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Rule Cloudscapes

Mu Cang Chai - Cloudscapes - Vietnam

Mù Cang Chải, Yên Bái Province, Vietnam

Multi-layered dramatic clouds for striking sky photography

Currently

Real-time conditions
Cloud Cover100%
Wind Gusts1.1m/s
Precipitation Chance81%
Air Pressure872.7hPa

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Asia/Bangkok
cloudscapes weather icon
Next opportunity
Dramatic Cloud Drama at Sunrise
Mu Cang Chai
Fri, Jun 12 · 05:00–06:00 · 1h window
Medium confidence
52%
☁️Cloud Drama Score99.4%
Cloud Cover: 84%
Wind Gusts: 1.9m/s
Precipitation Chance: 77%
Air Pressure: 876.1hPa
cloudscapes weather icon
Dramatic Cloud Drama
Mu Cang Chai
Fri, Jun 12 · 06:00–07:00
☁️Cloud Drama Score:85.4%
Medium

What this forecast looks for

Plain-language explanation from the rule

This forecast tracks dramatic cloud conditions across Vietnam's varied landscapes, from monsoon systems moving over coastal areas to orographic clouds forming around mountain peaks. We analyze cloud types, coverage patterns, weather system movement, and seasonal monsoon patterns to predict when sky drama combines with Vietnam's distinctive natural and cultural features.

Vietnam's location in Southeast Asia's monsoon region and its dramatic topography—mountains exceeding 10,000 feet alongside extensive coastline—create dynamic cloud conditions. The wet season (May through September in the north) brings towering cumulus and cumulonimbus formations, while the dry season offers clearer skies with occasional dramatic frontal systems. Mountains around Sapa and Da Lat generate orographic clouds year-round.

What makes Vietnam cloudscape photography special:

  • Limestone karst drama - Ha Long Bay's thousands of islands provide epic foreground elements under monsoon cloudscapes and clearing storms
  • Mountain cloud formations - Sapa and Mu Cang Chai valleys fill with clouds that interact with rice terraces and mountain peaks
  • Coastal weather systems - Da Nang's coastline and Marble Mountains create dramatic compositions as weather systems approach from the South China Sea
  • Cave country atmospherics - Phong Nha's jungle-clad limestone mountains under turbulent tropical skies create moody, atmospheric conditions

Ha Long Bay offers Vietnam's most dramatic cloudscape potential—thousands of limestone karsts provide endless compositional possibilities under monsoon clouds. Late afternoon during wet season (June-September) brings towering cumulus, while shoulder seasons offer the most dynamic conditions. Sapa's high elevation means clouds often form below the town, creating opportunities to photograph valleys filled with clouds while peaks pierce through. Da Nang's Dragon Bridge and Marble Mountains work exceptionally well under dramatic skies. The Hai Van Pass between Da Nang and Hue frequently experiences dramatic cloud conditions where mountains meet the sea. Wet season delivers the most dramatic cloudscapes but requires rain protection.

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72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour
1matching hours in the next 82 hoursJump to next match
OR logic: one branch per group is enough
Meets requirement
Misses requirement
Time
Asia/Bangkok
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, Jun 8
11:0031%14%59%100%24134m
12:0030%29%34%100%24135m
13:0027%36%39%99%24134m
14:0039%25%66%62%22694m
15:0086%24%35%25%24135m
16:0058%16%72%67%14881m
17:0065%13%66%100%15222m
18:0058%1.9%71%100%14986m
19:0067%49%92%100%6523m
20:000%95%100%100%4504m
21:000%90%100%100%5421m
22:000%88%100%100%4898m
23:000%77%100%100%6245m
Tue, Jun 9
24:000%95%100%100%4924m
01:000%100%100%100%2758m
02:002.5%100%100%100%392m
03:000.6%100%100%100%346m
04:000.1%100%100%100%1002m
05:0065%100%100%100%1085m
06:0065%100%100%100%825m
07:0060%100%100%100%1239m
08:0051%100%100%100%1332m
09:0041%100%100%100%2604m
10:0023%100%100%100%1982m
11:0023%100%100%100%1725m
12:0023%100%100%100%2751m
13:0023%100%100%100%4484m
14:0023%100%100%100%4367m
15:0040%100%100%100%7564m
16:0048%100%100%100%5018m
17:0057%100%100%100%4692m
18:0064%100%100%100%6382m
19:0065%100%100%64%5018m
20:000.2%100%97%80%3910m
21:000.2%100%94%89%3488m
22:000%100%98%85%7476m
23:000%100%100%63%9836m
Wed, Jun 10
24:000%100%96%70%13089m
01:000%100%71%69%13200m
02:000%100%96%67%12145m
03:000.1%100%100%54%3571m
04:000%100%100%80%2242m
05:0062%100%100%100%3455m
06:0064%100%100%100%5667m
07:0060%100%100%100%9072m
08:0048%99%100%81%17993m
09:0040%100%100%68%14867m
10:0022%100%100%78%8488m
11:0022%100%100%100%7144m
12:0022%100%100%100%18110m
13:0024%91%100%100%24134m
14:0026%89%100%81%24077m
15:0052%97%91%47%24135m
16:0046%98%99%94%7434m
17:0056%100%99%71%14236m
18:0060%100%92%82%14121m
19:0059%100%97%99%24135m
20:000%100%81%100%24134m
21:000.2%100%61%100%24134m
22:000%100%88%100%24135m
23:000%100%100%100%24089m
Thu, Jun 11
24:000%100%100%100%24135m
01:000%100%100%100%15963m
02:000%100%100%100%21109m
03:000.2%100%96%100%24134m
04:000.4%100%89%100%24135m
05:0059%100%100%97%23558m
06:0063%100%98%66%24134m
07:0060%99%98%97%23013m
08:0048%99%68%88%23387m
09:0040%100%38%80%23761m
10:0015%100%7.3%72%24135m
11:0026%97%21%52%24135m
12:0031%95%35%32%24135m
13:0031%92%49%11%24135m
14:0031%94%37%32%24135m
15:0047%96%25%53%24135m
16:0046%98%13%74%24135m
17:0057%98%12%74%23703m
18:0062%97%11%74%23271m
19:0041%97%9.7%74%22840m
20:000%98%8.1%83%23272m
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
Asia/Bangkok
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, Jun 8 Sunrise 05:20 Sunset 18:45
22:00
873hPa 100% 100% 81% 96% -36° 100% 1.1m/s 1.3m/s
23:00
873hPa 100% 100% 86% 97% -43° 100% 1m/s 1.2m/s
Tue, Jun 9 Sunrise 05:20 Sunset 18:45
24:00
872hPa 100% 100% 92% 97% -45° 100% 1m/s 1m/s
01:00
872hPa 100% 100% 97% 98% -43° 100% 0.81m/s 0.59m/s
02:00
871hPa 100% 100% 97% 100% -37° 100% 1m/s 0.37m/s
03:00
871hPa 100% 100% 98% 99% -28° 100% 1m/s 0.62m/s
04:00
871hPa 100% 100% 98% 99% -17° 100% 1.8m/s 0.89m/s
05:00
871hPa 100% 100% 98% 99% -4.9° 100% 2.3m/s 1.2m/s
06:00
871hPa 100% 100% 99% 100% 7.8° 100% 2m/s 0.63m/s
07:00
872hPa 100% 100% 100% 100% 21° 100% 1.3m/s 0.61m/s
08:00
873hPa 100% 100% 94% 99% 34° 100% 2.5m/s 0.95m/s
09:00
873hPa 100% 100% 89% 99% 48° 100% 2.6m/s 0.99m/s
10:00
873hPa 100% 100% 84% 99% 62° 100% 1.9m/s 0.54m/s
11:00
873hPa 100% 100% 86% 99% 75° 100% 2.3m/s 0.93m/s
12:00
873hPa 100% 100% 88% 99% 89° 100% 2.2m/s 0.84m/s
13:00
873hPa 100% 100% 90% 99% 77° 100% 2.4m/s 1.1m/s
14:00
873hPa 100% 100% 78% 99% 63° 100% 2.1m/s 0.67m/s
15:00
873hPa 100% 100% 65% 99% 49° 100% 1.6m/s 0.42m/s
16:00
872hPa 100% 100% 52% 99% 36° 100% 1.6m/s 0.51m/s
17:00
873hPa 100% 100% 65% 99% 22° 100% 1.3m/s 0.38m/s
18:00
873hPa 100% 100% 77% 99% 9.1° 100% 1.3m/s 0.52m/s
19:00
874hPa 64% 100% 90% 99% -3.7° 100% 1.4m/s 0.61m/s
20:00
875hPa 80% 97% 87% 99% -16° 100% 1.6m/s 0.74m/s
21:00
875hPa 89% 94% 85% 99% -27° 100% 1.8m/s 0.82m/s
22:00
876hPa 85% 98% 82% 99% -36° 100% 1.4m/s 0.71m/s
23:00
876hPa 63% 100% 86% 99% -43° 100% 1.4m/s 0.7m/s
Wed, Jun 10 Sunrise 05:20 Sunset 18:45
24:00
875hPa 70% 96% 90% 99% -45° 100% 1.4m/s 0.81m/s
01:00
875hPa 69% 71% 94% 98% -43° 100% 1.7m/s 1m/s
02:00
874hPa 67% 96% 83% 98% -37° 100% 1.6m/s 0.87m/s
03:00
874hPa 54% 100% 72% 99% -28° 100% 1.1m/s 0.51m/s
04:00
874hPa 80% 100% 61% 100% -17° 100% 1.1m/s 0.54m/s
05:00
875hPa 100% 100% 66% 99% -4.9° 100% 1.8m/s 0.91m/s
06:00
875hPa 100% 100% 71% 99% 7.8° 100% 1.7m/s 0.93m/s
07:00
876hPa 100% 100% 76% 99% 21° 100% 1.7m/s 0.92m/s
08:00
877hPa 81% 100% 67% 99% 34° 100% 1.3m/s 0.53m/s
09:00
877hPa 68% 100% 58% 99% 48° 100% 0.82m/s 0.27m/s
10:00
877hPa 78% 100% 49% 99% 62° 100% 0.91m/s 0.28m/s
11:00
877hPa 100% 100% 55% 99% 75° 100% 0.93m/s 0.3m/s
12:00
876hPa 100% 100% 60% 99% 89° 100% 0.9m/s 0.25m/s
13:00
876hPa 100% 100% 65% 99% 77° 100% 0.82m/s 0.16m/s
14:00
876hPa 81% 100% 49% 96% 63° 100% 0.82m/s 0.1m/s
15:00
875hPa 47% 90% 33% 97% 49° 100% 0.62m/s 0.09m/s
16:00
875hPa 94% 99% 17% 99% 36° 100% 0.61m/s 0.07m/s
17:00
876hPa 71% 99% 24% 99% 22° 100% 0.9m/s 0.14m/s
18:00
876hPa 82% 92% 30% 99% 9.1° 100% 0.61m/s 0.32m/s
19:00
877hPa 99% 97% 37% 98% -3.6° 100% 0.9m/s 0.66m/s
20:00
877hPa 100% 81% 41% 98% -16° 100% 1m/s 0.79m/s
21:00
878hPa 100% 61% 45% 98% -27° 100% 1.1m/s 0.91m/s
22:00
878hPa 100% 88% 49% 98% -36° 100% 1m/s 0.83m/s
23:00
878hPa 100% 100% 51% 97% -43° 100% 0.81m/s 0.84m/s
Thu, Jun 11 Sunrise 05:20 Sunset 18:46
24:00
878hPa 100% 100% 53% 97% -45° 100% 0.81m/s 0.88m/s
01:00
877hPa 100% 100% 54% 98% -43° 100% 0.9m/s 0.9m/s
02:00
877hPa 100% 100% 47% 98% -37° 100% 1.2m/s 1.1m/s
03:00
877hPa 100% 96% 39% 97% -28° 100% 1.1m/s 0.95m/s
04:00
877hPa 100% 89% 31% 97% -17° 100% 0.71m/s 0.78m/s
05:00
877hPa 97% 100% 36% 97% -4.9° 100% 0.6m/s 0.67m/s
06:00
878hPa 66% 98% 42% 97% 7.8° 100% 0.8m/s 0.77m/s
07:00
878hPa 96% 98% 47% 98% 21° 100% 0.51m/s 0.49m/s
08:00
877hPa 88% 68% 48% 95% 34° 100% 0.71m/s 0.65m/s
09:00
876hPa 80% 38% 48% 93% 48° 100% 0.91m/s 0.8m/s
10:00
875hPa 72% 7% 49% 90% 62° 100% 1.1m/s 0.96m/s
11:00
875hPa 52% 21% 55% 92% 75° 97% 0.84m/s 0.66m/s
12:00
876hPa 32% 35% 60% 95% 89° 95% 0.59m/s 0.37m/s
13:00
876hPa 11% 49% 65% 97% 77° 92% 0.33m/s 0.07m/s
14:00
877hPa 32% 37% 57% 97% 63° 94% 0.29m/s 0.15m/s
15:00
877hPa 53% 25% 48% 97% 49° 96% 0.26m/s 0.23m/s
16:00
878hPa 74% 13% 39% 97% 36° 98% 0.22m/s 0.3m/s
17:00
877hPa 74% 12% 45% 97% 22° 98% 0.29m/s 0.33m/s
18:00
877hPa 74% 11% 50% 97% 9.2° 98% 0.35m/s 0.37m/s
19:00
876hPa 74% 10% 56% 97% -3.5° 98% 0.42m/s 0.4m/s
20:00
876hPa 83% 8% 45% 97% -16° 99% 0.49m/s 0.48m/s
21:00
876hPa 91% 7% 33% 97% -27° 99% 0.55m/s 0.56m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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