Topic: Vantage Vue conditions = sunrise & sunset?

[Hammerian]

Hi all,

I have recently purchased a Vantage Vue Weather Station and i am very impressed and i am enjoying my new hobby thoroughly. It all appears to be working very well. Here's my question, i also quite enjoy photography and live on a very small island called Guernsey in the Channel Islands. We get lovely sunrises and sunsets and i would be interested in knowing which data settings to look out for that may help me predict when these might be likely to appear. So i have time to get set up for some pics, time lapses etc.

Any help would be really appreciated if anyone has done or does anything similar.

Thanks all in anticipation and enjoy the weather

Regards

Ian

[Randall Kayfes]

Ian,

First, welcome to WXforums and I think you will find that there are a few of us that are absolutely insane about weather pictures.
Also there are some that put up with wxPhotographers  
Overall you will not find a better run forum on any topic including weather or photography.

I think if you look at Dejan's (Aquatic) work you will be blown away at his eye for composition. 
Dejan has lightning photography nailed and it is wonderful seeing the weather of Slovenia.

I really look forward to seeing wx pictures from the Channel Islands
(a territory of EC - am I correct? No offense meant if I got that wrong).

Dejan, Gregj, Morfeas2002 and so many others do great wx photography and videography.
You should have zero problems getting any suggestions you want.
I included GregJ and Morfeas because they are coastal as I believe you are (and their great work).

Randall

[Hammerian]

Hi Randall,

Thanks for the warm welcome.

I live in Guernsey, Channel Islands which is just off the West coast of France and South of England not actually part of the EC but in that vicinity. We are part of the British Crown but have our own government and laws.

I remember one morning getting up really early attempting to capture a terrific sunrise only to be disappointed so if i can master what settings to look out for the night before etc (not sure if this is possible) and in the day before a great sunrise. I see some lovely photo's here with the sun and the clouds lovely red skies and would be really good to capture them sometime.

Have Fun.

Ian

[Randall Kayfes]

Ian,

I can tell you that I do have a routine of letting the dogs out at night.
My family originally thought I was so nice, but now they know I also checking the weather.
I have to tell you I can get surprised allot of the time, but as far as at least the morning weather I can get pretty close.

Example: Last night I go out and it is over 90° F at about 22:00 not unusual for June but for September...
Well monsoon weather had been moving in all day and the air just felt heavy.
Sure enough the DP was 56° F and that is what is necessary for monsoonal activity,
(DP over 56°F is definitely a measuring stick around here).
So now I am 50-50 for a great sunrise and actually my gut told me the air was too heavy so more like 20%.
Sure enough this morning the clouds were too thick to let any color through and we are grey this morning.
I did get a picture of a squall about 30 miles behind our Century Saguaro.
The rest is just grey but our monsoon weather is great for mammatus so I am keeping an eye out for that.

I know Greg does the same thing but his criteria is different than mine.
Some of it is what we observe and some is what our instruments tell us.
I am hoping Greg will chime in and speak to the coastal conditions he looks for.

When i lived in Oregon USA I was located at the foot of two mountains one
of which has a gorge that opened partly to the Columbia River Basin.
The Columbia opens a hole in the Cascade Mountain Range.
The Cascades shields most of the Willamette Valley from arctic blasts from the midwest.
The CR Gorge often turned into a wind tunnel letting the blast through.
The hole in our mountain did the same for my house.

I did a post on topography and lenticulars for my area http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=17903.msg172983#msg172983
I also did one for GregJ's area http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=21114.msg202830#msg202830
As you can see I am big on topographic influences on weather.
In watching GregJ and Morfeas2002 videos you can see the difference between upper and lower level air flows.
It is amazing how different they can be.

Got to go to work get long in the tooth anyway.

Randall

[Hammerian]

Hi Randall once again thanks for the in depth reply. from what you write it seems i may have to just wait until i get e red sky at night or sunrise and then go back to my station to see what the settings were prior to it happening. If i do this a few times and i fine similar traits then maybe i will have a slim chance of predicting this so i can ready myself and camera to grab those lovely photo's.

Although i was asking for what kind of weather pressure dew point etc etc would help me predict, i get from your post that various areas will differ depending on surroundings and location so i think i will have to try to work this out myself.

Thanks for your efforts appreciated.

Regards

Ian