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More Dramatic Seascapes in California Coast
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Rule Dramatic Seascapes

Big Sur - Dramatic Seascapes - California Coast

Big Sur, California, United States

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 100% failing
Visibility 7% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Coastal Drama Score
5%
Wave Height0.1m
Swell Height0.1m
Wind Speed3.7m/s (calm conditions)
Cloud Cover5%

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in America/Los_Angeles

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 identifies when dramatic conditions align for coastal photography along California's legendary shoreline. We track cloud drama, visibility, and wind patterns to predict when the coast will come alive with photogenic conditions.

California's 840-mile coastline offers endless variety—from the towering cliffs of Big Sur to the sea stacks of Mendocino to the coves of Laguna Beach. The interplay between Pacific weather systems and the coastal mountains creates ever-changing conditions that can transform familiar locations.

What makes the California coast special for dramatic photography:

  • Dynamic weather - Pacific storms bring dramatic skies, and clearing conditions create spectacular light
  • Diverse geography - Sea stacks, arches, waterfalls, cliffs, and beaches in endless variety
  • Fog and mist - Marine layer creates moody atmosphere, especially summer mornings
  • Year-round access - Mild climate means photography opportunities in every season

The best dramatic conditions often occur during and after winter storms (November-March), when clearing skies can produce spectacular light. Summer brings reliable morning fog that burns off by midday, creating soft, ethereal conditions. Wind patterns affect wave action—some drama is good, but excessive gusts make shooting difficult. Check our forecast to time your coastal adventures.

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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
America/Los_Angeles
Coastal Drama Score
≥ 75.0%
Significant Wave Height
≥ 1.5m
Visibility
≥ 5000.0m
Wind Gusts
≤ 22.0m/s
Precipitation Chance
≤ 30.0%
Mon, Apr 13
12:007%0.37m15507m3.7m/s0%
13:006.2%0.36m15116m4.4m/s0%
14:005.2%0.36m24135m4.7m/s0%
15:005.4%0.4m24135m4.8m/s0%
16:006.5%0.41m24134m5.8m/s0%
17:006.3%0.24m24135m5.6m/s0%
18:008.7%0.25m24135m5.5m/s0%
19:0010%0.37m24135m5m/s0%
20:0011%0.26m24134m4.9m/s0%
21:003.9%0.26m24135m4.6m/s0%
22:003.1%0.37m23735m4.7m/s0%
23:003.4%0.34m24135m4.2m/s0%
Tue, Apr 14
24:003.8%0.47m22953m3.5m/s0.3%
01:003.4%0.17m22931m3.2m/s0.61%
02:003.7%0.38m23287m2.9m/s0.91%
03:003.9%0.38m23501m3.1m/s0.61%
04:002.6%0.4m11846m3.2m/s0.3%
05:002.8%0.59m12540m3.3m/s0%
06:009.8%0.58m22856m3m/s26%
07:0011%0.58m22907m2.6m/s13%
08:008.5%0.57m24134m2.4m/s0%
09:007.6%0.56m24134m1.6m/s0%
10:006.5%0.54m24134m2m/s0%
11:004.7%0.16m24135m2.2m/s0%
12:005.2%0.14m24135m2.8m/s0%
13:005.2%0.13m24134m3m/s0%
14:005.2%0.11m24134m3m/s0%
15:005.2%0.11m24134m3.6m/s0%
16:005.9%0.1m24135m4.3m/s0%
17:006.9%0.1m24135m5m/s0%
18:008.7%0.1m24134m5.9m/s0%
19:0023%0.1m24134m5.2m/s0%
20:0022%0.1m24094m4.9m/s0%
21:004.5%0.1m24134m4.6m/s0%
22:003.2%0.11m8040m4.3m/s0%
23:003.2%0.11m5345m3.7m/s0%
Wed, Apr 15
24:004.2%0.1m24135m3.3m/s0%
01:006.5%0.1m24135m3m/s0%
02:006.2%0.09m24135m2.8m/s0%
03:008%0.09m24135m2.4m/s0%
04:006.5%0.08m24134m2.5m/s0%
05:004.5%0.08m24134m2.6m/s0%
06:0018%0.08m24134m2.5m/s0%
07:0020%0.08m24134m2.3m/s0%
08:008.1%0.08m24135m2.2m/s0%
09:009.3%0.08m24134m1.8m/s0%
10:009.2%0.09m24134m1.7m/s0%
11:006.1%0.09m24134m1.8m/s0%
12:006.1%0.09m24135m2.2m/s0%
13:006.1%0.1m24134m2.5m/s0%
14:006.1%0.1m24135m3.1m/s0%
15:006.1%0.1m24135m3.3m/s0%
16:007.4%0.09m24135m3.2m/s0%
17:007.9%0.09m24135m4.2m/s0%
18:008.4%0.09m24134m4m/s0%
19:0011%0.1m24134m4.7m/s0%
20:006.6%0.1m2302m4.6m/s0%
21:002.3%0.11m3087m5m/s13%
22:003.4%0.11m22906m5m/s26%
23:004.4%0.12m22974m4.8m/s39%
Thu, Apr 16
24:004.9%0.12m23390m4.9m/s26%
01:003.4%0.11m23649m5.1m/s13%
02:004%0.11m3703m4.9m/s0%
03:002.5%0.11m2182m5.8m/s0%
04:003.2%0.1m2279m5.7m/s0%
05:003.7%0.1m24135m5.2m/s0%
06:008.3%0.1m24134m5.5m/s0%
07:009.3%0.11m24134m5m/s0%
08:007.1%0.11m24134m4.9m/s0%
09:007.1%0.13m24134m3.7m/s0%
10:005.1%0.14m24135m3.5m/s0%
11:004.2%0.16m24134m4.4m/s0%
12:004.6%0.18m24135m6.1m/s0%
13:004.8%0.21m24134m6m/s0%
14:004.8%0.23m24135m6.9m/s0%
15:004.6%0.23m24135m7m/s0%
16:006.6%0.24m24134m6.5m/s0%
17:006.6%0.24m24135m6.2m/s0%
18:007.2%0.24m24135m5.7m/s0%
19:0010%0.23m24135m5.2m/s0%
20:0017%0.23m24135m4.7m/s0%
21:002.4%0.22m24135m4.6m/s0%
22:002%0.2m24135m4.5m/s0%
23:002.9%0.19m24135m4.5m/s0%
Fri, Apr 17
24:002.4%0.18m24135m4.9m/s0%
01:002.4%0.16m24135m5.4m/s0%
02:002.4%0.15m24135m5.9m/s0%
03:002%0.14m24135m6.2m/s0%
04:002.9%0.13m24135m6.4m/s0%
05:002.8%0.12m24135m6.7m/s0%
06:0014%0.11m24135m6.5m/s0%
07:0014%0.11m24135m6.2m/s0%
08:008.4%0.1m24135m5.9m/s0%
09:008.4%0.1m24135m6.2m/s0%
10:007.1%0.09m24135m6.5m/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
America/Los_Angeles
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
Tue, Apr 14 Sunrise 06:35 Sunset 19:40
12:00
5% 0% 0% 0.09m 242° 0.03 59° 5% 298° 3.7m/s 0.14m 2.3s
13:00
5% 0% 4% 0.08m 242° 0.03 63° 5% 294° 3.9m/s 0.16m 2.3s
14:00
5% 0% 0% 0.08m 243° 0.03 61° 5% 291° 4.2m/s 0.17m 2.3s
15:00
5% 0% 0% 0.09m 227° 0.03 53° 5% 296° 5.2m/s 0.2m 2.9s
16:00
5% 0% 0% 0.11m 212° 0.03 43° 5% 306° 5.5m/s 0.24m 3.5s
17:00 ☾
0% 0% 0% 0.12m 196° 0.03 31° 0% 317° 5.4m/s 0.27m 4.1s
18:00 ☾
0% 0% 0% 0.11m 189° 0.03 19° 0% 332° 5.4m/s 0.24m 4.8s
19:00 ☾
0% 12% 0% 0.11m 183° 0.03 7.3° 12% 345° 4.6m/s 0.2m 5.4s
20:00 ☾
5% 18% 1% 0.1m 176° 0.03 -4.6° 19% 3° 4.2m/s 0.17m 6.1s
21:00 ☾
5% 15% 0% 0.09m 183° 0.03 -16° 16% 6° 4.2m/s 0.17m 5.4s
22:00 ☾
5% 14% 0% 0.09m 190° 0.03 -26° 14% 12° 3.8m/s 0.17m 4.7s
23:00 ☾
5% 10% 0% 0.08m 197° 0.03 -35° 11% 22° 3.5m/s 0.17m 3.9s
Wed, Apr 15 Sunrise 06:33 Sunset 19:41
24:00 ☾
5% 2% 0% 0.09m 183° 0.02 -41° 5% 29° 3.3m/s 0.15m 7.1s
01:00 ☾
5% 0% 0% 0.09m 168° 0.02 -44° 5% 31° 3.1m/s 0.14m 10s
02:00 ☾
5% 0% 0% 0.1m 154° 0.03 -42° 5% 40° 2.9m/s 0.12m 14s
03:00 ☾
27% 0% 0% 0.1m 160° 0.03 -37° 27% 45° 2.6m/s 0.1m 11s
04:00 ☾
96% 0% 0% 0.09m 165° 0.03 -29° 96% 34° 2.6m/s 0.08m 8.5s
05:00 ☾
72% 0% 5% 0.09m 171° 0.03 -18° 72% 34° 2.8m/s 0.06m 6s
06:00 ☾
100% 0% 13% 0.1m 173° 0.03 -7.3° 100% 38° 2.7m/s 0.06m 5.5s
07:00
100% 0% 95% 0.1m 175° 0.03 4.6° 100% 38° 2.5m/s 0.07m 5s
08:00
100% 0% 78% 0.11m 177° 0.03 17° 100% 27° 1.9m/s 0.07m 4.6s
09:00
100% 0% 94% 0.11m 177° 0.03 29° 100% 353° 1.6m/s 0.06m 4.6s
10:00
91% 0% 89% 0.12m 177° 0.03 40° 92% 333° 2m/s 0.06m 4.7s
11:00
100% 0% 68% 0.12m 177° 0.03 51° 100% 326° 2.8m/s 0.05m 4.7s
12:00
100% 0% 97% 0.12m 177° 0.03 60° 100% 315° 3.1m/s 0.06m 4.7s
13:00
100% 0% 100% 0.12m 177° 0.02 64° 100% 312° 4m/s 0.08m 4.8s
14:00
100% 0% 94% 0.12m 176° 0.02 61° 100% 315° 4.6m/s 0.09m 4.8s
15:00
100% 0% 100% 0.12m 177° 0.03 53° 100% 323° 4.6m/s 0.09m 4.7s
16:00
100% 0% 100% 0.12m 177° 0.03 43° 100% 327° 4.3m/s 0.08m 4.6s
17:00 ☾
100% 0% 100% 0.12m 178° 0.03 31° 100% 341° 4.1m/s 0.08m 4.5s
18:00 ☾
100% 0% 80% 0.12m 176° - 19° 100% 350° 3.7m/s 0.08m 4s
19:00 ☾
100% 10% 80% 0.11m 174° - 7.5° 100% 359° 4.2m/s 0.07m 3.4s
20:00 ☾
100% 18% 49% 0.11m 172° - -4.4° 100% 6° 4m/s 0.07m 2.8s
21:00 ☾
97% 18% 46% 0.12m 173° - -16° 97% 7° 4.4m/s 0.07m 3.5s
22:00 ☾
100% 18% 5% 0.14m 174° - -26° 100% 11° 4.4m/s 0.07m 4.1s
23:00 ☾
76% 20% 4% 0.15m 175° - -35° 76% 15° 4.2m/s 0.07m 4.7s
Thu, Apr 16 Sunrise 06:32 Sunset 19:41
24:00 ☾
61% 21% 0% 0.15m 176° - -41° 61% 12° 4.2m/s 0.16m 4.6s
01:00 ☾
96% 22% 0% 0.14m 176° - -44° 96% 8° 4.2m/s 0.25m 4.5s
02:00 ☾
42% 25% 0% 0.14m 177° - -42° 42% 10° 3.6m/s 0.34m 4.5s
03:00 ☾
5% 89% 0% 0.13m 169° - -36° 89% 354° 3.7m/s 0.26m 4.5s
04:00 ☾
1% 53% 0% 0.13m 161° - -28° 53% 352° 4.3m/s 0.17m 4.6s
05:00 ☾
3% 15% 0% 0.12m 152° - -18° 15% 0° 4.3m/s 0.09m 4.7s
06:00 ☾
1% 0% 0% 0.11m 152° - -7° 1% 11° 4.4m/s 0.09m 4.7s
07:00
0% 0% 0% 0.09m 152° - 4.8° 0% 15° 4.2m/s 0.1m 4.6s
08:00
0% 0% 0% 0.08m 151° - 17° 0% 3° 4m/s 0.1m 4.6s
09:00
0% 0% 0% 0.1m 138° - 29° 0% 8° 3m/s 0.12m 3.9s
10:00
0% 0% 0% 0.12m 124° - 41° 0% 15° 2.3m/s 0.13m 3.2s
11:00
0% 0% 0% 0.14m 110° - 51° 0% 15° 2.6m/s 0.15m 2.4s
12:00
0% 0% 0% 0.16m 108° - 60° 0% 17° 3.1m/s 0.16m 2.5s
13:00
0% 0% 0% 0.17m 106° - 64° 0% 11° 3.6m/s 0.17m 2.5s
14:00
0% 0% 0% 0.19m 103° - 61° 0% 4° 3.9m/s 0.18m 2.6s
15:00
0% 0% 0% 0.18m 114° - 54° 0% 1° 4.1m/s 0.2m 3.1s
16:00
0% 0% 0% 0.18m 125° - 43° 0% 2° 4.1m/s 0.21m 3.6s
17:00 ☾
0% 0% 0% 0.17m 135° - 32° 0% 357° 4.2m/s 0.23m 4.1s
18:00 ☾
0% 0% 0% 0.2m 140° - 20° 0% 356° 4.1m/s 0.28m 4.5s
19:00 ☾
0% 0% 0% 0.22m 145° - 7.6° 0% 355° 4.1m/s 0.32m 4.8s
20:00 ☾
0% 0% 0% 0.25m 150° - -4.2° 0% 354° 4m/s 0.37m 5.2s
21:00 ☾
0% 0% 0% 0.24m 148° - -16° 0% 241° 4m/s 0.34m 5s
22:00 ☾
1% 0% 0% 0.22m 146° - -26° 1% 128° 4m/s 0.32m 4.7s
23:00 ☾
1% 0% 0% 0.21m 144° - -35° 1% 15° 4m/s 0.29m 4.4s
Fri, Apr 17 Sunrise 06:31 Sunset 19:42
24:00 ☾
1% 0% 0% 0.19m 135° - -41° 1% 22° 4.4m/s 0.3m 3.9s
01:00 ☾
0% 0% 0% 0.17m 126° - -43° 0% 29° 4.8m/s 0.3m 3.3s
02:00 ☾
0% 0% 0% 0.15m 118° - -42° 0% 35° 5.2m/s 0.31m 2.7s
03:00 ☾
5% 0% 0% 0.14m 118° - -36° 5% 144° 5.7m/s 0.24m 2.6s
04:00 ☾
9% 0% 0% 0.13m 119° - -28° 9% 252° 6.2m/s 0.16m 2.6s
05:00 ☾
14% 0% 0% 0.12m 119° - -18° 14% 360° 6.7m/s 0.09m 2.5s
06:00 ☾
42% 0% 0% 0.11m 127° - -6.8° 42% 349° 6.3m/s 0.09m 2.8s
07:00
71% 0% 1% 0.11m 134° - 5.1° 71% 338° 6m/s 0.09m 3.1s
08:00
100% 0% 1% 0.1m 142° - 17° 100% 327° 5.6m/s 0.09m 3.4s
09:00
100% 0% 34% 0.09m 145° - 29° 100% 328° 5.7m/s 0.08m 3.8s
10:00
100% 0% 67% 0.09m 148° - 41° 100% 329° 5.7m/s 0.08m 4.3s
11:00
100% 0% 100% 0.08m 150° - 52° 100% 330° 5.8m/s 0.07m 4.7s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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