Rule Coastal Drama

Malibu - Coastal Drama Forecast - California

Malibu, California, United States

Dramatic coastal photography conditions - powerful waves combined with atmospheric drama and good visibility for seascape shots.

This forecast identifies when dramatic conditions align for coastal photography along California's legendary shoreline. We track cloud drama, visibility, and wind patterns to predict when the coast will come alive with photogenic conditions.

California's 840-mile coastline offers endless variety—from the towering cliffs of Big Sur to the sea stacks of Mendocino to the coves of Laguna Beach. The interplay between Pacific weather systems and the coastal mountains creates ever-changing conditions that can transform familiar locations.

What makes the California coast special for dramatic photography:

Dynamic weather - Pacific storms bring dramatic skies, and clearing conditions create spectacular light
Diverse geography - Sea stacks, arches, waterfalls, cliffs, and beaches in endless variety
Fog and mist - Marine layer creates moody atmosphere, especially summer mornings
Year-round access - Mild climate means photography opportunities in every season

The best dramatic conditions often occur during and after winter storms (November-March), when clearing skies can produce spectacular light. Summer brings reliable morning fog that burns off by midday, creating soft, ethereal conditions. Wind patterns affect wave action—some drama is good, but excessive gusts make shooting difficult. Check our forecast to time your coastal adventures.

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Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in America/Los_Angeles

No opportunities in the next 14 days

See the blocker timeline above to understand which conditions are preventing matches.

Conditions

72-hour forecast with pass/fail indicators

0 matching hours in the next 72 hours

Meets requirement

Misses requirement

Time America/Los_Angeles	Coastal Drama Score >= 75%	Precipitation Chance <= 30%	Significant Wave Height >= 1.5m	Visibility >= 5000m	Wind Gusts <= 22m/s
Fri, Jan 9 Sunrise 07:01 Sunset 17:02
11:00 ☾	18%	0%	0.29m	77600m	19m/s
12:00 ☾	18%	0%	0.29m	79200m	18m/s
13:00 ☾	16%	0%	0.28m	81900m	16m/s
14:00 ☾	19%	0%	0.28m	84000m	16m/s
15:00 ☾	18%	0%	0.29m	81700m	15m/s
16:00 ☾	22%	0%	0.29m	83900m	16m/s
17:00 ☾	28%	0%	0.29m	90000m	16m/s
18:00 ☾	23%	0%	0.28m	90000m	14m/s
19:00 ☾	8.1%	0%	0.28m	90000m	14m/s
20:00 ☾	8.1%	0%	0.28m	90000m	13m/s
21:00 ☾	8.2%	0%	0.28m	89900m	12m/s
22:00 ☾	8.1%	0%	0.28m	89600m	15m/s
23:00 ☾	8.2%	0%	0.28m	87900m	15m/s
Sat, Jan 10 Sunrise 07:01 Sunset 17:03
24:00 ☾	8.2%	0%	0.27m	85800m	15m/s
01:00 ☾	8.2%	0%	0.27m	86500m	15m/s
02:00 ☾	8.1%	0%	0.27m	84400m	14m/s
03:00 ☾	8.1%	0%	0.28m	85100m	14m/s
04:00 ☾	8.1%	0%	0.28m	85700m	14m/s
05:00 ☾	8%	0%	0.28m	85500m	16m/s
06:00 ☾	8.4%	0%	0.29m	85500m	17m/s
07:00 ☾	26%	0%	0.29m	85700m	17m/s
08:00 ☾	25%	0%	0.28m	83600m	17m/s
09:00 ☾	22%	0%	0.28m	83000m	19m/s
10:00 ☾	22%	0%	0.27m	81300m	18m/s
11:00 ☾	19%	0%	0.26m	83000m	18m/s
12:00 ☾	24%	0%	0.25m	85900m	17m/s
13:00 ☾	18%	0%	0.24m	89000m	15m/s
14:00 ☾	21%	0%	0.24m	90000m	16m/s
15:00 ☾	25%	0%	0.24m	90000m	17m/s
16:00 ☾	26%	0%	0.24m	90000m	16m/s
17:00 ☾	23%	0%	0.25m	90000m	14m/s
18:00 ☾	20%	0%	0.26m	90000m	13m/s
19:00 ☾	7.6%	0%	0.27m	90000m	12m/s
20:00 ☾	7%	0%	0.28m	90000m	12m/s
21:00 ☾	6.9%	0%	0.28m	90000m	13m/s
22:00 ☾	6.5%	0%	0.29m	90000m	11m/s
23:00 ☾	6.9%	0%	0.29m	90000m	12m/s
Sun, Jan 11 Sunrise 07:01 Sunset 17:04
24:00 ☾	6.9%	0%	0.29m	90000m	15m/s
01:00 ☾	6.9%	0%	0.29m	90000m	17m/s
02:00 ☾	7%	0%	0.29m	73535m	14m/s
03:00 ☾	7.1%	0%	0.29m	57070m	11m/s
04:00 ☾	9.3%	0%	0.29m	40605m	7m/s
05:00 ☾	6.3%	0%	0.29m	24140m	3.7m/s
06:00 ☾	6.3%	0%	0.29m	24140m	4m/s
07:00 ☾	21%	0%	0.29m	24140m	4.1m/s
08:00 ☾	19%	0%	0.28m	24140m	4.1m/s
09:00 ☾	16%	0%	0.28m	24140m	4.1m/s
10:00 ☾	16%	0%	0.27m	24140m	3.7m/s
11:00 ☾	14%	0%	0.25m	24140m	3.4m/s
12:00 ☾	14%	0%	0.24m	24140m	3.1m/s
13:00 ☾	14%	0%	0.22m	24140m	2.7m/s
14:00 ☾	18%	0%	0.22m	24140m	2.6m/s
15:00 ☾	17%	0%	0.21m	24140m	2.7m/s
16:00 ☾	29%	0%	0.21m	24140m	2m/s
17:00 ☾	31%	0%	0.22m	24140m	2.2m/s
18:00 ☾	25%	0%	0.22m	24140m	2.9m/s
19:00 ☾	6.5%	0%	0.23m	24140m	3.5m/s
20:00 ☾	6.4%	0%	0.24m	24140m	3.8m/s
21:00 ☾	6.4%	0%	0.25m	24140m	3.8m/s
22:00 ☾	9.4%	0%	0.26m	24140m	3.8m/s
23:00 ☾	9.3%	0%	0.27m	24140m	3.7m/s
Mon, Jan 12 Sunrise 07:01 Sunset 17:05
24:00 ☾	6.3%	0%	0.27m	24140m	3.6m/s
01:00 ☾	6.3%	0%	0.28m	24140m	3.5m/s
02:00 ☾	6.2%	0%	0.28m	24140m	3.5m/s
03:00 ☾	6.8%	0%	0.28m	24140m	3.5m/s
04:00 ☾	6.3%	0%	0.28m	24140m	3.4m/s
05:00 ☾	6.8%	0%	0.28m	24140m	3.4m/s
06:00 ☾	5.4%	0%	0.29m	24140m	3.4m/s
07:00 ☾	15%	0%	0.29m	24140m	3.4m/s
08:00 ☾	14%	0%	0.29m	24140m	3.4m/s
09:00 ☾	12%	0%	0.29m	24140m	3.3m/s
10:00 ☾	-	0%	0.29m	24140m	2.9m/s

How to read: colored cells show whether each rule requirement is met; highlighted rows mean all requirements match (an opportunity).

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