Sunset advice needed

[AnnaFilm]

Hi All,

I'm Anna, a new user here. This might be an unusual post, but I'm not a weather expert and I need some advice. I'm a filmmaker shooting a fictional short film in the Bromley (London)/Kent area on the last weekend of April. Seeing the sunset sky, hopefully with vibrant colours, is important to the story. We're currently scouting locations and I'm wondering if anyone can advise on what to consider when picking the right place to shoot. Is it as simple as finding somewhere with a view to the west?

Also, is the best time to get the most interesting sky colours after the sun has gone below the horizon? How long does this window typically last at the end of April?

I'd be immensely grateful for any tips, suggestions, or knowledge you can share. Thank you in advance!

[*Stormforce~beka*]

If the weather from the last 12 months is anything to go by you have no chance. The sun is as rare as snow LOL!

[Metwatch]

17 hours ago, AnnaFilm said:

Also, is the best time to get the most interesting sky colours after the sun has gone below the horizon? How long does this window typically last at the end of April?

I often hunt for good sunsets; usually if you have golden hour if it's clear or the sun pops out close to horizon below cloud starting an hour ish before sunset can get some nice warm colours.

For the afterglow you typically need high cloud, say just before a cold front clears from the west, and about 10-30 minutes after the sun has set can produce some vibrant colours, however there can be different set ups and still produce amazing colours, it's quite unpredictable. The best way to get some idea a few hours beforehand is to check the satellite on the Meteociel website shortly before (https://www.meteociel.fr/observations-meteo/satellite.php?region=uk&mode=animation-visible-royaume-uni).

Good example of recent was the 13th October, perfect timing of the cold front clearing and had some stunning colours:

 

4 hours ago, *Stormforce~beka* said:

If the weather from the last 12 months is anything to go by you have no chance. The sun is as rare as snow LOL!

Still have had some gorgeous skies particularly last December and February, but that's usually before the sun rises or after it sets rather than during the day itself, can be fairly common during very unsettled periods. This month they've been non existent.

Edited March 19 by Metwatch

[BruenSryan]

Adding onto what Metwatch has said...

Of course don't get fooled by what we have classified as "pre-frontal sunsets" where high cloud is approaching but it's coming from the west where the sun sets. These are usually no-gos as the western horizon is completely blocked ahead of rain coming from the Atlantic. On rare occasions, they can provide some brief colour before the sun hits a wall of cloud on the horizon or the front is coming from a different direction rather than the west like the south. 20th March 2020 had one of the best spectacular sunsets I've ever seen and a front was lingering to the south - see pic below.

A hazy sunset will normally have muted colours after the sun has set because contrary to belief, haze mutes colours. Although golden hour can still be spectacular with hazy skies I have found. You also have the chance of seeing a hazy sun where you can look directly at the sun without blinding yourself and it goes red or pink. The most hazy wind direction is southeasterlies and you will tend to build up haze too in an anticyclonic setup with not much mixing. 

The most important thing is a clear horizon because even if you have what doesn't look like favourable cloud for rayleigh scattering to kick in, it can light up red briefly if the sun peeks through a clear horizon.

After you have observed a lot of sunsets, all of this stuff becomes second nature and you pick up quirks or trends that tend to happen which cannot be found online.

[AnnaFilm]

Sorry for the delay in responding. I really appreciate all your input! I've been doing a lot of research on sunsets lately, but I still feel like a newbie at it. I'm nowhere near as knowledgeable as you guys.

We'll definitely check out the Meteociel website during the day to see what to expect. Thanks for the suggestion, Metwatch! Unfortunately, when it comes to filming, we have to plan our shooting days months in advance, so we're just crossing our fingers, hoping for the best and planning for the worst. All we can do is make sure the sun (and ideally the horizon) isn't obscured by trees or buildings at our chosen location.

I've seen some beautiful sunsets this month, even without a clear horizon. Maybe not spectacular, but still lovely with shades of pink and orange. I'd be thrilled with something poetic and atmospheric, if only I could order it up!

Your point about pre-frontal sunsets, BruenSryan, is interesting. I always thought those vivid, colourful sunsets were only possible in winter, so I wasn't expecting to have anything like that at the end of April.

From my own observations, the best sunsets I've seen lately were when there was a small break in the clouds at sunset, even on otherwise overcast days.

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to reply to my post!

[stewfox]

Edited March 24 by stewfox
Moon shots doesn't help but that was last month.