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Rule Dramatic Seascapes

Byron Bay - Dramatic Seascapes - Australian Coast

Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia

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

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Here’s what usually blocks matches

No Dramatic Seascapes opportunities in the next 14 days

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Rule requirements (key thresholds)
Coastal Drama Score · ≥ 75.0% Significant Wave Height · ≥ 1.5m Visibility · ≥ 5000.0m Wind Gusts · ≤ 22.0m/s

Tip: Scroll down to the 72-hour table to see exactly which condition fails hour by hour.

Most common blockers (next 72 hours)
Coastal Drama Score 100% failing
Significant Wave Height 100% failing
Precipitation Chance 76% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Wave Height0.1m
Swell Height0.1m
Wind Speed1.3m/s (calm conditions)
Cloud Cover99%

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Australia/Sydney

No opportunities in the next 10 days

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

What this forecast looks for

Plain-language explanation from the rule

This forecast tracks the conditions that bring Australia's dramatic coastline to life—from Sydney Harbour's iconic landmarks to the towering limestone stacks of the Great Ocean Road. We monitor swell patterns, wind conditions, and tidal ranges to predict when the coast will deliver spectacular photography opportunities.

Australia's eastern coastline offers extraordinary variety over thousands of kilometers. The Twelve Apostles and Great Ocean Road showcase some of Earth's most dramatic coastal erosion, where Southern Ocean swells have carved towering limestone stacks. Sydney Harbour combines natural drama with iconic architecture. Further north, Byron Bay and the Sunshine Coast offer subtropical character with dramatic headlands and powerful surf.

What makes Australian coastal photography exceptional:

  • Twelve Apostles - Massive limestone stacks rising from the Southern Ocean, constantly reshaped by powerful swells
  • Sydney Harbour icons - Opera House and Harbour Bridge frame natural harbor drama with world-famous architecture
  • Rock platforms - Wollongong, Kiama, and countless beaches offer wave-washed platforms for long exposure photography
  • Diverse conditions - From subtropical Byron Bay to temperate Melbourne coast, variety spans climate zones

Best dramatic conditions occur during and after low-pressure systems bringing large swells, typically April through September. The Southern Ocean generates powerful groundswells that create spectacular wave action on the Victorian and southern NSW coasts. Sydney Harbour catches dramatic light year-round. Always respect ocean conditions—rogue waves are deadly on exposed platforms.

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72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour
0matching hours in the next 95 hours
AND logic: all conditions required
Meets requirement
Misses requirement
Time
Australia/Sydney
Coastal Drama Score
≥ 75.0%
Significant Wave Height
≥ 1.5m
Visibility
≥ 5000.0m
Wind Gusts
≤ 22.0m/s
Precipitation Chance
≤ 30.0%
Sun, Feb 22
06:0011%0.41m24135m1m/s0%
07:0014%0.44m24134m0.74m/s0%
08:0013%0.48m24135m2m/s0%
09:0013%0.45m24135m3.9m/s0%
10:007.8%0.42m24135m3.4m/s0%
11:008.1%0.43m24135m3.9m/s0%
12:004.9%0.35m24135m4.4m/s0%
13:004.9%0.24m24134m4.6m/s0%
14:005.1%0.17m24135m4.7m/s0%
15:006%0.15m24134m4.9m/s0%
16:007.3%0.13m24135m5.3m/s0%
17:005.5%0.17m24134m5.5m/s0%
18:007.1%0.15m24134m6.3m/s2.3%
19:009.2%0.14m24134m7.8m/s4.7%
20:008.9%0.12m24135m8.7m/s7%
21:003.5%0.11m24135m8.9m/s18%
22:003.5%0.11m24135m8.7m/s28%
23:006.2%0.11m24134m9m/s39%
Mon, Feb 23
24:006.6%0.11m24135m6.9m/s81%
01:006.6%0.1m24135m5.7m/s80%
02:009.2%0.1m24135m4.9m/s79%
03:008.4%0.1m24135m4.9m/s84%
04:007.6%0.1m24135m1.8m/s88%
05:004.3%0.09m24135m1.1m/s93%
06:007.9%0.1m24134m1.6m/s80%
07:008.1%0.12m24134m1.7m/s67%
08:008%0.13m24135m1.5m/s54%
09:006.8%0.13m24135m1.6m/s57%
10:0010%0.12m24135m1.8m/s61%
11:005.6%0.12m24135m2.8m/s64%
12:0011%0.11m24135m3.5m/s43%
13:009.8%0.09m24135m3.4m/s21%
14:005.8%0.08m24135m3.3m/s0%
15:005.2%0.08m24134m3.9m/s0%
16:006.3%0.09m24135m4.6m/s0%
17:006.3%0.09m24134m5.1m/s0%
18:007.4%0.1m24135m6.3m/s6.3%
19:009.6%0.1m24134m7.4m/s13%
20:0011%0.11m24135m8.1m/s19%
21:004%0.11m24134m8.1m/s31%
22:004.6%0.11m24134m7.6m/s44%
23:003.9%0.11m24135m6.5m/s56%
Tue, Feb 24
24:004.5%0.1m24134m5.6m/s58%
01:003.3%0.1m24135m5.3m/s59%
02:003.3%0.09m24135m3.5m/s61%
03:003.3%0.09m24134m3.9m/s72%
04:003.1%0.08m24134m1m/s83%
05:003.2%0.08m24134m0.8m/s95%
06:007.8%0.09m24135m0.2m/s86%
07:008.8%0.09m24135m0.41m/s78%
08:006.8%0.1m24135m1.3m/s70%
09:007%0.1m24135m3.2m/s69%
10:008.6%0.09m24134m3.4m/s68%
11:006.4%0.09m24135m4m/s67%
12:005%0.08m24134m4.1m/s63%
13:004.1%0.08m24135m4.3m/s60%
14:004.1%0.07m24135m4.3m/s56%
15:004.1%0.07m24135m4.2m/s61%
16:005.4%0.07m24135m4.1m/s66%
17:009.6%0.07m24135m4.1m/s71%
18:008.4%0.09m24134m3.9m/s71%
19:009.6%0.12m24134m5.2m/s71%
20:007.8%0.14m23662m2.3m/s72%
21:002.4%0.13m23338m1.8m/s78%
22:002.8%0.12m24134m1.1m/s84%
23:002.8%0.11m24135m1m/s90%
Wed, Feb 25
24:003.2%0.1m24134m0.72m/s80%
01:003.3%0.09m13177m0.81m/s70%
02:003.5%0.08m11289m0.81m/s60%
03:002.4%0.09m14167m0.72m/s64%
04:003.3%0.11m23346m0.91m/s68%
05:002.5%0.12m23727m1.7m/s72%
06:007.1%0.13m24124m2.4m/s55%
07:009.6%0.14m24134m0.81m/s39%
08:007.4%0.15m24134m3m/s22%
09:007.5%0.17m24134m4.6m/s28%
10:007%0.18m24134m2.9m/s33%
11:005.1%0.2m24135m2.8m/s39%
12:007%0.19m24135m2.2m/s26%
13:009.6%0.17m24135m1.6m/s13%
14:009.1%0.16m24135m1m/s0%
15:006.4%0.15m24135m1m/s33%
16:006%0.14m24135m1m/s67%
17:005%0.13m24135m1m/s100%
18:007.4%0.12m24135m1.1m/s73%
19:0010%0.11m24135m1.2m/s45%
20:0018%0.1m24135m1.3m/s18%
21:003.6%0.11m24135m2.2m/s22%
22:003.6%0.11m24135m3.1m/s26%
23:002.6%0.12m24135m4.1m/s29%
Thu, Feb 26
24:002.6%0.12m24135m4.4m/s34%
01:002.7%0.13m24135m4.8m/s39%
02:003.1%0.13m24135m5.1m/s43%
03:003.1%0.14m24135m5.5m/s50%
04:002.6%0.15m24135m5.8m/s57%
How to read: colored cells show whether each predicate requirement is met; highlighted rows mean the full rule matched (an opportunity).

What does Coastal Drama Score mean?

Inputs that drive the score

This derived score summarizes multiple raw weather signals. The table below shows the supporting inputs hour by hour, so you can see what's pushing the score up or down.

Time
Australia/Sydney
High Clouds
%
Low Clouds
%
Mid-Level Clouds
%
Primary Swell Height
m
Primary Wave Direction
°
Sea Salt AOD (550nm)
Solar Elevation
°
Total Cloud Coverage
%
Wind Direction
°
Wind Speed
m/s
Wind Wave Height
m
Wind Wave Period
s
Mon, Feb 23 Sunrise 06:33 Sunset 19:25
06:00
5% 99% 5% 0.08m 181° 0.04 -7.8° 99% 261° 1.3m/s 0.1m 2s
07:00
5% 100% 3% 0.08m 257° 0.04 5.1° 100% 267° 1m/s 0.1m 1.7s
08:00
7% 90% 5% 0.08m 334° 0.04 18° 90% 255° 0.97m/s 0.1m 1.5s
09:00
5% 80% 2% 0.08m 333° 0.03 31° 80% 238° 1.2m/s 0.1m 1.5s
10:00
91% 82% 19% 0.07m 333° 0.04 44° 91% 156° 0.41m/s 0.1m 1.6s
11:00
100% 26% 41% 0.07m 332° 0.03 56° 100% 84° 1.9m/s 0.1m 1.6s
12:00
37% 28% 65% 0.07m 264° 0.03 67° 65% 73° 3.4m/s 0.1m 2.6s
13:00
45% 40% 37% 0.07m 196° 0.03 71° 53% 63° 3.9m/s 0.09m 3.6s
14:00
88% 8% 5% 0.07m 128° 0.03 66° 88% 59° 4.3m/s 0.09m 4.5s
15:00
100% 0% 5% 0.07m 133° 0.03 56° 100% 58° 4.3m/s 0.1m 3.9s
16:00
100% 0% 5% 0.07m 138° 0.03 44° 100% 56° 4.3m/s 0.1m 3.2s
17:00
100% 0% 10% 0.07m 143° 0.03 31° 100% 56° 4m/s 0.11m 2.6s
18:00
100% 0% 68% 0.07m 152° 0.03 18° 100% 53° 3.7m/s 0.11m 2.3s
19:00
100% 0% 25% 0.07m 161° 0.04 4.6° 100% 44° 3.4m/s 0.11m 2.1s
20:00
100% 22% 14% 0.07m 170° 0.04 -8.4° 100% 39° 3.2m/s 0.11m 1.8s
21:00
100% 32% 95% 0.07m 165° 0.04 -21° 100% 43° 2.8m/s 0.11m 1.9s
22:00
78% 37% 65% 0.08m 160° 0.04 -32° 78% 48° 2.5m/s 0.11m 2s
23:00
83% 39% 53% 0.08m 154° 0.04 -42° 83% 46° 1.8m/s 0.11m 2.1s
Tue, Feb 24 Sunrise 06:33 Sunset 19:24
24:00
5% 37% 44% 0.08m 154° 0.05 -49° 52% 53° 1.6m/s 0.1m 2.5s
01:00
100% 43% 72% 0.07m 154° 0.05 -52° 100% 45° 1.4m/s 0.09m 2.8s
02:00
100% 55% 12% 0.07m 154° 0.05 -49° 100% 60° 1.3m/s 0.08m 3.2s
03:00
100% 37% 55% 0.07m 155° 0.05 -42° 100% 56° 1.3m/s 0.07m 3.3s
04:00
100% 26% 69% 0.06m 155° 0.05 -32° 100% 44° 0.89m/s 0.07m 3.5s
05:00
100% 1% 45% 0.06m 156° 0.05 -20° 100% 29° 0.83m/s 0.06m 3.6s
06:00
99% 4% 57% 0.06m 154° 0.05 -8° 99% 107° 0.13m/s 0.07m 3.6s
07:00
99% 68% 62% 0.06m 152° 0.05 99% 135° 0.4m/s 0.08m 3.5s
08:00
100% 89% 18% 0.06m 150° 0.05 18° 100% 125° 0.6m/s 0.09m 3.4s
09:00
100% 70% 58% 0.06m 191° 0.05 31° 100% 94° 0.93m/s 0.08m 2.9s
10:00
94% 7% 5% 0.06m 231° 0.05 44° 94% 78° 1.8m/s 0.08m 2.4s
11:00
0% 2% 5% 0.06m 271° 0.04 56° 5% 83° 2.7m/s 0.07m 1.9s
12:00
0% 0% 5% 0.06m 227° - 66° 5% 85° 3.1m/s 0.07m 2.2s
13:00
0% 0% 5% 0.07m 183° - 71° 5% 92° 3.4m/s 0.06m 2.5s
14:00
0% 0% 5% 0.07m 139° - 66° 5% 93° 3.8m/s 0.06m 2.8s
15:00
0% 0% 5% 0.07m 135° - 56° 5% 94° 3.8m/s 0.06m 4.5s
16:00
0% 1% 5% 0.07m 130° - 43° 5% 95° 3.6m/s 0.07m 6.3s
17:00
0% 14% 5% 0.07m 126° - 31° 14% 98° 3.4m/s 0.07m 8s
18:00
0% 21% 0% 0.07m 137° - 17° 21% 99° 3m/s 0.09m 6.1s
19:00
0% 11% 0% 0.08m 147° - 4.4° 11% 98° 2.1m/s 0.1m 4.2s
20:00
0% 11% 0% 0.08m 158° - -8.6° 11% 90° 1.3m/s 0.12m 2.2s
21:00
0% 0% 3% 0.08m 157° - -21° 3% 63° 1.2m/s 0.11m 2.3s
22:00
0% 0% 4% 0.08m 156° - -33° 4% 36° 1.1m/s 0.1m 2.4s
23:00
0% 5% 4% 0.08m 155° - -42° 5% 28° 1m/s 0.09m 2.4s
Wed, Feb 25 Sunrise 06:34 Sunset 19:23
24:00
0% 27% 2% 0.08m 146° - -49° 27% 33° 0.74m/s 0.08m 4.2s
01:00
0% 66% 0% 0.08m 136° - -52° 66% 46° 0.75m/s 0.08m 6s
02:00
0% 63% 39% 0.08m 126° - -49° 63% 37° 0.78m/s 0.07m 7.8s
03:00
0% 97% 0% 0.08m 193° - -42° 97% 50° 0.67m/s 0.08m 5.8s
04:00
0% 100% 0% 0.09m 259° - -32° 100% 63° 0.81m/s 0.09m 3.8s
05:00
0% 100% 0% 0.09m 326° - -21° 100% 84° 0.91m/s 0.1m 1.8s
06:00
0% 97% 0% 0.08m 328° - -8.1° 97% 84° 0.82m/s 0.11m 2s
07:00
0% 99% 0% 0.08m 329° - 4.9° 99% 104° 0.73m/s 0.13m 2.1s
08:00
0% 88% 0% 0.07m 331° - 18° 88% 91° 0.97m/s 0.14m 2.3s
09:00
0% 80% 0% 0.07m 326° - 31° 80% 84° 1.3m/s 0.16m 2.2s
10:00
0% 90% 0% 0.08m 320° - 44° 90% 85° 2.1m/s 0.17m 2.1s
11:00
0% 99% 0% 0.08m 315° - 56° 99% 91° 2.5m/s 0.19m 2s
12:00
16% 66% 0% 0.08m 311° - 66° 82% 110° 2m/s 0.18m 2s
13:00
31% 33% 0% 0.07m 306° - 70° 64% 128° 1.5m/s 0.16m 2s
14:00
47% 0% 0% 0.07m 302° - 66° 47% 147° 1m/s 0.15m 2s
15:00
63% 2% 0% 0.07m 248° - 55° 63% 167° 1m/s 0.14m 2.4s
16:00
79% 5% 0% 0.07m 194° - 43° 79% 187° 1.1m/s 0.12m 2.8s
17:00
96% 7% 0% 0.07m 140° - 30° 96% 207° 1.1m/s 0.11m 3.3s
18:00
88% 15% 0% 0.07m 135° - 17° 88% 213° 1.2m/s 0.11m 5s
19:00
80% 22% 0% 0.08m 130° - 4.2° 80% 218° 1.3m/s 0.1m 6.6s
20:00
73% 30% 0% 0.08m 125° - -8.8° 73% 223° 1.4m/s 0.1m 8.3s
21:00
49% 53% 0% 0.08m 129° - -21° 82% 222° 1.4m/s 0.11m 6.8s
22:00
24% 77% 0% 0.07m 133° - -33° 91% 222° 1.4m/s 0.12m 5.2s
23:00
0% 100% 0% 0.07m 136° - -43° 100% 221° 1.5m/s 0.13m 3.7s
Thu, Feb 26 Sunrise 06:35 Sunset 19:22
24:00
14% 99% 0% 0.07m 188° - -50° 99% 219° 1.6m/s 0.12m 3.2s
01:00
27% 97% 0% 0.07m 239° - -52° 97% 217° 1.7m/s 0.12m 2.7s
02:00
41% 96% 0% 0.07m 291° - -50° 96% 215° 1.8m/s 0.11m 2.2s
03:00
28% 96% 0% 0.07m 293° - -42° 96% 196° 2.4m/s 0.12m 2.2s
04:00
14% 97% 0% 0.07m 295° - -32° 97% 178° 3m/s 0.13m 2.2s
05:00
0% 98% 0% 0.07m 297° - -21° 98% 159° 3.7m/s 0.14m 2.3s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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