Rule
Cloudscapes
El Calafate - Cloudscapes - Patagonia
El Calafate, Santa Cruz, Argentina
Multi-layered dramatic clouds for striking sky photography
Currently
Real-time conditionsCloud Cover4%
Wind Gusts3.6m/s
Precipitation Chance100%
Air Pressure957.0hPa
Upcoming Opportunities
When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.
Times shown in America/Argentina/Rio_Gallegos
Next opportunity
Dramatic Cloud Drama at Sunset
El Calafate
Today · 19:00–20:00 · 1h window
Medium confidence
65%
☁️Cloud Drama Score85%
Cloud Cover: 100%
Wind Gusts: 10.9m/s
Precipitation Chance: 99%
Air Pressure: 956.2hPa
Striking Cloud Drama
El Calafate
Thu, Apr 23 · 13:00–14:00
☁️Cloud Drama Score:83.2%
Medium
Dramatic Cloud Drama
El Calafate
Sat, Apr 25 · 10:00–12:00
☁️Cloud Drama Score:84.5-93.8%
Low
What this forecast looks for
Plain-language explanation from the ruleThis forecast tracks the dramatic cloud formations that make Patagonia one of Earth's premier cloudscape photography destinations. We monitor wind patterns, mountain wave activity, and atmospheric conditions to predict when lenticular clouds will cap the peaks and windswept formations will create visual drama.
Patagonia sits in the path of the Roaring Forties—relentless westerly winds that sweep across the Southern Ocean. When these winds encounter the Andes, they create spectacular lenticular clouds that hover over peaks like UFO motherships. The region's changeable weather means cloud formations can evolve rapidly, creating ever-changing compositions.
What makes Patagonian cloudscapes exceptional:
- Lenticular clouds - Lens-shaped clouds form over Torres, Fitzroy, and Cerro Torre when conditions align
- Wind-driven drama - Horizontal cloud formations streak across the sky, showing wind's incredible force
- Rapid changes - Weather can shift from clear to overcast to dramatic in hours, creating diverse shooting opportunities
- Mountain wave clouds - The Andes generate standing wave clouds visible for hundreds of kilometers
Best cloudscapes occur during transitional weather when winds are strong but visibility remains good. Spring (September-November) and autumn (March-May) bring the most varied conditions. The famous "Patagonian flag" clouds—horizontal streamers flowing from peaks—occur during high wind events. Don't dismiss bad weather forecasts entirely; some of Patagonia's most dramatic images happen during marginal conditions.
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72-hour requirements breakdown
What passed or failed, hour by hourOR logic: one branch per group is enough
Meets requirement
Misses requirement
Time America/Argentina/Rio_Gallegos | Cloud Drama Score ≥ 75.0% | Low Clouds ≥ 20.0% | Mid-Level Clouds OR1·B1≥ 30.0% | High Clouds OR1·B2≥ 40.0% | Visibility ≥ 5000.0m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Apr 20 | |||||
| 16:00 | 24% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 17:00 | 26% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 18:00 | 28% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 19:00 | 29% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 20:00 | 35% | 0% | 0% | 100% | 24134m |
| 21:00 | 4.9% | 1.3% | 0.3% | 100% | 24134m |
| 22:00 | 3.5% | 2.4% | 0% | 100% | 24135m |
| 23:00 | 3.1% | 4.8% | 0% | 100% | 24135m |
| Tue, Apr 21 | |||||
| 24:00 | 1.4% | 45% | 0% | 100% | 24134m |
| 01:00 | 10% | 5% | 0% | 100% | 24135m |
| 02:00 | 15% | 5% | 0% | 57% | 24134m |
| 03:00 | 14% | 5% | 0% | 4.8% | 24135m |
| 04:00 | 14% | 10% | 0% | 4.8% | 24134m |
| 05:00 | 15% | 5% | 0% | 1.8% | 24135m |
| 06:00 | 15% | 5.4% | 0% | 1.3% | 24135m |
| 07:00 | 15% | 5% | 0% | 0.3% | 24134m |
| 08:00 | 33% | 5% | 0% | 2.8% | 24135m |
| 09:00 | 34% | 5.5% | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 10:00 | 49% | 17% | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 11:00 | 32% | 9.5% | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 12:00 | 32% | 8.5% | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 13:00 | 30% | 5.8% | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 14:00 | 27% | 4.8% | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 15:00 | 27% | 3.1% | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 16:00 | 35% | 2.6% | 3.7% | 2% | 24134m |
| 17:00 | 35% | 3% | 1% | 0.5% | 24134m |
| 18:00 | 75% | 30% | 3.3% | 0.2% | 24134m |
| 19:00 | 85% | 100% | 65% | 5.1% | 5749m |
| 20:00 | 66% | 11% | 100% | 78% | 24135m |
| 21:00 | 9.2% | 2.6% | 98% | 100% | 24134m |
| 22:00 | 15% | 0.2% | 1.8% | 0.2% | 24135m |
| 23:00 | 15% | 19% | 1.7% | 0% | 24134m |
| Wed, Apr 22 | |||||
| 24:00 | 15% | 0.8% | 0.3% | 0% | 24135m |
| 01:00 | 15% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 02:00 | 15% | 0.5% | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 03:00 | 15% | 1.5% | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 04:00 | 15% | 2% | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 05:00 | 15% | 2.6% | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 06:00 | 15% | 4.6% | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 07:00 | 14% | 15% | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 08:00 | 23% | 4% | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 09:00 | 22% | 1.1% | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 10:00 | 20% | 0.2% | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 11:00 | 28% | 0% | 0% | 1.3% | 24135m |
| 12:00 | 31% | 0% | 0% | 3.8% | 24135m |
| 13:00 | 31% | 0% | 0% | 2.8% | 24135m |
| 14:00 | 33% | 0% | 0% | 1.1% | 24134m |
| 15:00 | 67% | 0% | 0.5% | 20% | 24134m |
| 16:00 | 88% | 0% | 0.3% | 31% | 24134m |
| 17:00 | 38% | 0.7% | 0% | 2.3% | 24134m |
| 18:00 | 32% | 1.3% | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 19:00 | 39% | 1.8% | 0% | 1.2% | 24135m |
| 20:00 | 56% | 2.7% | 5% | 11% | 24135m |
| 21:00 | 15% | 4% | 6.3% | 91% | 24134m |
| 22:00 | 15% | 5.1% | 9.8% | 70% | 24135m |
| 23:00 | 15% | 5.8% | 5% | 25% | 24135m |
| Thu, Apr 23 | |||||
| 24:00 | 15% | 16% | 5% | 17% | 24135m |
| 01:00 | 15% | 58% | 4.4% | 21% | 19595m |
| 02:00 | 15% | 25% | 15% | 33% | 10966m |
| 03:00 | 15% | 14% | 100% | 97% | 19037m |
| 04:00 | 15% | 25% | 4.5% | 4.4% | 24135m |
| 05:00 | 15% | 15% | 5% | 0% | 24134m |
| 06:00 | 15% | 5.5% | 6.2% | 0% | 24135m |
| 07:00 | 15% | 5.3% | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 08:00 | 32% | 5.9% | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 09:00 | 46% | 13% | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 10:00 | 45% | 13% | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 11:00 | 29% | 3.7% | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 12:00 | 29% | 2.2% | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 13:00 | 83% | 67% | 73% | 0% | 24135m |
| 14:00 | 57% | 0.2% | 29% | 0% | 24134m |
| 15:00 | 61% | 100% | 93% | 0% | 20977m |
| 16:00 | 90% | 22% | 12% | 0% | 10808m |
| 17:00 | 29% | 1.5% | 2.9% | 0% | 24134m |
| 18:00 | 74% | 97% | 100% | 0% | 24134m |
| 19:00 | 45% | 5.2% | 86% | 0% | 24135m |
| 20:00 | 58% | 4.1% | 30% | 0% | 24135m |
| 21:00 | 14% | 3.5% | 1.3% | 0% | 24135m |
| 22:00 | 0% | 34% | 32% | 0% | 17454m |
| 23:00 | 0% | 64% | 62% | 0% | 10773m |
| Fri, Apr 24 | |||||
| 24:00 | 0% | 94% | 92% | 0% | 4092m |
| 01:00 | 0% | 83% | 67% | 0% | 7002m |
| 02:00 | 0% | 73% | 42% | 0% | 9913m |
| 03:00 | 0% | 62% | 16% | 0% | 12823m |
| 04:00 | 0% | 63% | 12% | 0.37% | 12155m |
| 05:00 | 0% | 65% | 7.1% | 0.73% | 11487m |
| 06:00 | 0% | 67% | 2.5% | 1.1% | 10818m |
| 07:00 | 0% | 62% | 7.4% | 0.73% | 13735m |
| 08:00 | 82% | 58% | 12% | 0.37% | 16653m |
| 09:00 | 94% | 54% | 17% | 0% | 19570m |
| 10:00 | 90% | 37% | 14% | 0% | 21091m |
| 11:00 | 79% | 20% | 11% | 0% | 22613m |
| 12:00 | 18% | 3.2% | 7.4% | 0% | 24135m |
| 13:00 | 37% | 18% | 4.9% | 0% | 19854m |
| 14:00 | 43% | 33% | 2.5% | 0% | 15572m |
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 scoreThis 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/Argentina/Rio_Gallegos | Air Pressure hPa | High Clouds % | Mid-Level Clouds % | Precipitation Chance % | Relative Humidity % | Solar Elevation ° | Total Cloud Coverage % | Wind Gusts m/s | Wind Speed m/s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Apr 21
Sunrise 08:41
Sunset 18:52 | |||||||||
| 16:00 | 957hPa | 2% | 4% | 100% | 64% | 21° | 4% | 3.6m/s | 3.5m/s |
| 17:00 | 955hPa | 0% | 1% | 100% | 65% | 15° | 3% | 2.6m/s | 2m/s |
| 18:00 | 954hPa | 0% | 3% | 99% | 68% | 7.1° | 30% | 3.4m/s | 3.7m/s |
| 19:00 ☾ | 956hPa | 5% | 65% | 99% | 85% | -1.7° | 100% | 11m/s | 9.8m/s |
| 20:00 ☾ | 957hPa | 78% | 100% | 99% | 86% | -11° | 100% | 6.8m/s | 5.1m/s |
| 21:00 ☾ | 957hPa | 100% | 98% | 99% | 77% | -21° | 100% | 4m/s | 2.4m/s |
| 22:00 ☾ | 955hPa | 0% | 2% | 75% | 72% | -30° | 2% | 3.2m/s | 0.8m/s |
| 23:00 ☾ | 957hPa | 0% | 2% | 51% | 66% | -39° | 19% | 16m/s | 11m/s |
| Wed, Apr 22
Sunrise 08:43
Sunset 18:51 | |||||||||
| 24:00 ☾ | 958hPa | 0% | 0% | 27% | 64% | -46° | 1% | 14m/s | 9m/s |
| 01:00 ☾ | 959hPa | 0% | 0% | 27% | 60% | -51° | 0% | 16m/s | 11m/s |
| 02:00 ☾ | 960hPa | 0% | 0% | 26% | 59% | -52° | 0% | 13m/s | 9.6m/s |
| 03:00 ☾ | 960hPa | 0% | 0% | 26% | 67% | -49° | 2% | 13m/s | 8.9m/s |
| 04:00 ☾ | 961hPa | 0% | 0% | 17% | 71% | -43° | 2% | 8.4m/s | 6m/s |
| 05:00 ☾ | 961hPa | 0% | 0% | 9% | 72% | -35° | 3% | 4.8m/s | 2.9m/s |
| 06:00 ☾ | 961hPa | 0% | 0% | 0% | 69% | -26° | 5% | 2.3m/s | 0.51m/s |
| 07:00 ☾ | 961hPa | 0% | 0% | 0% | 64% | -17° | 15% | 4.2m/s | 1m/s |
| 08:00 ☾ | 961hPa | 0% | 0% | 0% | 63% | -7.4° | 4% | 6m/s | 2.4m/s |
| 09:00 | 961hPa | 0% | 0% | 0% | 64% | 2° | 1% | 6.3m/s | 2.8m/s |
| 10:00 | 960hPa | 0% | 0% | 0% | 57% | 10° | 0% | 8.2m/s | 3.9m/s |
| 11:00 | 959hPa | 1% | 0% | 0% | 56% | 17° | 1% | 10m/s | 5.1m/s |
| 12:00 | 959hPa | 4% | 0% | 0% | 52% | 23° | 4% | 9m/s | 3.9m/s |
| 13:00 | 958hPa | 3% | 0% | 28% | 47% | 26° | 3% | 11m/s | 6.1m/s |
| 14:00 | 957hPa | 1% | 0% | 55% | 46% | 27° | 1% | 11m/s | 6.3m/s |
| 15:00 | 957hPa | 20% | 0% | 83% | 46% | 25° | 20% | 12m/s | 6.3m/s |
| 16:00 | 956hPa | 30% | 0% | 89% | 48% | 21° | 30% | 11m/s | 5.9m/s |
| 17:00 | 956hPa | 2% | 0% | 94% | 51% | 15° | 3% | 10m/s | 4.8m/s |
| 18:00 | 955hPa | 0% | 0% | 99% | 55% | 6.8° | 1% | 5.3m/s | 3.2m/s |
| 19:00 ☾ | 956hPa | 1% | 0% | 100% | 66% | -2° | 2% | 5.5m/s | 2.4m/s |
| 20:00 ☾ | 956hPa | 10% | 5% | 100% | 74% | -12° | 10% | 6.8m/s | 3.3m/s |
| 21:00 ☾ | 956hPa | 91% | 6% | 100% | 73% | -21° | 91% | 9.2m/s | 4.1m/s |
| 22:00 ☾ | 956hPa | 70% | 10% | 97% | 77% | -30° | 70% | 7.6m/s | 4.3m/s |
| 23:00 ☾ | 956hPa | 25% | 5% | 95% | 80% | -39° | 25% | 6m/s | 3.7m/s |
| Thu, Apr 23
Sunrise 08:44
Sunset 18:49 | |||||||||
| 24:00 ☾ | 956hPa | 17% | 5% | 92% | 82% | -46° | 19% | 7.3m/s | 5.6m/s |
| 01:00 ☾ | 956hPa | 20% | 4% | 93% | 88% | -51° | 58% | 9m/s | 7.6m/s |
| 02:00 ☾ | 957hPa | 33% | 15% | 93% | 92% | -52° | 36% | 8.1m/s | 6.6m/s |
| 03:00 ☾ | 957hPa | 97% | 100% | 94% | 88% | -49° | 100% | 4.7m/s | 3.3m/s |
| 04:00 ☾ | 957hPa | 4% | 4% | 87% | 87% | -44° | 25% | 4.9m/s | 4.1m/s |
| 05:00 ☾ | 957hPa | 0% | 5% | 79% | 88% | -36° | 15% | 6.9m/s | 6.2m/s |
| 06:00 ☾ | 957hPa | 0% | 6% | 72% | 86% | -27° | 6% | 5.9m/s | 5m/s |
| 07:00 ☾ | 957hPa | 0% | 0% | 80% | 85% | -17° | 5% | 5m/s | 4.3m/s |
| 08:00 ☾ | 957hPa | 0% | 0% | 88% | 85% | -7.7° | 6% | 5.2m/s | 4.7m/s |
| 09:00 | 957hPa | 0% | 0% | 96% | 87% | 1.8° | 13% | 5.6m/s | 4.9m/s |
| 10:00 | 957hPa | 0% | 0% | 94% | 84% | 10° | 13% | 4.5m/s | 3.9m/s |
| 11:00 | 956hPa | 0% | 0% | 92% | 78% | 17° | 4% | 3.8m/s | 3.2m/s |
| 12:00 | 955hPa | 0% | 0% | 90% | 69% | 23° | 2% | 2.9m/s | 2m/s |
| 13:00 | 955hPa | 0% | 73% | 93% | 63% | 26° | 74% | 4.6m/s | 3m/s |
| 14:00 | 953hPa | 0% | 29% | 96% | 61% | 27° | 29% | 2.9m/s | 1.5m/s |
| 15:00 | 953hPa | 0% | 93% | 100% | 59% | 25° | 100% | 9.3m/s | 7.8m/s |
| 16:00 | 954hPa | 0% | 12% | 81% | 86% | 21° | 30% | 4.8m/s | 3.2m/s |
| 17:00 | 953hPa | 0% | 3% | 63% | 66% | 14° | 4% | 7.8m/s | 4.2m/s |
| 18:00 | 953hPa | 0% | 100% | 44% | 54% | 6.5° | 100% | 8.1m/s | 6.1m/s |
| 19:00 ☾ | 955hPa | 0% | 86% | 54% | 80% | -2.3° | 86% | 5m/s | 5.2m/s |
| 20:00 ☾ | 956hPa | 0% | 30% | 63% | 77% | -12° | 30% | 6.3m/s | 4.5m/s |
| 21:00 ☾ | 956hPa | 0% | 1% | 73% | 76% | -21° | 4% | 6.4m/s | 5m/s |
| 22:00 ☾ | 941hPa | 0% | 32% | 67% | 79% | -31° | 34% | 6.1m/s | 4.3m/s |
| 23:00 ☾ | 925hPa | 0% | 62% | 62% | 83% | -39° | 64% | 5.7m/s | 3.6m/s |
| Fri, Apr 24
Sunrise 08:46
Sunset 18:47 | |||||||||
| 24:00 ☾ | 910hPa | 0% | 92% | 56% | 87% | -47° | 94% | 5.4m/s | 3m/s |
| 01:00 ☾ | 911hPa | 0% | 67% | 69% | 87% | -51° | 83% | 5.2m/s | 2.9m/s |
| 02:00 ☾ | 912hPa | 0% | 42% | 82% | 87% | -52° | 72% | 4.9m/s | 2.9m/s |
| 03:00 ☾ | 913hPa | 0% | 16% | 95% | 87% | -50° | 62% | 4.6m/s | 2.8m/s |
| 04:00 ☾ | 913hPa | 0% | 12% | 89% | 85% | -44° | 63% | 4.2m/s | 2.6m/s |
| 05:00 ☾ | 914hPa | 1% | 7% | 83% | 82% | -36° | 65% | 3.8m/s | 2.5m/s |
| 06:00 ☾ | 915hPa | 1% | 2% | 78% | 80% | -27° | 67% | 3.4m/s | 2.3m/s |
| 07:00 ☾ | 915hPa | 1% | 7% | 85% | 75% | -17° | 62% | 4.6m/s | 2.7m/s |
| 08:00 ☾ | 915hPa | 0% | 12% | 92% | 70% | -7.9° | 58% | 5.8m/s | 3m/s |
| 09:00 | 916hPa | 0% | 17% | 99% | 65% | 1.6° | 54% | 7m/s | 3.4m/s |
| 10:00 | 916hPa | 0% | 14% | 84% | 66% | 9.7° | 39% | 6.8m/s | 3.1m/s |
| 11:00 | 916hPa | 0% | 11% | 70% | 67% | 17° | 23% | 6.6m/s | 2.8m/s |
| 12:00 | 917hPa | 0% | 7% | 56% | 68% | 22° | 8% | 6.4m/s | 2.5m/s |
| 13:00 | 917hPa | 0% | 5% | 65% | 74% | 26° | 21% | 5.2m/s | 2.4m/s |
| 14:00 | 918hPa | 0% | 2% | 73% | 79% | 27° | 34% | 4.1m/s | 2.3m/s |
| 15:00 | 919hPa | 0% | 0% | 82% | 85% | 25° | 48% | 2.9m/s | 2.2m/s |
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.
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