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Photo locations · San Diego · United States

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park: sunset photography forecast

Sunset Cliffs is less about one marked viewpoint and more about matching the evening to the right piece of coast—arches, shelves, surf and open ocean all work. The cliffs are fragile, so a legal, conservative position is part of getting the shot.

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Will today's sunset be worth it?

Simplified forecast from the open model run. The full forecast — a second model, your exact viewpoint, the hourly cloud timeline — is in the app.

Global model, about 13 km: less certain than in Europe.

in 6h 51m

Pale clear glow

Exactly at sunset: Fair

Starts

in 6h 15m

Harsh directional light · backlit landscapes; harsh for portraits

Sky colors

Golden hour
Sunset

Light corridor: open

Why: The sun's path is clear at the height its low light travels, so the light can reach the clouds at sunset.

  • Light path: clear (24% blocking cloud at the ray's height)
  • Sun: may be hidden. Some low cloud toward the horizon (33%) may hide the sun on and off.
Viewer's line of sight, tangent to the Earth at your locationNear-ground relative humidity7% cover — too thin to draw as cloudConnected cloud layer · 49–64% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 46–46% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 45–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 49–64% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 46–46% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 45–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 64–64% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 45–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 91–91% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 91–91% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintylow cloud · 19% reported, 0% resolved on a pressure surface — 19% is somewhere between 0 and 3 kmlow cloud · 19% reported, 0% resolved on a pressure surface — 19% is somewhere between 0.08 and 3 kmlow cloud · 19% reported, 0% resolved on a pressure surface — 19% is somewhere between 0 and 3 kmlow cloud · 32% reported, 0% resolved on a pressure surface — 32% is somewhere between 0 and 3 kmlow cloud · 33% reported, 0% resolved on a pressure surface — 33% is somewhere between 0 and 3 kmlow cloud · 29% reported, 7% resolved on a pressure surface — 22% is somewhere between 0 and 3 km50 km · the model says the lowest depicted cloud underside may catch orange light100 km · the model says the lowest depicted cloud underside may catch orange light

Terrain is drawn for illustration only — it is not used to calculate underlight or obstruction.

cloud-cover fieldinterpolation uncertaintysun directionnear-ground humiditycloud at unresolved heightmodelled underlightunderlight · height uncertainunderlight · lit on one readinglit but hidden behind nearer cloud

Forecast refreshed a few hours before sunset.

Know the light
before it happens

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For photographers: shooting Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

Best months

October to March for lower sun angles and more textured skies; late spring and summer for calmer conditions and later evenings.

Suggested focal lengths

16–35 mm for cliff foregrounds; 70–200 mm for surfers, distant headlands and light on breaking waves.

Composition

Use the edge from well back, not as a dare. Look for diagonal rock shelves or repeating waves and keep the horizon simple.

Recommended arrival

Scout 60–75 minutes before sunset and choose the return route while there is full light.

Access planning

Stay behind barriers and away from undercut edges. Check swell and tide before descending to any beach access.

Parking: Street parking and small public lots along Sunset Cliffs Boulevard; restrictions vary by section.

Approach: Roadside overlooks are immediate; legal beach access involves steep stairs or trails and varies by location.

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