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Rule Dramatic Seascapes

Wollongong - Dramatic Seascapes - Australian Coast

Wollongong, 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

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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 46% failing
Precipitation Chance 44% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Wave Height1.3m
Swell Height0.5m
Wind Speed1.8m/s (calm conditions)
Cloud Cover100%

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
06:008.8%0.49m24135m2.1m/s0%
07:0013%0.5m24134m2.7m/s0%
08:007.9%0.5m24135m3.3m/s0%
09:007.9%0.51m24135m3.8m/s9.9%
10:006.6%0.52m24135m4.8m/s20%
11:005.1%0.97m24135m6.2m/s30%
12:005.1%0.97m24135m8.4m/s35%
13:0013%1.2m24134m11m/s54%
14:0011%1.2m24135m13m/s72%
15:0014%1.2m24092m12m/s75%
16:0015%1.2m17588m7.7m/s79%
17:0013%1.5m17914m2.3m/s82%
18:0016%1.5m3897m5.6m/s61%
19:0018%1.6m3319m4.2m/s48%
20:0021%1.6m14108m3.7m/s35%
21:008.3%1.6m24135m5.4m/s32%
22:008.3%1.7m24052m5.6m/s29%
23:007.3%1.2m24080m2.9m/s26%
Mon, Feb 23
24:006.1%1.1m24121m5.1m/s31%
01:006.7%1.1m24135m5.3m/s22%
02:006.7%1.1m24135m6m/s14%
03:007.1%1.1m24135m8.1m/s24%
04:007.1%1.1m24135m6.4m/s35%
05:008.1%1.3m24135m2.9m/s46%
06:0026%1.3m24134m1.8m/s42%
07:0029%1.3m24134m1.6m/s37%
08:0035%1.3m24135m2m/s33%
09:0035%1.3m24135m3.7m/s43%
10:0027%1.3m24135m5.3m/s52%
11:0023%1.3m24135m12m/s61%
12:0023%1.2m24135m15m/s46%
13:0023%1.2m24135m15m/s32%
14:0019%1.2m17142m13m/s17%
15:0013%1.2m24134m12m/s19%
16:0013%1.2m17076m12m/s21%
17:0014%1.2m24134m11m/s24%
18:0017%1.2m24135m11m/s20%
19:0020%1.3m24134m11m/s17%
20:0019%1.3m24135m10m/s14%
21:006.7%1.3m24134m9.3m/s26%
22:006.3%1.4m24134m8.4m/s38%
23:007.1%1.4m24135m8.2m/s50%
Tue, Feb 24
24:007.1%1.4m24134m8.1m/s33%
01:007.1%1.4m24135m7.9m/s17%
02:007.1%1.4m24135m7.5m/s0%
03:007.1%1.4m24134m6.4m/s0%
04:007.1%1.4m24134m5.4m/s0%
05:007.1%1.5m24134m4.4m/s0%
06:0018%1.5m24135m3.9m/s0%
07:0024%1.5m24135m3.2m/s0%
08:0022%1.5m24135m2.1m/s0%
09:0028%1.5m24135m1.1m/s0%
10:0016%1.5m24134m1.2m/s0%
11:0014%1.5m24135m2.5m/s0%
12:008.9%1.5m24099m4.9m/s0%
13:008.6%1.5m1523m5.7m/s0%
14:0011%1.4m14306m7.1m/s0%
15:0010%1.4m7301m10m/s7.4%
16:0013%1.4m24135m13m/s15%
17:0013%1.5m24135m13m/s22%
18:0016%1.5m24134m13m/s15%
19:0023%1.5m24134m13m/s7.4%
20:0022%1.6m24135m12m/s0%
21:007.1%1.6m24135m11m/s0%
22:007.1%1.6m24134m11m/s0%
23:008.5%1.6m24135m11m/s0%
Wed, Feb 25
24:008.5%1.6m24134m10m/s10%
01:009.3%1.7m24135m9.8m/s20%
02:009.3%1.7m24135m9.8m/s30%
03:009.3%1.7m24134m9.4m/s26%
04:009.1%1.7m24135m8.9m/s21%
05:008.3%1.7m24135m7.4m/s17%
06:0029%1.7m24134m4.8m/s20%
07:0034%1.6m24134m5m/s23%
08:0028%1.6m24134m5.5m/s26%
09:0035%1.6m24134m4.1m/s33%
10:0030%1.6m24134m2.7m/s41%
11:0023%1.6m17880m2.5m/s48%
12:0027%1.6m14744m5.3m/s54%
13:0020%1.5m11608m8m/s60%
14:0016%1.5m8473m11m/s66%
15:0018%1.5m12838m11m/s69%
16:0026%1.5m17204m12m/s72%
17:0029%1.5m21569m13m/s75%
18:0035%1.6m22425m14m/s73%
19:0046%1.6m23280m14m/s71%
20:0046%1.6m24135m15m/s69%
21:0014%1.6m20867m15m/s76%
22:0012%1.6m17599m14m/s82%
23:0011%1.6m14331m14m/s89%
Thu, Feb 26
24:009.9%1.6m13239m13m/s83%
01:0011%1.5m12147m13m/s77%
02:009.5%1.5m11055m13m/s71%
03:009.5%1.5m11140m12m/s73%
04:009.4%1.6m11225m12m/s75%
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 06:38 Sunset 19:41
06:00
100% 39% 100% 0.46m 75° 0.004 -8.3° 100% 266° 1.8m/s 1.4m 7.7s
07:00
100% 0% 86% 0.87m 75° 0.005 3.8° 100% 280° 1.6m/s 1.4m 7.7s
08:00
100% 23% 100% 1.3m 74° 0.006 16° 100% 268° 2m/s 1.5m 7.7s
09:00
100% 100% 100% 1.3m 74° 0.007 28° 100% 245° 3.5m/s 1.4m 7.7s
10:00
100% 88% 100% 1.3m 75° 0.008 40° 100% 195° 4.8m/s 1.4m 7.7s
11:00
0% 56% 100% 1.3m 75° 0.008 52° 100% 205° 9.6m/s 1.4m 7.7s
12:00
0% 81% 100% 1.2m 75° 0.009 61° 100% 209° 14m/s 1.3m 7.7s
13:00
0% 100% 93% 1.2m 75° 0.02 65° 100% 195° 13m/s 1.2m 7.7s
14:00
0% 100% 100% 1.2m 75° 0.03 63° 100% 193° 11m/s 1.1m 7.7s
15:00
0% 99% 100% 0.82m 75° 0.04 55° 100% 192° 11m/s 1.1m 7.7s
16:00
0% 100% 95% 0.44m 75° 0.05 44° 100% 185° 11m/s 1.2m 7.7s
17:00
0% 100% 100% 0.06m 76° 0.05 32° 100% 188° 11m/s 1.2m 7.7s
18:00
0% 100% 50% 0.06m 76° 0.06 20° 100% 186° 10m/s 1.2m 7.7s
19:00
0% 100% 96% 0.06m 76° 0.06 7.6° 100% 186° 10m/s 1.3m 7.7s
20:00
0% 100% 100% 0.06m 76° 0.06 -4.6° 100% 184° 9.7m/s 1.3m 7.8s
21:00
0% 100% 100% 0.07m 76° 0.06 -16° 100% 189° 8.8m/s 1.3m 7.8s
22:00
0% 100% 100% 0.07m 77° 0.05 -27° 100% 195° 7.7m/s 1.4m 7.8s
23:00
0% 100% 100% 0.08m 77° 0.05 -36° 100% 201° 7.3m/s 1.4m 7.8s
Tue, Feb 24 Sunrise 06:39 Sunset 19:40
24:00
0% 100% 44% 0.08m 77° 0.05 -43° 100% 207° 7m/s 1.4m 7.8s
01:00
0% 98% 25% 0.09m 76° 0.05 -46° 98% 208° 6.7m/s 1.4m 7.8s
02:00
0% 100% 1% 0.09m 76° 0.05 -44° 100% 204° 6.4m/s 1.4m 7.8s
03:00
0% 100% 3% 0.09m 77° 0.05 -39° 100% 208° 5.8m/s 1.4m 7.7s
04:00
0% 100% 3% 0.08m 77° 0.05 -30° 100% 207° 5.1m/s 1.4m 7.7s
05:00
0% 100% 5% 0.08m 78° 0.05 -20° 100% 201° 4.3m/s 1.4m 7.6s
06:00
0% 98% 3% 0.08m 78° 0.04 -8.5° 98% 192° 3.9m/s 1.5m 7.5s
07:00
0% 95% 3% 0.08m 77° 0.04 3.6° 95% 196° 3.4m/s 1.5m 7.5s
08:00
0% 83% 3% 0.08m 77° 0.04 16° 83% 218° 2.3m/s 1.5m 7.5s
09:00
0% 55% 2% 0.07m 77° 0.03 28° 55% 248° 0.64m/s 1.5m 7.5s
10:00
0% 86% 5% 0.07m 78° 0.02 40° 86% 57° 0.49m/s 1.5m 7.5s
11:00
0% 11% 5% 0.06m 78° 0.02 51° 11% 68° 2.4m/s 1.5m 7.6s
12:00
0% 0% 5% 0.18m 78° - 60° 5% 74° 4.6m/s 1.5m 7.6s
13:00
0% 38% 5% 0.31m 78° - 65° 38% 69° 5.1m/s 1.5m 7.6s
14:00
0% 33% 5% 0.43m 78° - 63° 34% 51° 6.5m/s 1.4m 7.6s
15:00
0% 26% 5% 0.43m 77° - 55° 27% 40° 9.2m/s 1.4m 7.7s
16:00
0% 0% 1% 0.43m 76° - 44° 1% 38° 12m/s 1.4m 7.7s
17:00
0% 0% 3% 0.43m 74° - 32° 3% 36° 12m/s 1.5m 7.7s
18:00
0% 0% 5% 0.32m 74° - 20° 5% 32° 11m/s 1.5m 7.7s
19:00
0% 0% 5% 0.2m 74° - 7.4° 5% 27° 9.6m/s 1.5m 7.8s
20:00
0% 0% 5% 0.09m 74° - -4.8° 5% 21° 8.6m/s 1.6m 7.8s
21:00
0% 0% 5% 0.09m 74° - -17° 5% 15° 7.9m/s 1.6m 7.8s
22:00
3% 0% 5% 0.1m 74° - -27° 5% 7.5m/s 1.6m 7.8s
23:00
0% 0% 30% 0.1m 74° - -37° 30% 6.5m/s 1.6m 7.8s
Wed, Feb 25 Sunrise 06:40 Sunset 19:39
24:00
0% 0% 73% 0.22m 74° - -43° 73% 360° 6m/s 1.6m 7.9s
01:00
0% 0% 44% 0.35m 75° - -46° 44% 5.8m/s 1.7m 7.9s
02:00
0% 0% 35% 0.47m 75° - -45° 35% 5.5m/s 1.7m 7.9s
03:00
0% 0% 67% 0.47m 75° - -39° 67% 5.5m/s 1.7m 8s
04:00
0% 20% 78% 0.48m 76° - -31° 78% 359° 5.3m/s 1.7m 8s
05:00
0% 12% 12% 0.48m 76° - -20° 14% 352° 4.8m/s 1.7m 8s
06:00
0% 6% 6% 0.7m 76° - -8.7° 8% 341° 3.4m/s 1.7m 8.1s
07:00
0% 0% 5% 0.93m 75° - 3.5° 5% 358° 3.9m/s 1.6m 8.1s
08:00
0% 0% 5% 1.1m 75° - 16° 5% 4.1m/s 1.6m 8.2s
09:00
0% 0% 49% 1.1m 75° - 28° 49% 3m/s 1.6m 8.2s
10:00
0% 0% 30% 1.1m 75° - 40° 30% 44° 2.1m/s 1.6m 8.3s
11:00
0% 2% 44% 1.1m 76° - 51° 44% 116° 2.2m/s 1.6m 8.3s
12:00
33% 35% 63% 1m 76° - 60° 63% 140° 4.6m/s 1.6m 8.3s
13:00
67% 67% 81% 0.98m 76° - 65° 81% 164° 7m/s 1.5m 8.3s
14:00
100% 100% 100% 0.92m 77° - 62° 100% 188° 9.4m/s 1.5m 8.3s
15:00
100% 100% 100% 0.91m 77° - 54° 100% 195° 9.7m/s 1.5m 8.3s
16:00
100% 100% 100% 0.89m 78° - 44° 100% 202° 10m/s 1.5m 8.3s
17:00
100% 100% 100% 0.88m 78° - 32° 100% 208° 10m/s 1.5m 8.3s
18:00
75% 98% 68% 1m 78° - 19° 98% 211° 11m/s 1.6m 8.3s
19:00
50% 95% 36% 1.2m 79° - 7.2° 95% 214° 11m/s 1.6m 8.4s
20:00
25% 93% 3% 1.3m 79° - -5.1° 93% 217° 11m/s 1.6m 8.4s
21:00
49% 95% 4% 1.1m 78° - -17° 95% 212° 11m/s 1.6m 8.6s
22:00
73% 98% 4% 0.86m 77° - -28° 98% 207° 11m/s 1.6m 8.8s
23:00
97% 100% 4% 0.63m 76° - -37° 100% 203° 10m/s 1.6m 9.1s
Thu, Feb 26 Sunrise 06:40 Sunset 19:38
24:00
65% 100% 4% 0.71m 76° - -44° 100% 194° 11m/s 1.6m 9.1s
01:00
32% 100% 4% 0.79m 76° - -47° 100% 186° 11m/s 1.5m 9.1s
02:00
0% 100% 3% 0.87m 76° - -45° 100% 177° 11m/s 1.5m 9.1s
03:00
0% 100% 2% 0.86m 76° - -39° 100% 175° 12m/s 1.5m 9.1s
04:00
0% 100% 1% 0.84m 76° - -31° 100% 173° 12m/s 1.6m 9.1s
05:00
0% 100% 0% 0.83m 77° - -20° 100% 171° 12m/s 1.6m 9s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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