Skip to content
✨ New: PhotoWeather is now available on iOS and Android
Rule Cloudscapes

El Chaltén - Cloudscapes - Patagonia

El Chaltén, Santa Cruz, Argentina

Multi-layered dramatic clouds for striking sky photography

Currently

Real-time conditions
Cloud Cover100%
Wind Gusts10.8m/s
Precipitation Chance100%
Air Pressure873.2hPa

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in America/Argentina/Rio_Gallegos
Next opportunity
Dramatic Cloud Drama
El Chaltén
Wed, Apr 22 · 13:00–15:00 · 2h window
Low confidence
34%
☁️Cloud Drama Score79.2-99%
Cloud Cover: 54%
Wind Gusts: 10.5m/s
Precipitation Chance: 83%
Air Pressure: 910.3hPa
overcast weather icon
Striking Cloud Drama
El Chaltén
Thu, Apr 23 · 16:00–18:00
☁️Cloud Drama Score:80.6%
Low
overcast weather icon
Dramatic Cloud Drama
El Chaltén
Tue, Apr 28 · 16:00–17:00
☁️Cloud Drama Score:100%
Medium
overcast weather icon
Dramatic Cloud Drama at Sunset
El Chaltén
Tue, Apr 28 · 17:00–20:00
☁️Cloud Drama Score:100%
Low

What this forecast looks for

Plain-language explanation from the rule

This 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.

Create your own Cloudscapes alerts

Get notified when these conditions match at your own locations.

Get this template

72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour
2matching hours in the next 95 hoursJump to next match
OR 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
Sun, Apr 19
04:0010%7%88%100%23870m
05:008.6%4.7%99%100%24134m
06:003.4%13%80%100%24134m
07:002.3%30%7.8%100%5394m
08:0059%36%31%100%3594m
09:0072%31%11%98%3308m
10:00100%52%3.8%38%3323m
11:0098%77%12%5%4046m
12:0070%82%29%83%3159m
13:0060%52%1.6%0.2%5705m
14:0083%35%12%0%3509m
15:0083%78%22%0%2701m
16:0080%86%20%5%1991m
17:0093%91%24%41%1411m
18:0077%89%12%100%959m
19:0070%92%55%61%2240m
20:0055%90%18%100%1357m
21:000%89%9.1%100%764m
22:000%99%7.5%100%739m
23:000%94%9.4%100%780m
Mon, Apr 20
24:000.1%99%35%100%413m
01:000%100%15%100%233m
02:002.3%98%0.4%100%718m
03:001%96%0.2%73%346m
04:003.2%95%0%100%8196m
05:001.6%100%0%100%10846m
06:001.1%80%0%100%4282m
07:007.6%82%0%81%5251m
08:0044%98%0%100%8550m
09:0047%94%0%100%16168m
10:0043%76%0%100%20412m
11:0043%91%0%100%20405m
12:0043%62%0%100%12465m
13:0034%58%0%100%20429m
14:0035%73%0%100%20500m
15:0043%77%0%100%2665m
16:0058%75%0%84%20472m
17:0050%91%0%1.4%20442m
18:0058%83%0%0%20467m
19:0065%74%0%0%20704m
20:0040%99%0%0%1423m
21:009.2%98%0%1.1%466m
22:004.5%99%0%2.5%174m
23:005%89%0%2.2%88m
Tue, Apr 21
24:005.6%98%0%25%98m
01:007.8%96%0%8.2%177m
02:0012%79%0%1.1%437m
03:0015%74%0%0.1%2179m
04:0014%86%0%0.1%211m
05:0013%82%1%0.1%119m
06:0014%78%3.6%0%280m
07:0013%86%3.7%0%1668m
08:0044%86%3.8%0.3%104m
09:0074%78%6.2%0%113m
10:0074%76%7.1%0%123m
11:0074%78%5.7%0%80m
12:0096%80%18%0%64m
13:0083%80%28%0%62m
14:0083%80%45%0%52m
15:0072%81%57%0%46m
16:0072%89%64%0%50m
17:0067%100%100%0%51m
18:0076%100%83%1%60m
19:0075%100%100%94%109m
20:0064%100%100%100%1134m
21:0011%95%100%100%220m
22:0015%29%74%0%3127m
23:0015%96%100%0%735m
Wed, Apr 22
24:0015%93%100%0%972m
01:0015%100%100%0%627m
02:0012%55%62%0%1812m
03:0015%97%26%0%1566m
04:0015%85%3.4%0%3098m
05:0015%40%0%0%7014m
06:0015%39%0%0%21854m
07:0015%22%0%0%21346m
08:0052%20%0%0%21600m
09:0046%13%1%0%22063m
10:0046%19%2.2%3.3%20753m
11:0069%25%3.3%6.5%19443m
12:0073%31%4.5%9.8%18133m
13:0099%54%35%40%14950m
14:0079%76%66%70%11768m
15:0051%99%97%100%8585m
16:0060%99%91%72%6169m
17:0075%100%85%44%3753m
18:0085%100%79%16%1337m
19:0081%99%86%12%1672m
20:0058%98%93%6.9%2007m
21:000%97%100%2.3%2342m
22:000%98%100%2.4%1932m
23:000%99%100%2.5%1522m
Thu, Apr 23
24:000%100%100%2.6%1112m
01:000%100%100%3.4%940m
02:000%100%100%4.2%768m
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/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
Mon, Apr 20 Sunrise 08:40 Sunset 18:59
05:00
873hPa 100% 0% 100% 86% -36° 100% 11m/s 6.2m/s
06:00
874hPa 100% 0% 100% 88% -27° 100% 10m/s 6.4m/s
07:00
874hPa 81% 0% 100% 88% -17° 84% 8.5m/s 7m/s
08:00
875hPa 100% 0% 100% 88% -7.2° 100% 7.4m/s 6.9m/s
09:00
876hPa 100% 0% 100% 88% 2.4° 100% 7.3m/s 6.8m/s
10:00
876hPa 100% 0% 99% 87% 11° 100% 7.3m/s 6.1m/s
11:00
877hPa 100% 0% 99% 90% 19° 100% 7.1m/s 6.6m/s
12:00
877hPa 100% 0% 98% 92% 24° 100% 6.7m/s 6.3m/s
13:00
878hPa 100% 0% 99% 95% 28° 100% 6.4m/s 5.5m/s
14:00
878hPa 100% 0% 99% 94% 29° 100% 6.1m/s 5.2m/s
15:00
877hPa 100% 0% 100% 95% 27° 100% 6m/s 5.3m/s
16:00
877hPa 84% 0% 100% 94% 23° 88% 6.2m/s 5.9m/s
17:00
877hPa 1% 0% 100% 94% 16° 90% 6.6m/s 6.2m/s
18:00
876hPa 0% 0% 100% 93% 8.2° 83% 6.5m/s 6m/s
19:00
876hPa 0% 0% 100% 92% -0.52° 74% 6.6m/s 6.1m/s
20:00
876hPa 0% 0% 100% 94% -10° 99% 7m/s 6m/s
21:00
875hPa 1% 0% 100% 94% -20° 98% 6.9m/s 6.1m/s
22:00
875hPa 2% 0% 100% 94% -30° 99% 7.7m/s 6.1m/s
23:00
875hPa 2% 0% 100% 96% -39° 89% 7.7m/s 6.1m/s
Tue, Apr 21 Sunrise 08:42 Sunset 18:57
24:00
874hPa 25% 0% 100% 96% -46° 98% 7.7m/s 6m/s
01:00
874hPa 8% 0% 100% 96% -51° 96% 6.2m/s 5.8m/s
02:00
874hPa 1% 0% 100% 96% -52° 79% 6.6m/s 5.7m/s
03:00
874hPa 0% 0% 100% 94% -50° 74% 9.4m/s 6.3m/s
04:00
873hPa 0% 0% 100% 96% -44° 86% 7.1m/s 6.1m/s
05:00
873hPa 0% 1% 100% 97% -36° 82% 8.5m/s 5.9m/s
06:00
872hPa 0% 4% 100% 96% -27° 78% 10m/s 6.1m/s
07:00
872hPa 0% 4% 100% 96% -17° 86% 10m/s 6.1m/s
08:00
872hPa 0% 4% 100% 97% -7.4° 86% 9.8m/s 5.7m/s
09:00
871hPa 0% 6% 100% 97% 2.2° 78% 10m/s 5.6m/s
10:00
872hPa 0% 7% 100% 98% 11° 76% 10m/s 5.1m/s
11:00
871hPa 0% 6% 100% 98% 18° 78% 11m/s 5.2m/s
12:00
870hPa 0% 18% 100% 98% 24° 80% 6.5m/s 4.7m/s
13:00
870hPa 0% 28% 100% 97% 28° 80% 6.4m/s 4.8m/s
14:00
869hPa 0% 45% 100% 97% 29° 80% 6.6m/s 5m/s
15:00
868hPa 0% 57% 100% 98% 27° 81% 7.4m/s 5.3m/s
16:00
866hPa 0% 64% 100% 98% 22° 89% 7.5m/s 5.2m/s
17:00
865hPa 0% 100% 100% 99% 16° 100% 6.4m/s 4.8m/s
18:00
864hPa 1% 83% 99% 99% 7.9° 100% 5.6m/s 3.9m/s
19:00
865hPa 94% 100% 100% 98% -0.9° 100% 4.8m/s 3.8m/s
20:00
867hPa 100% 100% 100% 96% -11° 100% 3.6m/s 3.2m/s
21:00
867hPa 100% 100% 100% 96% -21° 100% 5.2m/s 4.1m/s
22:00
867hPa 0% 74% 94% 92% -30° 74% 6.8m/s 5.1m/s
23:00
867hPa 0% 100% 89% 91% -39° 100% 6m/s 4.8m/s
Wed, Apr 22 Sunrise 08:43 Sunset 18:55
24:00
866hPa 0% 100% 83% 93% -46° 100% 5.5m/s 3.7m/s
01:00
866hPa 0% 100% 85% 92% -51° 100% 6.3m/s 4m/s
02:00
867hPa 0% 62% 86% 81% -53° 62% 16m/s 5.6m/s
03:00
868hPa 0% 26% 88% 86% -50° 97% 6.1m/s 4.7m/s
04:00
868hPa 0% 3% 88% 84% -44° 85% 12m/s 5.6m/s
05:00
868hPa 0% 0% 89% 79% -36° 40% 12m/s 6m/s
06:00
869hPa 0% 0% 90% 77% -27° 39% 8.7m/s 6.3m/s
07:00
870hPa 0% 0% 90% 76% -17° 22% 7.7m/s 6.1m/s
08:00
870hPa 0% 0% 90% 81% -7.6° 20% 6.5m/s 6.1m/s
09:00
870hPa 0% 1% 90% 84% 13% 6.4m/s 5.8m/s
10:00
883hPa 3% 2% 86% 81% 10° 19% 8.3m/s 6.9m/s
11:00
897hPa 7% 3% 82% 78% 18° 25% 10m/s 7.9m/s
12:00
910hPa 10% 4% 77% 75% 24° 32% 12m/s 9m/s
13:00
910hPa 40% 35% 83% 79% 27° 54% 10m/s 8m/s
14:00
910hPa 70% 66% 89% 83% 28° 77% 9m/s 6.9m/s
15:00
910hPa 100% 97% 94% 86% 26° 100% 7.5m/s 5.9m/s
16:00
911hPa 72% 91% 96% 88% 22° 100% 6.7m/s 5.4m/s
17:00
911hPa 44% 85% 98% 90% 16° 100% 5.9m/s 4.9m/s
18:00
912hPa 16% 79% 100% 92% 7.6° 100% 5.1m/s 4.3m/s
19:00
911hPa 12% 86% 100% 91% -1.2° 100% 4.8m/s 4.1m/s
20:00
911hPa 7% 93% 100% 90% -11° 100% 4.5m/s 3.9m/s
21:00
911hPa 2% 100% 100% 89% -21° 100% 4.1m/s 3.7m/s
22:00
910hPa 2% 100% 100% 89% -30° 100% 4.9m/s 4.1m/s
23:00
910hPa 2% 100% 100% 90% -39° 100% 5.7m/s 4.5m/s
Thu, Apr 23 Sunrise 08:45 Sunset 18:53
24:00
909hPa 3% 100% 100% 91% -47° 100% 6.6m/s 4.9m/s
01:00
909hPa 3% 100% 100% 91% -52° 100% 5.7m/s 4.6m/s
02:00
908hPa 4% 100% 100% 92% -53° 100% 4.9m/s 4.2m/s
03:00
908hPa 5% 100% 100% 93% -50° 100% 4.1m/s 3.8m/s
04:00
908hPa 3% 92% 100% 91% -45° 92% 5.2m/s 4.2m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

Get Notified of Opportunities

Create your own custom alerts for this location and more.

Create Free Account