Skip to content
✨ New: PhotoWeather is now available on iOS and Android
Rule Dramatic Seascapes

Kiama - Dramatic Seascapes - Australian Coast

Kiama, New South Wales, Australia

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

No opportunities right now
Here’s what usually blocks matches

No Dramatic Seascapes opportunities in the next 14 days

Get notified
Free alerts · takes 30 seconds
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
Precipitation Chance 18% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Wave Height1.6m
Swell Height1.0m
Wind Speed2.0m/s (calm conditions)
Cloud Cover5%

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.

Create your own Dramatic Seascapes alerts

Get notified when these conditions match at your own locations.

Get this template

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%
Wed, Apr 8
17:0032%1.6m24135m2.1m/s0%
18:0034%1.6m24134m0.5m/s0%
19:0011%1.6m24135m1m/s0%
20:0011%1.6m24134m1.5m/s0%
21:0011%1.6m24135m1.5m/s0%
22:0012%1.5m24134m1.2m/s0%
23:0011%1.5m24134m1.4m/s0%
Thu, Apr 9
24:0011%1.5m24134m1.6m/s0%
01:0011%1.5m24135m1.5m/s0%
02:0015%1.5m24135m1.7m/s0%
03:0012%1.6m24134m1.8m/s0%
04:0013%1.6m24135m1.7m/s0%
05:0013%1.6m24135m1.1m/s0%
06:0050%1.5m24134m1.4m/s0%
07:0044%1.5m24134m1.8m/s0%
08:0030%1.5m24135m1.7m/s0%
09:0025%1.5m24135m1.5m/s0%
10:0025%1.5m24135m3.1m/s0%
11:0026%1.6m24134m4.1m/s0%
12:0026%1.6m24134m4.8m/s0%
13:0026%1.6m24135m5.5m/s0%
14:0025%1.6m24134m4.8m/s0%
15:0029%1.6m24135m5.3m/s0%
16:0029%1.6m24134m5.5m/s0%
17:0033%1.6m24135m3m/s0%
18:0034%1.7m24135m2.9m/s0%
19:0012%1.7m24134m2.4m/s0%
20:0012%1.7m24135m3.4m/s0%
21:0012%1.7m24134m3.1m/s0%
22:0012%1.7m24134m2.2m/s0%
23:0011%1.6m24135m2.6m/s21%
Fri, Apr 10
24:0013%1.6m24135m3.4m/s43%
01:0011%1.6m24135m4.2m/s64%
02:0013%1.6m24134m3.3m/s70%
03:0011%1.6m24135m2m/s76%
04:0011%1.7m24135m2.3m/s83%
05:0012%1.7m24135m4.3m/s55%
06:0035%1.7m24135m4.8m/s28%
07:0034%1.7m24134m10m/s0%
08:0028%1.7m24134m10m/s0%
09:0026%1.7m24135m12m/s0%
10:0027%1.8m24134m9.5m/s0%
11:0027%1.8m24135m12m/s0%
12:0029%1.8m24135m12m/s0%
13:0027%1.8m24135m12m/s0%
14:0025%1.8m24134m12m/s13%
15:0031%1.8m24135m13m/s26%
16:0030%1.8m24135m8.8m/s39%
17:0034%1.8m24134m6.1m/s39%
18:0033%1.8m24134m2.3m/s39%
19:0015%1.8m24135m2.1m/s39%
20:0011%1.8m24135m4.4m/s39%
21:0011%1.8m24135m5.5m/s39%
22:0014%1.9m24135m9.8m/s39%
23:0011%1.9m24135m12m/s26%
Sat, Apr 11
24:0011%1.9m24134m11m/s13%
01:0011%1.9m24135m9.6m/s0%
02:0011%1.9m24134m9.1m/s0%
03:0011%1.9m24135m9m/s0%
04:0011%1.9m24134m9.5m/s0%
05:0011%2m24135m12m/s0%
06:0036%2m24135m12m/s0%
07:0037%2.1m24134m12m/s0%
08:0031%2.1m24135m13m/s0%
09:0028%2.1m24135m11m/s0%
10:0028%2.2m24134m10m/s0%
11:0025%2.2m24135m10m/s0%
12:0025%2.2m24134m9.8m/s0%
13:0025%2.2m24135m9.5m/s0%
14:0025%2.3m24134m9.2m/s0%
15:0029%2.3m24135m9m/s0%
16:0029%2.3m24135m9.8m/s0%
17:0037%2.4m24134m11m/s0%
18:0035%2.4m24134m12m/s0%
19:0012%2.4m24134m13m/s0%
20:0012%2.4m24135m13m/s0%
21:0012%2.4m24135m13m/s0%
22:0012%2.4m24134m12m/s0%
23:0012%2.5m24134m13m/s0%
Sun, Apr 12
24:0013%2.5m24135m15m/s0%
01:0015%2.5m24135m16m/s0%
02:0014%2.5m24135m15m/s0%
03:0012%2.5m24135m14m/s0%
04:0013%2.5m24135m13m/s0%
05:0013%2.6m24135m12m/s0%
06:0036%2.6m24135m12m/s0%
07:0035%2.6m24135m11m/s0%
08:0029%2.6m24135m12m/s0%
09:0029%2.6m24135m12m/s0%
10:0026%2.5m24135m13m/s0%
11:0026%2.6m24135m13m/s0%
12:0025%2.6m24135m13m/s0%
13:0025%2.7m24135m13m/s0%
14:0027%2.7m24135m13m/s10%
15:0033%2.7m24135m13m/s20%
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
Thu, Apr 9 Sunrise 06:15 Sunset 17:40
17:00
5% 0% 5% 1m 43° 0.005 7.6° 5% 31° 2m/s 1.3m 9.9s
18:00
1% 0% 5% 1m 42° 0.005 -4.6° 5% 2.4m/s 1.3m 9.9s
19:00
5% 0% 5% 1m 42° 0.006 -17° 5% 354° 2.3m/s 1.3m 9.9s
20:00
5% 2% 5% 1m 41° 0.007 -29° 5% 356° 2.5m/s 1.3m 9.9s
21:00
4% 1% 5% 1m 40° 0.007 -41° 6% 341° 2.3m/s 1.3m 10s
22:00
4% 3% 5% 1m 39° 0.006 -52° 5% 331° 2.2m/s 1.3m 10s
23:00
9% 3% 2% 0.99m 39° 0.005 -60° 9% 341° 2m/s 1.3m 10s
Fri, Apr 10 Sunrise 06:15 Sunset 17:40
24:00
11% 2% 15% 0.99m 39° 0.005 -63° 16% 355° 2.4m/s 1.3m 10s
01:00
93% 0% 99% 0.98m 39° 0.004 -60° 99% 346° 2.6m/s 1.3m 10s
02:00
100% 5% 71% 0.97m 142° 0.004 -51° 100% 331° 2.3m/s 1.3m 9.1s
03:00
100% 4% 100% 0.96m 245° 0.005 -40° 100% 282° 1.9m/s 1.3m 8s
04:00
100% 5% 100% 0.95m 348° 0.004 -29° 100% 281° 1.7m/s 1.4m 7s
05:00
100% 5% 90% 0.94m 330° 0.005 -16° 100% 270° 2.2m/s 1.4m 6.4s
06:00
100% 4% 29% 0.92m 311° 0.005 -4° 100% 287° 2.4m/s 1.4m 5.9s
07:00
100% 4% 100% 0.91m 293° 0.004 8.2° 100% 281° 2.8m/s 1.4m 5.4s
08:00
100% 6% 100% 0.9m 293° 0.004 20° 100% 271° 3m/s 1.5m 5.4s
09:00
100% 4% 95% 0.88m 292° 0.004 30° 100% 323° 3.6m/s 1.5m 5.5s
10:00
100% 0% 100% 0.87m 292° 0.004 39° 100% 357° 3.1m/s 1.5m 5.5s
11:00
100% 2% 83% 0.86m 292° 0.004 45° 100% 340° 3.4m/s 1.5m 5.6s
12:00
100% 24% 43% 0.85m 291° 0.004 47° 100% 349° 3.4m/s 1.6m 5.6s
13:00
100% 0% 56% 0.84m 291° 0.004 45° 100% 324° 2.9m/s 1.6m 5.7s
14:00
100% 0% 1% 0.83m 291° 0.003 39° 100% 312° 3.1m/s 1.6m 5.7s
15:00
100% 0% 0% 0.83m 292° 0.002 30° 100% 298° 2.7m/s 1.6m 5.7s
16:00
100% 0% 0% 0.82m 292° 0.002 19° 100% 321° 1.4m/s 1.6m 5.8s
17:00
100% 0% 0% 0.82m 291° 0.002 7.3° 100% 311° 1.7m/s 1.6m 5.8s
18:00
83% 0% 0% 0.81m 291° 0.002 -4.9° 83% 310° 1.7m/s 1.6m 5.8s
19:00
42% 0% 0% 0.81m 290° 0.002 -17° 42% 267° 2.1m/s 1.6m 5.9s
20:00
0% 0% 0% 0.81m 291° 0.002 -30° 0% 266° 2.6m/s 1.6m 5.9s
21:00
3% 0% 0% 0.81m 291° 0.002 -41° 3% 270° 3m/s 1.6m 5.9s
22:00
80% 1% 2% 0.81m 292° 0.003 -52° 80% 273° 3.2m/s 1.7m 5.9s
23:00
7% 0% 0% 0.81m 292° - -60° 7% 274° 4.4m/s 1.7m 6s
Sat, Apr 11 Sunrise 06:16 Sunset 17:39
24:00
100% 0% 0% 0.81m 292° - -63° 100% 271° 4.2m/s 1.7m 6s
01:00
96% 0% 0% 0.81m 292° - -60° 96% 268° 3.6m/s 1.7m 6s
02:00
0% 0% 0% 0.81m 293° - -51° 0% 269° 3.3m/s 1.7m 6s
03:00
0% 0% 0% 0.81m 294° - -41° 0% 272° 3m/s 1.7m 6s
04:00
0% 0% 0% 0.81m 294° - -29° 0% 269° 3.1m/s 1.7m 6s
05:00
0% 0% 0% 0.81m 294° - -16° 0% 262° 3.8m/s 1.8m 6.1s
06:00
0% 0% 0% 0.8m 294° - -4.1° 0% 262° 3.6m/s 1.9m 6.1s
07:00
0% 0% 0% 0.8m 294° - 0% 258° 3.6m/s 1.9m 6.1s
08:00
0% 0% 0% 0.8m 291° - 19° 0% 258° 4.3m/s 2m 6.2s
09:00
0% 0% 0% 0.8m 289° - 30° 0% 253° 4.7m/s 2m 6.3s
10:00
0% 1% 0% 0.8m 287° - 39° 1% 254° 4.9m/s 2m 6.4s
11:00
0% 0% 0% 0.8m 287° - 45° 0% 257° 5.2m/s 2m 6.4s
12:00
0% 0% 2% 0.81m 287° - 47° 2% 263° 5.3m/s 2.1m 6.5s
13:00
0% 0% 0% 0.81m 287° - 45° 0% 264° 5.3m/s 2.1m 6.5s
14:00
0% 0% 0% 0.82m 287° - 38° 0% 265° 5.1m/s 2.1m 6.5s
15:00
0% 0% 0% 0.82m 287° - 29° 0% 266° 4.9m/s 2.1m 6.6s
16:00
0% 0% 0% 0.83m 288° - 19° 0% 267° 5m/s 2.2m 6.6s
17:00
0% 0% 0% 0.83m 287° - 0% 271° 5.6m/s 2.2m 6.7s
18:00
0% 0% 0% 0.83m 287° - -5.2° 0% 274° 5.9m/s 2.2m 6.7s
19:00
0% 0% 0% 0.83m 286° - -18° 0% 276° 5.9m/s 2.3m 6.8s
20:00
0% 0% 0% 0.83m 287° - -30° 0% 277° 6m/s 2.3m 6.8s
21:00
0% 0% 2% 0.82m 287° - -42° 2% 273° 5.8m/s 2.3m 6.8s
22:00
0% 0% 1% 0.82m 288° - -52° 1% 271° 4.7m/s 2.3m 6.9s
23:00
0% 0% 8% 0.82m 288° - -61° 8% 272° 7.3m/s 2.3m 6.9s
Sun, Apr 12 Sunrise 06:17 Sunset 17:38
24:00
0% 0% 15% 0.81m 289° - -64° 15% 273° 10m/s 2.4m 7s
01:00
0% 0% 22% 0.81m 290° - -60° 22% 274° 13m/s 2.4m 7s
02:00
0% 0% 14% 0.82m 289° - -52° 14% 267° 12m/s 2.4m 7s
03:00
0% 0% 7% 0.82m 289° - -41° 7% 260° 11m/s 2.4m 7.1s
04:00
0% 0% 0% 0.83m 288° - -29° 0% 253° 11m/s 2.4m 7.1s
05:00
0% 2% 0% 0.83m 286° - -17° 2% 253° 11m/s 2.4m 7.2s
06:00
0% 3% 0% 0.84m 284° - -4.3° 3% 252° 10m/s 2.4m 7.2s
07:00
0% 5% 0% 0.84m 282° - 7.8° 5% 252° 10m/s 2.5m 7.3s
08:00
0% 4% 0% 0.85m 282° - 19° 4% 255° 11m/s 2.4m 7.3s
09:00
0% 3% 0% 0.87m 282° - 30° 3% 257° 12m/s 2.4m 7.3s
10:00
0% 2% 0% 0.88m 282° - 39° 2% 260° 13m/s 2.4m 7.3s
11:00
0% 1% 0% 0.9m 282° - 45° 1% 257° 12m/s 2.4m 7.3s
12:00
0% 1% 0% 0.91m 282° - 47° 1% 255° 12m/s 2.5m 7.3s
13:00
0% 0% 0% 0.93m 283° - 44° 0% 253° 12m/s 2.5m 7.3s
14:00
0% 0% 0% 0.95m 283° - 38° 0% 250° 11m/s 2.5m 7.3s
15:00
0% 0% 0% 0.96m 282° - 29° 0% 248° 11m/s 2.5m 7.3s
16:00
0% 0% 0% 0.98m 282° - 18° 0% 246° 10m/s 2.5m 7.3s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

Get Notified of Opportunities

Create your own custom alerts for this location and more.

Create Free Account