Skip to content
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

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
Significant Wave Height 100% failing
Precipitation Chance 68% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Wave Height1.4m
Swell Height1.2m
Wind Speed5.4m/s (moderate winds)
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%
Tue, Jul 7
23:0017%1.6m24135m8.9m/s99%
Wed, Jul 8
24:0017%1.5m23575m8.7m/s98%
01:0016%1.5m24134m8.5m/s98%
02:0014%1.5m24135m8.4m/s98%
03:0014%1.5m23447m8.2m/s99%
04:0014%1.4m23825m7.7m/s100%
05:0013%1.4m17453m9.2m/s94%
06:0016%1.4m24134m9.5m/s88%
07:0051%1.4m24135m9.9m/s82%
08:0048%1.5m24135m10m/s85%
09:0040%1.5m24135m10m/s89%
10:0039%1.5m24134m9.5m/s93%
11:0034%1.4m24134m9.4m/s73%
12:0028%1.4m24135m9.3m/s65%
13:0027%1.4m24135m8.6m/s56%
14:0031%1.4m24135m7.9m/s67%
15:0033%1.4m24134m8m/s79%
16:0037%1.4m24135m7.6m/s90%
17:0041%1.4m24134m7.7m/s82%
18:0013%1.4m24135m7.3m/s89%
19:0013%1.3m24134m7.5m/s96%
20:0013%1.3m24134m7.5m/s97%
21:0013%1.3m24134m6.8m/s98%
22:0011%1.3m24134m6.4m/s100%
23:0013%1.4m24134m7.5m/s94%
Thu, Jul 9
24:0016%1.4m24135m8.3m/s89%
01:0012%1.4m22147m8m/s84%
02:0012%1.4m24072m7.9m/s85%
03:0011%1.4m17431m7.5m/s86%
04:009.9%1.4m17942m6.6m/s87%
05:009.9%1.3m16838m6.2m/s86%
06:0012%1.3m24134m6.2m/s86%
07:0035%1.3m19204m6.4m/s85%
08:0036%1.3m19216m6.4m/s84%
09:0030%1.3m17924m6.5m/s84%
10:0031%1.3m16451m5.6m/s84%
11:0027%1.3m17491m5.1m/s72%
12:0026%1.3m11074m4.8m/s61%
13:0025%1.2m13248m5m/s49%
14:0033%1.2m20627m5.5m/s47%
15:0030%1.2m24123m5.2m/s45%
16:0039%1.2m24135m5.2m/s43%
17:0042%1.2m24135m5.1m/s39%
18:0012%1.2m24134m4.9m/s36%
19:0014%1.2m24135m4.8m/s32%
20:0013%1.2m24134m4.5m/s33%
21:0016%1.2m24135m4.1m/s34%
22:0013%1.2m24135m3.8m/s35%
23:0014%1.1m24134m3.5m/s44%
Fri, Jul 10
24:0011%1.1m24135m3.7m/s53%
01:0011%1.1m24135m4m/s62%
02:009.3%1.1m24134m3.8m/s66%
03:008.5%1.1m24135m3.6m/s71%
04:0012%1.1m24135m4.1m/s76%
05:0012%1.1m24134m4m/s62%
06:0015%1.1m24135m3.7m/s47%
07:0034%1.1m24135m3.4m/s33%
08:0036%1.1m24135m3.6m/s31%
09:0028%1.1m24135m3m/s30%
10:0033%1.1m24135m2.6m/s29%
11:0031%1.1m24135m2.7m/s32%
12:0028%1.1m24135m3m/s34%
13:0028%1.1m24134m3.1m/s37%
14:0026%1.2m24135m3.2m/s39%
15:0028%1.2m24134m3.2m/s40%
16:0027%1.2m24135m2.3m/s42%
17:0031%1.3m24134m2m/s41%
18:0030%1.3m24134m2.2m/s39%
19:009.5%1.4m24135m2.4m/s38%
20:009.8%1.4m24134m2.3m/s33%
21:008.7%1.4m24134m2.8m/s28%
22:009.6%1.4m24134m3.3m/s24%
23:009.6%1.4m24135m3.3m/s16%
Sat, Jul 11
24:009.6%1.4m24134m3.3m/s7.8%
01:009.6%1.4m24134m2.8m/s0%
02:0010%1.4m24135m2.5m/s0%
03:0010%1.4m24135m2.6m/s0%
04:0011%1.4m24135m2.5m/s0%
05:0014%1.4m24135m3m/s0%
06:0014%1.4m24135m3.4m/s0%
07:0031%1.4m24135m3.9m/s0%
08:0031%1.4m24135m4.9m/s0%
09:0027%1.4m24135m5.8m/s0%
10:0028%1.4m24135m6.7m/s0%
11:0034%1.4m24135m6.6m/s17%
12:0031%1.4m24135m6.5m/s33%
13:0018%1.3m24135m6.3m/s50%
14:0027%1.3m24135m7.2m/s39%
15:0028%1.3m24135m8.1m/s28%
16:0031%1.3m24135m9m/s17%
17:0031%1.3m24135m9.9m/s11%
18:0027%1.3m24135m11m/s5.6%
19:009.4%1.3m24135m12m/s0%
20:0011%1.3m24135m12m/s13%
21:0011%1.3m24135m13m/s26%
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
Wed, Jul 8 Sunrise 07:03 Sunset 16:59
23:00
0% 4% 5% 1.2m 21° 0.03 -72° 5% 222° 5.4m/s 0.38m 15s
Thu, Jul 9 Sunrise 07:03 Sunset 16:59
24:00
0% 33% 27% 1.2m 19° 0.04 -78° 43% 213° 6.7m/s 0.38m 15s
01:00
0% 69% 90% 1.2m 17° 0.05 -72° 98% 211° 7m/s 0.39m 15s
02:00
0% 100% 100% 1.2m 17° 0.06 -61° 100% 210° 7.1m/s 0.39m 15s
03:00
0% 100% 72% 1.2m 17° 0.08 -49° 100% 211° 6.6m/s 0.4m 15s
04:00
0% 97% 66% 1.2m 16° 0.08 -37° 97% 216° 6m/s 0.41m 15s
05:00
0% 96% 100% 1.2m 16° 0.09 -25° 100% 217° 5.9m/s 0.41m 15s
06:00
4% 43% 94% 1.2m 15° 0.09 -13° 94% 217° 6m/s 0.42m 15s
07:00
63% 74% 99% 1.2m 14° 0.09 -1.1° 99% 213° 6.2m/s 0.42m 15s
08:00
81% 75% 98% 1.2m 13° 0.07 9.4° 98% 210° 6.2m/s 0.43m 15s
09:00
99% 90% 64% 1.2m 12° 0.08 19° 99% 206° 6.2m/s 0.43m 14s
10:00
20% 96% 6% 1.2m 11° 0.08 26° 96% 206° 5.6m/s 0.44m 14s
11:00
48% 96% 5% 1.2m 10° 0.08 31° 96% 202° 5.1m/s 0.45m 14s
12:00
81% 81% 5% 1.1m 9.8° 0.08 33° 90% 194° 4.7m/s 0.45m 14s
13:00
100% 52% 66% 1.1m 9.1° 0.07 32° 100% 185° 4.6m/s 0.46m 14s
14:00
61% 43% 99% 1.1m 8.4° 0.07 27° 99% 179° 5m/s 0.46m 14s
15:00
100% 88% 5% 1.1m 7.7° 0.07 19° 100% 176° 4.7m/s 0.47m 14s
16:00
100% 33% 32% 1.1m 6.9° 0.05 10° 100% 166° 4.8m/s 0.47m 14s
17:00
100% 22% 91% 1.1m 0.06 -0.21° 100% 161° 5.1m/s 0.48m 14s
18:00
100% 7% 100% 1.1m 5.1° 0.06 -12° 100% 170° 4.9m/s 0.49m 14s
19:00
84% 5% 70% 1.1m 4.2° 0.06 -24° 84% 178° 4.5m/s 0.49m 14s
20:00
100% 6% 90% 1.1m 3.5° 0.06 -36° 100% 181° 4.1m/s 0.5m 14s
21:00
46% 7% 78% 1.1m 2.9° 0.06 -49° 78% 190° 3.7m/s 0.5m 15s
22:00
99% 5% 100% 1m 2.2° 0.06 -61° 100% 195° 3.4m/s 0.51m 15s
23:00
16% 5% 6% 1m 1.8° 0.05 -72° 16% 202° 3.2m/s 0.5m 15s
Fri, Jul 10 Sunrise 07:02 Sunset 17:00
24:00
97% 5% 100% 1m 1.4° 0.05 -78° 100% 215° 3.8m/s 0.49m 15s
01:00
91% 4% 100% 1m 0.04 -72° 100% 216° 4.1m/s 0.48m 15s
02:00
100% 5% 100% 0.99m 120° 0.04 -61° 100% 225° 4.1m/s 0.38m 15s
03:00
97% 5% 100% 0.98m 240° 0.04 -49° 100% 216° 3.7m/s 0.29m 15s
04:00
98% 0% 80% 0.97m 359° 0.03 -37° 98% 207° 4m/s 0.19m 15s
05:00
87% 3% 63% 0.97m 358° 0.03 -25° 87% 215° 4.1m/s 0.21m 15s
06:00
50% 3% 32% 0.97m 358° 0.03 -13° 50% 218° 3.7m/s 0.24m 15s
07:00
5% 2% 5% 0.97m 357° 0.03 -1° 5% 223° 3.5m/s 0.26m 15s
08:00
18% 2% 5% 0.98m 356° 0.03 9.4° 18% 235° 3.7m/s 0.35m 15s
09:00
6% 0% 5% 0.99m 356° 0.03 19° 6% 227° 2.9m/s 0.45m 15s
10:00
10% 0% 5% 1m 355° 0.03 26° 10% 220° 2.4m/s 0.54m 15s
11:00
72% 0% 25% 1m 355° - 31° 72% 182° 2.3m/s 0.52m 15s
12:00
62% 0% 93% 1m 354° - 33° 93% 156° 2.9m/s 0.51m 15s
13:00
73% 0% 5% 1m 354° - 32° 73% 144° 3.4m/s 0.49m 15s
14:00
10% 1% 10% 1.1m 353° - 27° 12% 136° 3.4m/s 0.48m 14s
15:00
18% 0% 5% 1.1m 353° - 19° 18% 121° 3.1m/s 0.48m 14s
16:00
5% 5% 96% 1.1m 353° - 10° 96% 100° 2.1m/s 0.47m 14s
17:00
5% 5% 6% 1.1m 352° - -0.03° 6% 75° 1.4m/s 0.53m 14s
18:00
5% 4% 89% 1.1m 352° - -12° 89% 57° 1.6m/s 0.59m 14s
19:00
5% 2% 100% 1.2m 352° - -24° 100% 29° 1.9m/s 0.65m 14s
20:00
28% 0% 100% 1.2m 351° - -36° 100% 355° 2.1m/s 0.63m 14s
21:00
10% 0% 100% 1.2m 351° - -49° 100% 327° 2.4m/s 0.6m 14s
22:00
11% 0% 100% 1.2m 351° - -61° 100% 308° 3.1m/s 0.58m 14s
23:00
5% 2% 100% 1.2m 350° - -72° 100% 297° 3.8m/s 0.59m 14s
Sat, Jul 11 Sunrise 07:02 Sunset 17:01
24:00
5% 3% 99% 1.2m 350° - -78° 99% 294° 3.7m/s 0.6m 14s
01:00
5% 5% 100% 1.2m 350° - -72° 100% 293° 3.1m/s 0.61m 14s
02:00
5% 5% 95% 1.2m 349° - -61° 95% 297° 2.8m/s 0.66m 14s
03:00
5% 5% 88% 1.2m 349° - -49° 88% 297° 3m/s 0.72m 14s
04:00
22% 4% 96% 1.3m 349° - -37° 96% 298° 2.9m/s 0.77m 14s
05:00
14% 5% 64% 1.3m 348° - -25° 66% 212° 3.3m/s 0.75m 14s
06:00
7% 5% 32% 1.3m 348° - -13° 35% 125° 3.6m/s 0.73m 14s
07:00
0% 5% 0% 1.3m 348° - -0.96° 5% 38° 4m/s 0.71m 14s
08:00
2% 15% 0% 1.3m 348° - 9.5° 15% 27° 4.5m/s 0.63m 14s
09:00
3% 25% 0% 1.3m 347° - 19° 25% 15° 5.1m/s 0.56m 14s
10:00
5% 36% 0% 1.3m 347° - 26° 36% 5.7m/s 0.48m 14s
11:00
25% 25% 33% 1.3m 346° - 32° 57% 112° 5.5m/s 0.46m 14s
12:00
44% 15% 67% 1.3m 346° - 33° 79% 220° 5.2m/s 0.45m 14s
13:00
64% 5% 100% 1.3m 346° - 32° 100% 328° 5m/s 0.43m 14s
14:00
44% 17% 100% 1.3m 346° - 27° 100% 323° 5.3m/s 0.5m 14s
15:00
25% 29% 100% 1.3m 346° - 19° 100% 319° 5.7m/s 0.57m 14s
16:00
5% 41% 100% 1.2m 345° - 10° 100% 314° 6m/s 0.64m 14s
17:00
3% 35% 100% 1.2m 345° - 0.07° 100% 318° 6.2m/s 0.63m 14s
18:00
2% 29% 99% 1.2m 345° - -12° 99% 323° 6.5m/s 0.62m 14s
19:00
0% 24% 99% 1.2m 345° - -24° 99% 327° 6.7m/s 0.62m 14s
20:00
0% 49% 68% 1.2m 345° - -36° 99% 313° 7.1m/s 0.61m 14s
21:00
0% 74% 36% 1.2m 345° - -48° 100% 298° 7.5m/s 0.6m 14s
22:00
0% 100% 5% 1.2m 345° - -61° 100% 284° 7.9m/s 0.59m 14s
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