 0% 0mm 68% 0mm -20dBZ 0.3° 25% 0mm - - 1.3m/s
22:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 10% 13°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 76% 0mm -20dBZ -8.1° 10% 0mm - - 0.38m/s
23:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 58% 13°C 0% 4% 0% 0mm 80% 0mm -20dBZ -14° 58% 0mm 13m/s 15m/s 1m/s
Thu, Jul 9 Sunrise 05:24 Sunset 21:03
24:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 76% 14°C 0% 49% 0% 0mm 83% 0mm -20dBZ -19° 82% 0mm - - 1.5m/s
01:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 77% 15°C 0% 53% 0% 0mm 85% 0mm -20dBZ -21° 77% 0mm - - 1.5m/s
02:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 74% 16°C 0% 99% 0% 0mm 86% 0mm -20dBZ -20° 99% 0mm 11m/s 16m/s 1.6m/s
03:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 51% 16°C 0% 76% 0% 0mm 86% 0mm -20dBZ -17° 78% 0mm - - 1.5m/s
04:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 5% 15°C 0% 37% 0% 0mm 86% 0mm -20dBZ -11° 37% 0mm - - 1.6m/s
05:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 2% 14°C 0% 8% 0% 0mm 88% 0mm -20dBZ -4.1° 8% 0mm 11m/s 14m/s 1.7m/s
06:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 5% 14°C 0% 4% 0% 0mm 87% 0mm -20dBZ 4.5° 5% 0mm - - 1.9m/s
07:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 16% 14°C 0% 2% 0% 0mm 73% 0mm -20dBZ 14° 16% 0mm - - 1.5m/s
08:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 40% 12°C 0% 3% 0% 0mm 61% 0mm -20dBZ 24° 40% 0mm 12m/s 13m/s 1.6m/s
09:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 32% 10°C 3% 3% 0% 0mm 52% 0mm -20dBZ 34° 32% 0mm - - 1.6m/s
10:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 69% 7.3°C 5% 0% 0% 0mm 43% 0mm -20dBZ 44° 69% 0mm - - 1.6m/s
11:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 90% 7°C 30% 1% 0% 0mm 38% 0mm -20dBZ 53° 90% 0mm 7.3m/s 8.4m/s 2.1m/s
12:00
951hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 41% 7.3°C 35% 0% 0% 0mm 39% 0mm -20dBZ 61° 41% 0mm - - 2.9m/s
13:00
950hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 2% 7.6°C 19% 0% 0% 0mm 43% 0mm -20dBZ 65° 19% 0mm - - 3.4m/s
14:00
950hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 1% 8.2°C 44% 0% 0% 0mm 46% 0mm -20dBZ 64° 44% 0mm 5.5m/s 8.5m/s 3.3m/s
15:00
949hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 5% 8.7°C 66% 0% 0% 0mm 47% 0mm -20dBZ 57° 66% 0mm - - 3.1m/s
16:00
949hPa 5J/kg 0fraction 8% 8.5°C 86% 0% 0% 0mm 48% 0mm -20dBZ 49° 86% 0mm - - 3.2m/s
17:00
948hPa 2J/kg 0fraction 5% 8.6°C 78% 0% 0% 0mm 50% 0mm -20dBZ 39° 78% 0mm 4m/s 12m/s 3.2m/s
18:00
948hPa 2J/kg 0fraction 0% 8.8°C 78% 2% 0% 0mm 53% 0mm -20dBZ 29° 78% 0mm - - 3m/s
19:00
948hPa 2J/kg 0fraction 0% 8.8°C 43% 0% 0% 0mm 58% 0mm -20dBZ 18° 43% 0mm - - 2.7m/s
20:00
948hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 9°C 16% 0% 0% 0mm 68% 0mm -20dBZ 8.8° 16% 0mm 3.8m/s 12m/s 1.7m/s
21:00
948hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 8.9°C 7% 0% 0% 0mm 87% 0mm -20dBZ 0.23° 7% 0mm - - 1m/s
22:00
948hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 8.9°C 14% 0% 0% 0mm 96% 0mm -20dBZ -8.1° 14% 0mm - - 0.6m/s
23:00
948hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 8.5°C 28% 0% 0% 0mm 97% 0mm -20dBZ -15° 28% 0mm 3.5m/s 13m/s 0.45m/s
Fri, Jul 10 Sunrise 05:25 Sunset 21:02
24:00
948hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 8.1°C 53% 0% 0% 0mm 98% 0mm -20dBZ -19° 53% 0mm - - 0.49m/s
01:00
947hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 7.9°C 83% 0% 0% 0mm 97% 0mm -20dBZ -21° 83% 0mm - - 0.86m/s
02:00
947hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 7.9°C 100% 0% 0% 0mm 93% 0mm -20dBZ -20° 100% 0mm 2.8m/s 12m/s 0.7m/s
03:00
947hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 7.8°C 100% 0% 0% 0mm 92% 0mm -20dBZ -17° 100% 0mm - - 0.49m/s
04:00
947hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 7.7°C 100% 0% 0% 0mm 92% 0mm -20dBZ -11° 100% 0mm - - 0.27m/s
05:00
947hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 7.7°C 100% 0% 0% 0mm 93% 0mm -20dBZ -4.2° 100% 0mm 2.2m/s 13m/s 0.57m/s
06:00
947hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 7.6°C 100% 0% 0% 0mm 92% 0mm -20dBZ 4.4° 100% 0mm - - 0.62m/s
07:00
947hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 7.4°C 100% 0% 0% 0mm 91% 0mm -20dBZ 14° 100% 0mm - - 0.76m/s
08:00
947hPa 1J/kg 0fraction 0% 7°C 100% 0% 0% 0mm 87% 0mm -20dBZ 24° 100% 0mm 3.9m/s 15m/s 0.94m/s
09:00
947hPa 1J/kg 0fraction 0% 6.5°C 99% 0% 13% 0mm 81% 0mm -20dBZ 34° 99% 0mm - - 0.84m/s
10:00
947hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 7.1°C 99% 0% 26% 0mm 74% 0.01mm -20dBZ 44° 99% 0mm - - 1.2m/s
11:00
947hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 7.8°C 100% 0% 39% 0mm 71% 0.03mm -20dBZ 53° 100% 0mm 3.2m/s 18m/s 1.8m/s
12:00
964hPa 0.67J/kg 0.2fraction 0% 7.2°C 91% 0% 26% 0mm 67% 0.02mm -14dBZ 61° 91% 0mm - - 1.9m/s
13:00
981hPa 1.3J/kg 0.4fraction 0% 6.5°C 82% 0% 13% 0mm 64% 0.01mm -7.5dBZ 65° 82% 0mm - - 2.1m/s
14:00
998hPa 2J/kg 0.59fraction 0% 5.9°C 74% 0% 0% 0mm 61% 0mm -1.3dBZ 64° 74% 0mm 3.5m/s 19m/s 2.2m/s
15:00
998hPa 1.7J/kg 0.41fraction 0% 5.8°C 55% 0% 0% 0mm 70% 0mm -7.5dBZ 57° 55% 0mm - - 1.8m/s
16:00
999hPa 1.3J/kg 0.22fraction 0% 5.8°C 37% 0% 0% 0mm 78% 0mm -14dBZ 49° 37% 0mm - - 1.3m/s
17:00
999hPa 1J/kg 0.03fraction 0% 5.8°C 19% 0% 0% 0mm 87% 0mm -20dBZ 39° 19% 0mm 5.5m/s 23m/s 0.87m/s
18:00
999hPa 0.67J/kg 0.02fraction 0% 5.7°C 20% 0% 0% 0mm 90% 0mm -20dBZ 29° 20% 0mm - - 0.86m/s
19:00
999hPa 0.33J/kg 0.01fraction 0% 5.6°C 21% 0% 0% 0mm 93% 0mm -20dBZ 18° 21% 0mm - - 0.85m/s
20:00
1000hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 5.5°C 22% 0% 0% 0mm 95% 0mm -20dBZ 8.7° 22% 0mm 6.9m/s 23m/s 0.84m/s
21:00
1000hPa 2.3J/kg 0fraction 0% 5.5°C 47% 2% 0% 0mm 95% 0mm -20dBZ 0.16° 47% 0mm - - 1.1m/s
22:00
1000hPa 4.7J/kg 0fraction 0% 5.6°C 73% 3% 0% 0mm 94% 0mm -20dBZ -8.2° 73% 0mm - - 1.3m/s
23:00
1000hPa 7J/kg 0fraction 0% 5.6°C 99% 4% 0% 0mm 93% 0mm -20dBZ -15° 99% 0mm 10m/s 22m/s 1.6m/s
Sat, Jul 11 Sunrise 05:26 Sunset 21:02
24:00
1001hPa 7.3J/kg 0fraction 0% 6°C 99% 5% 0% 0mm 90% 0mm -20dBZ -19° 99% 0mm - - 1.8m/s
01:00
1001hPa 7.7J/kg 0fraction 0% 6.4°C 100% 5% 0% 0mm 87% 0mm -20dBZ -21° 100% 0mm - - 2m/s
02:00
1002hPa 8J/kg 0fraction 0% 6.7°C 100% 5% 0% 0mm 83% 0mm -20dBZ -20° 100% 0mm 10m/s 24m/s 2.2m/s
03:00
1002hPa 6.3J/kg 0fraction 0% 7.1°C 100% 3% 0% 0mm 79% 0mm -20dBZ -17° 100% 0mm - - 2.3m/s
04:00
1002hPa 4.7J/kg 0fraction 0% 7.5°C 100% 2% 0% 0mm 76% 0mm -20dBZ -12° 100% 0mm - - 2.4m/s
05:00
1003hPa 3J/kg 0fraction 0% 7.9°C 100% 0% 0% 0mm 72% 0mm -20dBZ -4.3° 100% 0mm 6.3m/s 24m/s 2.5m/s
06:00
1002hPa 4J/kg 0fraction 0% 7.7°C 67% 0% 0% 0mm 62% 0mm -20dBZ 4.3° 67% 0mm - - 2.6m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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