What's a good score?

Over 70, set an alarm. 40 to 70 is a coin toss — fine if you're already up, not worth a 5am wake-up. Under 40, stay in bed. An 80+ means actual colour, not just a bright sky.

How far ahead can I look?

Three days. Tomorrow's score is more trustworthy than the one three days out, since the forecast keeps shifting. We re-pull the numbers every 60 minutes, so check again when you wake up.

When should I get there?

About half an hour before the sunrise time we list. The best colour usually shows up before the sun clears the horizon. Turn up bang on sunrise and you've often missed it.

What goes into the score?

Five things, weighted by how much they matter: cloud (45%), visibility (25%), humidity (15%), wind (10%) and the pressure trend (5%). The full breakdown is on the Science page.

Why do clouds matter so much?

They're what the light hits. Mid-level clouds catch the colour, high wispy ones add drama, but low clouds just sit there like a grey lid and block the lot. You want roughly 30–50% mid cloud and clear skies underneath. The Cloud Guide breaks down each type.

Why check the weather out at sea?

At sunrise the light comes in almost sideways, so the clouds that matter are the ones sitting offshore to the east, not the ones over your head. We sample conditions about 20km out.

What's a marine layer burn-off?

A bank of low cloud sits over the water before dawn, then thins out fast as the sun comes up. When the data shows that clearing, we bump the score up. Those mornings can flip from dud to brilliant in minutes.

How accurate is it?

For the obvious calls — above 70 or below 30 — about 80% of the time. The 40–60 middle is where it gets hard, because a small cloud shift swings it either way. We'd rather say that than pretend it's perfect.

Where's the weather data from?

Open-Meteo, which runs the ECMWF model — generally the most accurate medium-range model going. We don't make our own forecast; we read good data through a model built for sunrise colour.

The score said poor but it looked great. What happened?

It happens. A patch of local fog or a stray cloud band can defy the forecast, and "great" is partly in the eye of the beholder. The score's a strong steer, not a promise. If you catch a mismatch, tell us on the contact page — it helps.

Where do you cover?

Three parts of the Sydney coast: the Eastern Suburbs (Bondi to Maroubra), the Northern Beaches (Manly to Palm Beach), and Cronulla and the south. The locations guide has the best spots in each.

Is it free?

Yep. You can also add it to your phone's home screen for one-tap access — the link's in the footer.