Predicts the chance of vivid red, orange, and pink sunrise or sunset color. Best when the sun has a clear opening near the horizon, some clouds are ready to catch the light, and low clouds are not blocking the show.
The best fiery skies usually need a clear gap near the sun, some mid or high clouds to catch the light, and not too much low cloud blocking the view. Smoke often dulls the color. Combine with 'solar_elevation: [-7, 3]' for a practical timing window.
Fiery Red Sky Potential helps you find the sunrises and sunsets most likely to light up with rich reds, oranges, and pinks. The best setups usually have a clear opening near the sun, some mid or high clouds to catch the light, and not too much low cloud blocking the view. Cleaner air can help the color pop, while smoke or a low cloud deck often turns a promising sky into a dull one.
Find the classic setup where low-angle sunlight reaches clouds that can catch colour.
Avoid chasing every golden-hour slot by requiring the sky structure to support colour.
Inspect low clouds as one of the forecast signals behind Fiery Red Sky Potential.
Inspect mid-level clouds as one of the forecast signals behind Fiery Red Sky Potential.
Inspect high clouds as one of the forecast signals behind Fiery Red Sky Potential.
Inspect visibility as one of the forecast signals behind Fiery Red Sky Potential.
Inspect solar elevation as one of the forecast signals behind Fiery Red Sky Potential.
Fiery Red Sky Potential is PhotoWeather's forecast for colorful sunrises and sunsets. It highlights the times when the sky is most likely to glow with strong reds, oranges, and pinks, so you can focus on the hours that are actually worth chasing with a camera.
The best fiery skies usually happen when the sun has a clear gap near the horizon and there are enough mid or high clouds to catch the light. Too many low clouds can block the color completely, while a sky with no clouds at all often gives you less drama than you hoped for. The sweet spot is usually a mostly open horizon with some good cloud structure above it.
This score is made for photographers who want better correlation with real colorful skies, not just generic golden hour timing. Higher scores mean the forecast looks much more like the kind of sunrise or sunset that can really light up. Lower scores usually mean the color will be blocked, muted, or simply never develop.
In PhotoWeather, Fiery Red Sky Potential is shown from 0.0% to 100.0%. Use the guide above to choose a narrower range for your subject, season, and location.
Fiery Red Sky Potential combines forecast signals such as Low Clouds, Mid-Level Clouds, High Clouds, Visibility, Solar Elevation into one photography planning cue. Use it as a shortlist, then check the individual fields before committing to a shoot.
Combines aurora activity with viewing conditions (darkness, cloud cover, visibility) to provide photography-ready aurora quality scores. Aurora activity is OVATION-aware from the compute step.
Evaluates atmospheric conditions for blue hour photography quality. Scores sky clarity, cloud type suitability (high thin clouds ideal), visibility, and calm conditions.
How likely fog is to form. High scores mean misty, atmospheric conditions for moody landscape and sunrise photography.
Atmospheric suitability for golden hour photography across extended time window around golden hour periods
Cloud formation suitability for colorful sunrise and sunset skies around golden hour
Analysis of cloud formations and atmospheric conditions for dramatic sky photography
Storm intensity analysis combining precipitation, wind conditions, atmospheric pressure, visibility, GFS simulated radar reflectivity, and wind shear for enhanced storm organization detection.
Frost formation probability combining temperature, dewpoint spread, cloud cover, and wind analysis
Dew formation probability combining overnight radiative cooling, surface temperature, moisture, and wind analysis
Probability of visible rainbow formation based on solar geometry and precipitation patterns
Analysis of coastal drama combining wave dynamics, wind-driven spray and atmospheric cloud structure for seascape photography.
Comprehensive atmospheric clarity analysis for landscape and astrophotography using CAMS aerosol optical depth, particle composition (dust, smoke, sea salt), particle size distribution (Ångström exponent), and visibility conditions.
Scores forecast sky quality for deep-sky, starscape, and nightscape photography using darkness, moon interference, clouds, atmospheric transparency, precipitation risk, and forecast confidence. This is not a Bortle class or site-darkness/light-pollution rating.
Scores Milky Way core / Galactic Center shootability using Galactic Center altitude plus dark, clear, transparent, moon-friendly forecast sky conditions. This is not a generic Milky Way band detector or site-darkness rating.
Likelihood of sun breaking through clouds creating dramatic rays and dappled light patterns. Best with partial cloud cover (40-70%) and some sunshine reaching the surface.
Quality of diffused light for portrait and product photography. High scores indicate soft, even lighting that minimizes harsh shadows - the 'giant softbox' effect.
Rates how visually interesting the clouds are - distinguishing dramatic formations from boring flat overcast. High scores indicate structured clouds with good light transmission.
How flat and boring the overcast is. HIGH scores indicate uniform gray sky with no breaks or texture - generally unfavorable for most photography. LOW scores indicate breaks, texture, or clearing.
Cloud coverage below 2km altitude
Cloud coverage between 2-6km altitude
Cloud coverage above 6km altitude (cirrus)
Total aerosol optical depth at 550nm. Lower values indicate clearer skies and more vivid colours.
Sun's angle above horizon (0° = horizon, 90° = zenith)
Use Fiery Red Sky Potential with related photography weather fields to get alerts for your locations, subjects, and shooting windows.
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