Howard Falls — a waterfall in Erie County, Pennsylvania at about 344 m (1,129 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Fairview, about 8.7 km (5.4 mi) away (Howard Falls lies SSE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Howard Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:25 AM | 90° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 57° ENE | 9:01 PM | 303° WNW | 71° | 15h 14m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:46 AM | 122° ESE | 4:53 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 07m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:16 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 28m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 7:06 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:11 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:55 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:12 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 33m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:28 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 13m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:29 PM | 14h 56m |
| August | 6:00 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 53m |
| September | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:32 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:06 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:12 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:09 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 50m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 09m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Howard Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 5:01 AM – 5:51 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:53 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 1:02 AM – 4:02 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:11 PM – 3:31 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:01 PM – 2:11 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 10:10 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.0 | 18° | S → SW |
| September | 9:08 PM – 10:08 PM | 1.0 | 15° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.14 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 56% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (85%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 64 | 68 | 79 | 82 | 96 | 98 | 100 | 99 | 96 | 89 | 76 | 67 |
| Low °F | -11 | -12 | 0 | 17 | 25 | 38 | 46 | 46 | 38 | 27 | 7 | -1 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this waterfall
- Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Howard Falls, closest first.
Covered Bridge
State Park
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Howard Falls?
What time is golden hour at Howard Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Howard Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Howard Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Howard Falls?
How far is Howard Falls from Fairview?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.