Capitol Reef - Fire Sky - US Southwest
Those rare, intensely red and orange sunset skies
No Fire Sky opportunities in the next 14 days
Tip: Scroll down to the 72-hour table to see exactly which condition fails hour by hour.
Currently
Real-time conditionsUpcoming Opportunities
When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.
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 ruleThis forecast tracks the spectacular sunset conditions that ignite the Southwest's desert landscapes. We combine cloud coverage patterns, atmospheric particulate levels, and visibility data to predict when skies will explode with dramatic color over the region's iconic formations.
The Southwest's desert atmosphere creates fire-sky conditions unlike anywhere else in North America. Fine dust particles suspended in the dry air scatter light dramatically, while the region's distinctive red rock formations amplify and reflect sunset colors. Monsoon season brings additional drama with towering storm clouds catching golden light.
What makes the Southwest special for fire-sky photography:
- Desert dust advantage - Fine particulate matter creates intense color scattering without haze
- Red rock amplification - Sandstone formations reflect and intensify sunset colors
- Monsoon drama - July-September storms create towering cloud formations lit from below
- Slot canyon magic - Narrow canyons like Antelope glow with reflected light during golden hour
Monument Valley's mesas silhouetted against burning skies create legendary images—the combination of towering buttes and horizontal color bands is quintessential Southwest. Slot canyons like Antelope near Page become luminous during fire-sky conditions, with reflected light painting smooth sandstone walls. The hoodoos at Bryce Canyon catch alpenglow while valleys below fill with shadow. During monsoon season, clearing storms produce the most dramatic conditions—dark storm clouds lit from below by setting sun over red desert create apocalyptic beauty. White Sands offers unique opportunities where pure gypsum dunes reflect fire-sky colors with mirror-like intensity.
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72-hour requirements breakdown
What passed or failed, hour by hourTime America/Denver | Golden Hour Any | Fiery Red Sky Potential ≥ 90.0% | Precipitation Chance ≤ 15.0% | Visibility ≥ 8000.0m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Feb 21 | ||||
| 12:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 13:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 14:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 15:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 16:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 17:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 18:00 | ✕ | 92% | 0% | 24135m |
| 19:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 20:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 21:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 22:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 23:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| Sun, Feb 22 | ||||
| 24:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 01:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 02:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 03:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 04:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 05:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 06:00 | ✓ | 73% | 0% | 24135m |
| 07:00 | ✓ | 73% | 0% | 24135m |
| 08:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 09:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 10:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 11:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 12:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 13:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 14:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 15:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 16:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 17:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 18:00 | ✕ | 69% | 0% | 24135m |
| 19:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 20:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 21:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 22:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 23:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| Mon, Feb 23 | ||||
| 24:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 01:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 02:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 03:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 04:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 05:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 06:00 | ✓ | 69% | 0% | 24134m |
| 07:00 | ✓ | 68% | 0% | 24135m |
| 08:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 09:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 10:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 11:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 12:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 13:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 14:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 15:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 16:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 17:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 18:00 | ✕ | 68% | 0% | 24134m |
| 19:00 | ✕ | 61% | 0% | 24135m |
| 20:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 21:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 22:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 23:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| Tue, Feb 24 | ||||
| 24:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 01:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 02:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 03:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 04:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 05:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 06:00 | ✓ | 63% | 0% | 24134m |
| 07:00 | ✓ | 63% | 0% | 24135m |
| 08:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 09:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 10:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 11:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 12:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 13:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 14:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 15:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 16:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24134m |
| 17:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 18:00 | ✕ | 70% | 0% | 24135m |
| 19:00 | ✕ | 53% | 0% | 24135m |
| 20:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 21:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 22:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| 23:00 | ✕ | 0% | 0% | 24135m |
| Wed, Feb 25 | ||||
| 24:00 | ✕ | 0% | 4.6% | 24011m |
| 01:00 | ✕ | 0% | 9.3% | 23888m |
| 02:00 | ✕ | 0% | 14% | 23764m |
| 03:00 | ✕ | 0% | 18% | 23888m |
| 04:00 | ✕ | 0% | 22% | 24011m |
| 05:00 | ✕ | 0% | 26% | 24135m |
| 06:00 | ✓ | 92% | 30% | 16216m |
| 07:00 | ✓ | 86% | 35% | 8298m |
| 08:00 | ✕ | 0% | 39% | 379m |
| 09:00 | ✕ | 0% | 39% | 8297m |
| 10:00 | ✕ | 0% | 39% | 16216m |
What does Fiery Red Sky Potential 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/Denver | Aerosol Optical Depth (550nm) | Air Pressure hPa | Dust AOD (550nm) | Golden Hour | High Clouds % | Low Clouds % | Mid-Level Clouds % | RH @ 700 hPa % | Relative Humidity % | Smoke AOD (550nm) | Temperature °C | Wind Speed m/s | Ångström Exponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Feb 22
Sunrise 07:07
Sunset 18:10 | |||||||||||||
| 12:00 ☾ | 0.02 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 99% | 0% | 0% | 27% | 54% | 0.003 | 1.7°C | 1.9m/s | 1.2 |
| 13:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 28% | 55% | 0.003 | 2.2°C | 1.4m/s | 1.2 |
| 14:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 100% | 2% | 0% | 29% | 56% | 0.003 | 2.8°C | 0.96m/s | 1.2 |
| 15:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 32% | 57% | 0.003 | 3.4°C | 1.2m/s | 1.2 |
| 16:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 34% | 59% | 0.004 | 2.5°C | 1.7m/s | 1.3 |
| 17:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 37% | 68% | 0.004 | 0.85°C | 1.8m/s | 1.3 |
| 18:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 34% | 76% | 0.003 | -1.5°C | 1.9m/s | 1.3 |
| 19:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 100% | 4% | 0% | 31% | 81% | 0.003 | -2.4°C | 2m/s | 1.3 |
| 20:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 100% | 2% | 0% | 28% | 78% | 0.003 | -2.2°C | 2.2m/s | 1.2 |
| 21:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 27% | 73% | 0.003 | -2.4°C | 2.1m/s | 1.2 |
| 22:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 27% | 67% | 0.003 | -2.6°C | 2.1m/s | 1.3 |
| 23:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 26% | 61% | 0.003 | -2.3°C | 2.1m/s | 1.3 |
| Mon, Feb 23
Sunrise 07:05
Sunset 18:11 | |||||||||||||
| 24:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 28% | 0% | 0% | 26% | 58% | 0.003 | -2.7°C | 2.2m/s | 1.3 |
| 01:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 5% | 0% | 0% | 26% | 52% | 0.003 | -2.4°C | 2.5m/s | 1.4 |
| 02:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 70% | 0% | 0% | 25% | 53% | 0.003 | -2.8°C | 2.3m/s | 1.4 |
| 03:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 94% | 0% | 0% | 24% | 51% | 0.003 | -2.6°C | 2.5m/s | 1.4 |
| 04:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 748hPa | 0.001 | - | 63% | 0% | 0% | 23% | 50% | 0.003 | -2.4°C | 2.6m/s | 1.3 |
| 05:00 ☾ | 0.04 | 748hPa | 0.001 | - | 5% | 0% | 0% | 22% | 50% | 0.004 | -2.5°C | 2.5m/s | 1.3 |
| 06:00 ☾ | 0.04 | 748hPa | 0.001 | - | 5% | 0% | 0% | 22% | 51% | 0.004 | -2.7°C | 2.1m/s | 1.2 |
| 07:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 748hPa | 0.001 | - | 6% | 0% | 0% | 21% | 48% | 0.004 | -2.4°C | 2.6m/s | 1.3 |
| 08:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 748hPa | 0.001 | - | 28% | 0% | 0% | 21% | 49% | 0.003 | -0.91°C | 1.9m/s | 1.3 |
| 09:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 13% | 0% | 0% | 21% | 38% | 0.003 | 2.8°C | 0.87m/s | 1.3 |
| 10:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 39% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 34% | 0.003 | 5.1°C | 1m/s | 1.4 |
| 11:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 5% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 33% | 0.003 | 6.2°C | 1.2m/s | 1.3 |
| 12:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 749hPa | 0.001 | - | 38% | 0% | 0% | 23% | 32% | 0.003 | 7.2°C | 1.3m/s | 1.3 |
| 13:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 748hPa | 0.001 | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 25% | 31% | 0.003 | 7.9°C | 1m/s | 1.3 |
| 14:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 747hPa | 0.001 | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 28% | 34% | 0.003 | 7.8°C | 1m/s | 1.4 |
| 15:00 ☾ | 0.03 | 747hPa | 0.001 | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 30% | 38% | 0.003 | 7.3°C | 1m/s | 1.3 |
| 16:00 ☾ | 0.04 | 747hPa | 0.001 | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 32% | 44% | 0.003 | 6.8°C | 0.95m/s | 1.3 |
| 17:00 ☾ | 0.04 | 746hPa | 0.001 | - | 28% | 0% | 0% | 33% | 57% | 0.003 | 4.9°C | 0.95m/s | 1.3 |
| 18:00 ☾ | - | 746hPa | - | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 32% | 62% | - | 2.1°C | 2.4m/s | - |
| 19:00 ☾ | - | 746hPa | - | - | 60% | 0% | 26% | 31% | 62% | - | 1.1°C | 3.2m/s | - |
| 20:00 ☾ | - | 746hPa | - | - | 22% | 0% | 32% | 30% | 58% | - | 0.74°C | 3.3m/s | - |
| 21:00 ☾ | - | 746hPa | - | - | 100% | 0% | 2% | 29% | 53% | - | 0.58°C | 3m/s | - |
| 22:00 ☾ | - | 746hPa | - | - | 99% | 0% | 0% | 28% | 51% | - | 0.52°C | 2.8m/s | - |
| 23:00 ☾ | - | 745hPa | - | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 27% | 50% | - | 1.3°C | 3.9m/s | - |
| Tue, Feb 24
Sunrise 07:04
Sunset 18:12 | |||||||||||||
| 24:00 ☾ | - | 745hPa | - | - | 98% | 0% | 0% | 26% | 55% | - | 1.1°C | 3.4m/s | - |
| 01:00 ☾ | - | 745hPa | - | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 26% | 53% | - | 1.4°C | 4.1m/s | - |
| 02:00 ☾ | - | 744hPa | - | - | 100% | 0% | 3% | 25% | 48% | - | 1.3°C | 4m/s | - |
| 03:00 ☾ | - | 744hPa | - | - | 100% | 0% | 5% | 23% | 43% | - | 1.2°C | 4.2m/s | - |
| 04:00 ☾ | - | 743hPa | - | - | 100% | 0% | 70% | 21% | 42% | - | 1.3°C | 4.3m/s | - |
| 05:00 ☾ | - | 743hPa | - | - | 21% | 0% | 5% | 20% | 42% | - | 2°C | 4.1m/s | - |
| 06:00 ☾ | - | 742hPa | - | - | 100% | 0% | 5% | 19% | 42% | - | 1.4°C | 4.3m/s | - |
| 07:00 ☾ | - | 742hPa | - | - | 81% | 0% | 5% | 19% | 42% | - | 1.5°C | 4.3m/s | - |
| 08:00 ☾ | - | 742hPa | - | - | 32% | 0% | 4% | 19% | 40% | - | 2.6°C | 4.3m/s | - |
| 09:00 ☾ | - | 742hPa | - | - | 18% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 38% | - | 5.7°C | 3.9m/s | - |
| 10:00 ☾ | - | 742hPa | - | - | 100% | 0% | 0% | 21% | 29% | - | 7.6°C | 4.3m/s | - |
| 11:00 ☾ | - | 742hPa | - | - | 85% | 0% | 5% | 22% | 30% | - | 8.2°C | 4.6m/s | - |
| 12:00 ☾ | - | 742hPa | - | - | 100% | 0% | 4% | 28% | 29% | - | 9.2°C | 4.9m/s | - |
| 13:00 ☾ | - | 741hPa | - | - | 100% | 0% | 5% | 33% | 31% | - | 9.5°C | 5.5m/s | - |
| 14:00 ☾ | - | 741hPa | - | - | 100% | 0% | 5% | 39% | 34% | - | 9.4°C | 5.8m/s | - |
| 15:00 ☾ | - | 740hPa | - | - | 100% | 0% | 5% | 43% | 38% | - | 9.6°C | 6.1m/s | - |
| 16:00 ☾ | - | 740hPa | - | - | 62% | 4% | 5% | 48% | 44% | - | 9.7°C | 6.6m/s | - |
| 17:00 ☾ | - | 740hPa | - | - | 100% | 4% | 5% | 52% | 49% | - | 8.9°C | 5.1m/s | - |
| 18:00 ☾ | - | 743hPa | - | - | 75% | 5% | 5% | 53% | 58% | - | 6.6°C | 4.6m/s | - |
| 19:00 ☾ | - | 747hPa | - | - | 50% | 5% | 5% | 54% | 67% | - | 4.3°C | 4.2m/s | - |
| 20:00 ☾ | - | 750hPa | - | - | 25% | 6% | 5% | 55% | 76% | - | 2.1°C | 3.8m/s | - |
| 21:00 ☾ | - | 750hPa | - | - | 28% | 6% | 5% | 57% | 77% | - | 1.9°C | 3.9m/s | - |
| 22:00 ☾ | - | 749hPa | - | - | 31% | 6% | 5% | 59% | 78% | - | 1.7°C | 4m/s | - |
| 23:00 ☾ | - | 749hPa | - | - | 34% | 6% | 5% | 62% | 79% | - | 1.6°C | 4.1m/s | - |
| Wed, Feb 25
Sunrise 07:03
Sunset 18:13 | |||||||||||||
| 24:00 ☾ | - | 749hPa | - | - | 23% | 7% | 5% | 66% | 80% | - | 1.7°C | 4m/s | - |
| 01:00 ☾ | - | 749hPa | - | - | 13% | 7% | 5% | 70% | 81% | - | 1.9°C | 3.9m/s | - |
| 02:00 ☾ | - | 749hPa | - | - | 3% | 8% | 5% | 75% | 81% | - | 2°C | 3.8m/s | - |
| 03:00 ☾ | - | 749hPa | - | - | 3% | 14% | 13% | 76% | 73% | - | 4°C | 4.5m/s | - |
| 04:00 ☾ | - | 749hPa | - | - | 4% | 19% | 20% | 77% | 66% | - | 5.9°C | 5.3m/s | - |
| 05:00 ☾ | - | 749hPa | - | - | 5% | 24% | 28% | 79% | 58% | - | 7.9°C | 6m/s | - |
| 06:00 ☾ | - | 749hPa | - | - | 34% | 32% | 22% | 81% | 65% | - | 7.1°C | 5.3m/s | - |
| 07:00 ☾ | - | 749hPa | - | - | 63% | 39% | 15% | 83% | 72% | - | 6.3°C | 4.7m/s | - |
| 08:00 ☾ | - | 749hPa | - | - | 92% | 47% | 9% | 84% | 80% | - | 5.6°C | 4m/s | - |
| 09:00 ☾ | - | 749hPa | - | - | 62% | 32% | 6% | 82% | 73% | - | 5.4°C | 4.7m/s | - |
| 10:00 ☾ | - | 749hPa | - | - | 34% | 17% | 3% | 79% | 66% | - | 5.3°C | 5.5m/s | - |
| 11:00 ☾ | - | 750hPa | - | - | 4% | 2% | 1% | 77% | 59% | - | 5.2°C | 6.3m/s | - |
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