in 3h 33m
Pale clear glow
Exactly at sunrise: Fair
Photo locations · San Diego · United States
Sunset Cliffs Natural Park: sunrise 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.
Will today's sunrise 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.
The light path toward the sun is open.
Sky colors
Golden hour
Sunrise
Light corridor
-5 km
Behind you
Your location
80 m asl
5 km
Nearby
20 km
Near horizon
50 km
Light path
100 km
Light path
150 km
Far light path
200 km
Far light path
300 km
Far light path
350 km
Far light path
cloud-cover fieldinterpolation uncertaintysun directionnear-ground humiditycloud at unresolved heightmodelled underlightunderlight · height uncertainunderlight · lit on one readinglit but hidden behind nearer cloud
Terrain is drawn for illustration only — it is not used to calculate underlight or obstruction.
Clouds: Almost no clouds
Almost no clouds above you — expect a clean but pale horizon glow rather than a red sky.
Most cloud is concentrated in one height band, so the scene has limited vertical separation.
Cloud cover changes between nearby and distant parts of the scene, adding texture and depth.
Light corridor is open
23% blocking cloud at the ray's height out to 350 km — the low sun's own path is clear. Cloud above that ray is judged separately.
Sun likely hidden. Low cloud fills the horizon (72%) — the sun will probably stay behind it.
Best colour
06:42
in 3h 26m
06:32–07:21, look east · brief, colour behind you too
Crystal-clear dry air — strong color but hard-edged shadows; tough for portraits.
Clarity: Good
Forecast refreshed a few hours before sunrise.
Will tomorrow's sunrise 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.
Overcast at every sample point, so no direct light gets through.
Sky colors
Golden hour
Sunrise
Light corridor
-5 km
Behind you
Your location
80 m asl
5 km
Nearby
20 km
Near horizon
50 km
Light path
100 km
Light path
150 km
Far light path
200 km
Far light path
300 km
Far light path
350 km
Far light path
cloud-cover fieldinterpolation uncertaintysun directionnear-ground humiditycloud at unresolved heightmodelled underlightunderlight · height uncertainunderlight · lit on one readinglit but hidden behind nearer cloud
Terrain is drawn for illustration only — it is not used to calculate underlight or obstruction.
Clouds: Cloud canvas mostly unlit
Overcast at every sample point — no light gets through.
Very thick mid/high cover (100%) — colour likely only at cloud edges.
Most clouds above you sit in shadow — their undersides are unlikely to catch colour.
Cloud cover is nearly solid and uniform across the near scene — a flat lid rather than separated layers.
Cloud is distributed across low, middle and high levels, creating strong vertical depth.
A thick mid-level deck (100%) dims the low sun — light will be weak and flat.
Light corridor is blocked
The low sun comes down through a high cloud sheet toward the sun (100% at 124–261 km) — expect pale, weak golden light.
Sun likely hidden. The mid-level deck (100% at 200–300 km) and the high sheet (100% at 350 km) lie across the sun's own path to the horizon (58% blocking at the ray's height) — the disc will probably stay behind it.
Clarity: Good
Forecast refreshed a few hours before sunrise.
Will Sunday's sunrise 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.
Rain is likely over the cloud canvas and will block most direct light.
Outlook only · 52 h ahead
Sky colors
Golden hour
Sunrise
Light corridor
-5 km
Behind you
Your location
80 m asl
5 km
Nearby
20 km
Near horizon
50 km
Light path
100 km
Light path
150 km
Far light path
200 km
Far light path
300 km
Far light path
350 km
Far light path
cloud-cover fieldinterpolation uncertaintysun directionnear-ground humiditycloud at unresolved heightmodelled underlightunderlight · height uncertainunderlight · lit on one readinglit but hidden behind nearer cloud
Terrain is drawn for illustration only — it is not used to calculate underlight or obstruction.
Clouds: Cloud canvas mostly unlit
Precipitation is likely nearby (13.8 mm at one or more sample points) — most direct light will be blocked, though a showery sky can still open up.
Very thick mid/high cover (100%) — colour likely only at cloud edges.
Low cloud deck overhead (65%) hides the coloured undersides.
Most clouds above you sit in shadow — their undersides are unlikely to catch colour.
Cloud cover is nearly solid and uniform across the near scene — a flat lid rather than separated layers.
Cloud is distributed across low, middle and high levels, creating strong vertical depth.
Broken low cloud (63%) — expect the light to come and go.
A thick mid-level deck (98%) dims the low sun — light will be weak and flat.
Corridor partly open
Sun likely hidden. Thick low cloud toward the horizon (82%) will likely block the sun.
Clarity: Reduced
High humidity (92%) may soften and mute colors.
Forecast refreshed a few hours before sunrise.
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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