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Rule Dramatic Seascapes

Melbourne - Dramatic Seascapes - Australian Coast

Melbourne, Victoria, 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

Currently

Real-time conditions
Wave Height0.3m
Swell Height0.1m
Wind Speed1.9m/s (calm conditions)
Cloud Cover5%

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Australia/Melbourne

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/Melbourne
Coastal Drama Score
≥ 75.0%
Significant Wave Height
≥ 1.5m
Visibility
≥ 5000.0m
Wind Gusts
≤ 22.0m/s
Precipitation Chance
≤ 30.0%
Sun, Apr 19
18:0011%0.58m24134m1m/s0%
19:003.3%0.64m24134m1m/s0%
20:003.8%0.7m24135m1.3m/s0%
21:004.3%0.74m24134m1.6m/s0%
22:004.3%0.88m24135m2.8m/s0%
23:003.8%0.83m24134m2.8m/s0%
Mon, Apr 20
24:004.3%0.78m24134m2.2m/s0%
01:003.8%0.73m24134m2m/s0%
02:003.8%0.67m24134m2.2m/s0%
03:004.1%0.6m24135m2.1m/s0%
04:005.5%0.58m24135m1.6m/s0%
05:004.1%0.55m24135m1.3m/s0%
06:0012%0.52m24135m1.2m/s0%
07:0019%0.49m24135m1.3m/s0%
08:0017%0.46m24135m1.3m/s0%
09:009.8%0.44m24135m0.51m/s0%
10:006.3%0.44m24134m0.5m/s0%
11:008.4%0.29m24135m1.5m/s0%
12:008.3%0.21m24135m1.6m/s0%
13:009.4%0.19m24134m1.8m/s0%
14:008.3%0.2m24135m2.2m/s0%
15:007.4%0.24m24135m2.7m/s0%
16:006.4%0.24m24134m3.2m/s0%
17:007.7%0.24m24135m3.5m/s0%
18:008.8%0.26m24134m4.1m/s0%
19:002.7%0.28m24135m4.2m/s0%
20:003.1%0.26m24135m3.4m/s0%
21:002.7%0.25m24134m2.1m/s0%
22:002.8%0.23m24135m0.6m/s0%
23:003%0.21m24134m0.6m/s0%
Tue, Apr 21
24:003%0.19m24135m0.81m/s0%
01:004.8%0.17m24134m0.7m/s0%
02:003.5%0.15m24134m0.9m/s0%
03:003.5%0.14m24135m1m/s0%
04:004%0.12m24134m1m/s0%
05:003%0.14m24135m1.4m/s0%
06:008.8%0.15m24134m1.7m/s0%
07:008.8%0.17m24135m1.8m/s0%
08:008.1%0.21m24135m2.6m/s0%
09:006.8%0.26m24134m3.2m/s0%
10:006.2%0.3m24134m4m/s0%
11:006.2%0.33m24135m4.5m/s0%
12:005.7%0.35m24134m4m/s0%
13:005.7%0.38m24135m4m/s0%
14:006.5%0.38m24135m4m/s0%
15:006.8%0.38m24134m3.9m/s0%
16:006.8%0.38m24134m3.6m/s0%
17:008.8%0.36m24135m5.8m/s0%
18:009.6%0.35m24134m6.4m/s0%
19:003.8%0.33m24135m6.4m/s0%
20:002.9%0.32m24134m6.4m/s0%
21:002.9%0.32m24134m5.9m/s0%
22:002.9%0.31m24134m5.6m/s0%
23:002.3%0.33m24134m5.6m/s0%
Wed, Apr 22
24:002.3%0.36m24135m5.6m/s0%
01:002.3%0.38m24134m5.6m/s0%
02:002.3%0.39m24134m6.4m/s0%
03:002.3%0.41m24134m7.1m/s0%
04:002.3%0.42m24134m7.4m/s0%
05:002.6%0.4m24134m7.9m/s0%
06:007.4%0.39m24135m8.5m/s0%
07:008.5%0.37m24135m10m/s0%
08:007.9%0.33m24135m12m/s0%
09:006.5%0.3m24134m12m/s0%
10:005.5%0.26m24135m11m/s0%
11:005.5%0.25m24135m10m/s0%
12:005.8%0.25m24135m8.7m/s0%
13:005.8%0.24m24134m7.6m/s0%
14:006.5%0.34m24135m6.5m/s0%
15:008.8%0.43m24135m6.3m/s0%
16:0011%0.53m24134m6.8m/s0%
17:0013%0.58m24135m7.7m/s0%
18:0014%0.64m24134m6.8m/s0%
19:003.9%0.69m24135m6.6m/s0%
20:006.3%0.66m24135m6.7m/s0%
21:003.9%0.62m24134m7.3m/s0%
22:003.9%0.59m24135m4.8m/s0%
23:005.5%0.52m24135m5.6m/s0%
Thu, Apr 23
24:005.2%0.45m24135m6.4m/s0%
01:003.6%0.38m24135m7.1m/s0%
02:003.6%0.35m24135m6.6m/s0%
03:003.4%0.31m24135m6m/s0%
04:003.4%0.28m24135m5.4m/s0%
05:002.4%0.26m24135m4.7m/s0%
06:005.9%0.23m24135m4m/s0%
07:009.3%0.21m24135m3.2m/s0%
08:007.2%0.2m24135m3.8m/s0%
09:006%0.19m24135m4.4m/s0%
10:007.1%0.18m24135m5m/s0%
11:009.9%0.2m24135m6.2m/s0%
12:009.6%0.22m24135m7.4m/s0%
13:006.8%0.24m24135m8.7m/s0%
14:007.8%0.26m24135m8.5m/s0%
15:0010%0.29m24135m8.3m/s0%
16:0011%0.31m24135m8.1m/s0%
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/Melbourne
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, Apr 20 Sunrise 06:51 Sunset 17:46
18:00
5% 0% 0% 0.06m 194° 0.03 -3.3° 5% 188° 1.9m/s 0.25m 2.9s
19:00
5% 0% 0% 0.06m 192° 0.03 -15° 5% 168° 1.8m/s 0.27m 2.4s
20:00
5% 0% 0% 0.12m 192° 0.03 -27° 5% 161° 1.5m/s 0.25m 2.5s
21:00
5% 0% 0% 0.17m 192° 0.03 -39° 5% 165° 0.93m/s 0.24m 2.6s
22:00
5% 0% 0% 0.23m 192° 0.02 -49° 5% 194° 0.51m/s 0.22m 2.6s
23:00
5% 0% 0% 0.21m 193° 0.02 -58° 5% 232° 0.51m/s 0.16m 2.6s
Tue, Apr 21 Sunrise 06:51 Sunset 17:46
24:00
6% 0% 0% 0.18m 193° 0.02 -63° 6% 277° 0.57m/s 0.11m 2.6s
01:00
39% 0% 0% 0.16m 194° 0.02 -62° 39% 308° 0.59m/s 0.05m 2.7s
02:00
5% 0% 0% 0.15m 194° 0.02 -55° 5% 336° 0.88m/s 0.05m 2.6s
03:00
5% 0% 0% 0.13m 195° 0.02 -46° 5% 335° 0.98m/s 0.06m 2.6s
04:00
5% 0% 0% 0.12m 195° 0.02 -34° 5% 24° 1.1m/s 0.06m 2.6s
05:00
5% 0% 0% 0.11m 139° 0.02 -23° 5% 37° 1.3m/s 0.09m 2.3s
06:00
5% 0% 0% 0.09m 83° 0.02 -11° 5% 39° 1.4m/s 0.13m 2s
07:00
5% 0% 0% 0.08m 26° 0.02 1.1° 5% 41° 1.5m/s 0.16m 1.8s
08:00
5% 0% 0% 0.07m 21° 0.01 12° 5% 43° 1.5m/s 0.21m 2s
09:00
5% 0% 0% 0.06m 15° 0.01 22° 5% 37° 1.8m/s 0.25m 2.2s
10:00
5% 0% 0% 0.05m 10° 0.01 31° 5% 23° 1.9m/s 0.3m 2.4s
11:00
5% 0% 0% 0.05m 13° 0.008 37° 5% 11° 2.4m/s 0.33m 2.5s
12:00
5% 0% 0% 0.06m 15° 0.006 40° 5% 2.7m/s 0.35m 2.7s
13:00
5% 0% 0% 0.06m 18° 0.004 39° 5% 353° 3.1m/s 0.38m 2.8s
14:00
0% 0% 0% 0.06m 20° 0.004 35° 0% 349° 3.2m/s 0.38m 2.8s
15:00
0% 0% 0% 0.07m 22° 0.003 28° 0% 356° 3.4m/s 0.37m 2.9s
16:00
0% 0% 0% 0.07m 23° 0.003 18° 0% 3.2m/s 0.37m 2.9s
17:00
0% 0% 0% 0.07m 22° 0.003 7.8° 0% 13° 2.8m/s 0.35m 2.9s
18:00
0% 0% 0% 0.06m 21° 0.003 -3.5° 0% 2.4m/s 0.34m 2.8s
19:00
76% 0% 0% 0.06m 20° 0.003 -15° 76% 12° 2.4m/s 0.32m 2.8s
20:00
100% 0% 0% 0.06m 18° 0.004 -27° 100% 15° 2.4m/s 0.32m 2.8s
21:00
100% 0% 0% 0.05m 16° 0.004 -39° 100% 23° 2.4m/s 0.31m 2.7s
22:00
100% 0% 0% 0.05m 14° 0.004 -50° 100% 31° 2.4m/s 0.31m 2.7s
23:00
100% 0% 0% 0.05m 15° - -59° 100% 31° 2.4m/s 0.33m 2.7s
Wed, Apr 22 Sunrise 06:51 Sunset 17:45
24:00
100% 0% 0% 0.05m 15° - -64° 100% 37° 2.5m/s 0.36m 2.8s
01:00
100% 0% 0% 0.05m 15° - -63° 100% 35° 2.5m/s 0.38m 2.8s
02:00
100% 0% 0% 0.05m 13° - -56° 100% 31° 2.7m/s 0.39m 2.8s
03:00
100% 0% 0% 0.06m 11° - -46° 100% 26° 2.7m/s 0.4m 2.8s
04:00
100% 0% 0% 0.06m 9.5° - -35° 100% 29° 2.9m/s 0.41m 2.8s
05:00
100% 0% 2% 0.14m 9.6° - -23° 100% 22° 2.9m/s 0.4m 2.9s
06:00
100% 0% 40% 0.23m 9.8° - -11° 100% 18° 3m/s 0.38m 3s
07:00
100% 0% 100% 0.31m 9.9° - 0.97° 100% 20° 3.3m/s 0.37m 3s
08:00
100% 0% 100% 0.27m 12° - 12° 100% 16° 4m/s 0.31m 3s
09:00
100% 1% 100% 0.22m 14° - 22° 100% 12° 4.2m/s 0.24m 2.9s
10:00
100% 5% 100% 0.18m 16° - 30° 100% 4.6m/s 0.18m 2.9s
11:00
100% 5% 100% 0.17m 16° - 37° 100% 5.1m/s 0.18m 2.8s
12:00
100% 15% 100% 0.17m 15° - 40° 100% 5.3m/s 0.17m 2.7s
13:00
100% 26% 100% 0.16m 15° - 39° 100% 4.9m/s 0.17m 2.7s
14:00
100% 47% 100% 0.13m 73° - 35° 100% 353° 4.5m/s 0.29m 2.8s
15:00
100% 96% 100% 0.09m 131° - 27° 100% 4.2m/s 0.4m 3s
16:00
74% 100% 88% 0.06m 190° - 18° 100% 356° 3.5m/s 0.52m 3.1s
17:00
100% 100% 100% 0.08m 192° - 7.6° 100% 10° 3.6m/s 0.58m 3.3s
18:00
65% 100% 100% 0.11m 194° - -3.8° 100% 346° 2.3m/s 0.63m 3.5s
19:00
0% 26% 100% 0.13m 197° - -16° 100% 30° 2.6m/s 0.69m 3.7s
20:00
60% 34% 64% 0.14m 197° - -27° 65% 35° 3m/s 0.66m 3.7s
21:00
0% 99% 62% 0.14m 198° - -39° 99% 25° 3m/s 0.62m 3.8s
22:00
0% 98% 100% 0.15m 198° - -50° 100% 16° 1.5m/s 0.59m 3.8s
23:00
0% 67% 68% 0.24m 199° - -59° 68% 15° 2.4m/s 0.52m 3.8s
Thu, Apr 23 Sunrise 06:52 Sunset 17:44
24:00
0% 36% 36% 0.32m 201° - -64° 37% 14° 3.3m/s 0.45m 3.8s
01:00
0% 5% 4% 0.41m 202° - -63° 5% 12° 4.2m/s 0.38m 3.7s
02:00
2% 5% 3% 0.37m 203° - -56° 5% 10° 4.1m/s 0.35m 3.8s
03:00
3% 5% 1% 0.32m 204° - -46° 5% 4m/s 0.31m 3.8s
04:00
5% 5% 0% 0.28m 205° - -35° 5% 3.9m/s 0.28m 3.8s
05:00
5% 3% 0% 0.25m 205° - -23° 5% 119° 3.3m/s 0.21m 3.9s
06:00
5% 2% 0% 0.23m 205° - -11° 5% 233° 2.8m/s 0.14m 3.9s
07:00
5% 0% 0% 0.2m 205° - 0.82° 5% 346° 2.2m/s 0.07m 3.9s
08:00
7% 0% 0% 0.18m 205° - 12° 7% 237° 2.9m/s 0.07m 3.9s
09:00
8% 0% 0% 0.17m 205° - 22° 8% 128° 3.7m/s 0.07m 3.8s
10:00
10% 0% 0% 0.15m 204° - 30° 10% 20° 4.4m/s 0.07m 3.8s
11:00
31% 0% 0% 0.14m 148° - 36° 31% 16° 4.8m/s 0.12m 3.2s
12:00
53% 0% 0% 0.12m 91° - 40° 53% 13° 5.2m/s 0.16m 2.6s
13:00
75% 0% 0% 0.11m 35° - 39° 75% 5.7m/s 0.21m 2s
14:00
70% 0% 0% 0.1m 38° - 34° 70% 10° 5.5m/s 0.24m 2.2s
15:00
64% 0% 0% 0.09m 41° - 27° 64% 10° 5.4m/s 0.26m 2.3s
16:00
59% 0% 0% 0.08m 44° - 18° 59% 10° 5.2m/s 0.29m 2.5s
17:00
62% 0% 0% 0.07m 42° - 7.3° 62% 12° 5.4m/s 0.29m 2.5s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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