How often do conditions match?

No opportunity windows are predicted in the next 10 days. Conditions can change quickly, so check back for updates.

More Dramatic Seascapes in California Coast

Rule Dramatic Seascapes

Point Reyes - Dramatic Seascapes - California Coast

Q: What conditions does Dramatic Seascapes look for?

Coastal Drama Score: ≥ 75.0%. Significant Wave Height: ≥ 1.5m. Visibility: ≥ 5000.0m. Wind Gusts: ≤ 22.0m/s. Precipitation Chance: ≤ 30.0%

Point Reyes Station, 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 3% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions

Coastal Drama Score

11%

Wave Height0.8m

Swell Height0.4m

Wind Speed4.4m/s (calm conditions)

Cloud Cover0%

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 27
19:00	9.2%	0.39m	24135m	6.4m/s	0%
20:00	12%	0.5m	24135m	5.9m/s	0%
21:00	12%	0.63m	24135m	6.5m/s	0%
22:00	3.5%	0.61m	24135m	6.6m/s	0%
23:00	3.4%	0.26m	24135m	6.5m/s	0%
Tue, Apr 28
24:00	3.2%	0.25m	24135m	5m/s	0%
01:00	3.7%	0.25m	24135m	3.8m/s	0%
02:00	3.7%	0.24m	24135m	3.5m/s	0%
03:00	3.7%	0.22m	24135m	2.8m/s	0%
04:00	3.7%	0.2m	24134m	2.5m/s	0%
05:00	2.7%	0.2m	24134m	1.8m/s	0%
06:00	8.1%	0.21m	24135m	1.1m/s	0%
07:00	8.5%	0.21m	24135m	0.81m/s	0%
08:00	17%	0.22m	24135m	0.6m/s	0%
09:00	15%	0.4m	24134m	0.82m/s	0%
10:00	8%	0.57m	24135m	1m/s	0%
11:00	5.1%	0.7m	24135m	1.3m/s	0%
12:00	5.8%	0.78m	24134m	1.9m/s	0%
13:00	5.8%	0.86m	24134m	2.2m/s	0%
14:00	5.8%	0.94m	24134m	2.3m/s	0%
15:00	12%	1.1m	24135m	3.1m/s	0%
16:00	15%	1.2m	24135m	4.2m/s	0%
17:00	7%	0.9m	24135m	5m/s	0%
18:00	8.2%	0.86m	24135m	5.7m/s	0%
19:00	11%	0.75m	24135m	7.2m/s	0%
20:00	12%	0.65m	24135m	5.6m/s	0%
21:00	9.2%	0.58m	24134m	5m/s	0%
22:00	3.2%	0.52m	24134m	4.7m/s	0%
23:00	3.3%	0.45m	24134m	5.4m/s	0%
Wed, Apr 29
24:00	3.2%	0.4m	24135m	5.3m/s	0%
01:00	3%	0.35m	24135m	4.4m/s	0%
02:00	3%	0.3m	24135m	3.2m/s	0%
03:00	3%	0.28m	24135m	3.3m/s	0%
04:00	3%	0.27m	24134m	2.2m/s	0%
05:00	3%	0.25m	24134m	1.7m/s	0%
06:00	9.8%	0.23m	24135m	1.2m/s	0%
07:00	9%	0.22m	24134m	1.2m/s	0%
08:00	8.7%	0.2m	24135m	1.2m/s	0%
09:00	8.4%	0.2m	24135m	1m/s	0%
10:00	5.6%	0.19m	24134m	1.1m/s	0%
11:00	4.6%	0.19m	24135m	1.1m/s	0%
12:00	4.6%	0.2m	24134m	1.3m/s	0%
13:00	4.6%	0.21m	24134m	2m/s	0%
14:00	6%	0.22m	24134m	3.2m/s	0%
15:00	4.6%	0.2m	24134m	4.4m/s	0%
16:00	5.5%	0.19m	24134m	5.3m/s	0%
17:00	6.3%	0.17m	24134m	5.9m/s	0%
18:00	7.4%	0.15m	24135m	6.1m/s	0%
19:00	8.9%	0.14m	24134m	6.4m/s	0%
20:00	12%	0.12m	24134m	6.6m/s	0%
21:00	12%	0.11m	24134m	5.8m/s	0%
22:00	3.4%	0.11m	24134m	4.5m/s	0%
23:00	3.4%	0.1m	24135m	3.6m/s	0%
Thu, Apr 30
24:00	3%	0.1m	24134m	2.4m/s	0%
01:00	3%	0.1m	24134m	2m/s	0%
02:00	3%	0.1m	24134m	2m/s	0%
03:00	3%	0.1m	24134m	1.7m/s	0%
04:00	3%	0.09m	24135m	1.3m/s	0%
05:00	3%	0.09m	24135m	1m/s	0%
06:00	7.8%	0.1m	24135m	1m/s	0%
07:00	7.2%	0.1m	24134m	1.2m/s	0%
08:00	6%	0.11m	24134m	1m/s	0%
09:00	6.1%	0.12m	24135m	0.91m/s	0%
10:00	4.3%	0.14m	24135m	1.2m/s	0%
11:00	4.1%	0.15m	24134m	1.2m/s	0%
12:00	4.1%	0.18m	13098m	1.3m/s	0%
13:00	4.7%	0.2m	13094m	1.6m/s	0%
14:00	3.9%	0.23m	13439m	2.3m/s	0%
15:00	3.9%	0.28m	13195m	3m/s	0%
16:00	5.2%	0.32m	21169m	4.1m/s	0%
17:00	5.2%	0.37m	24135m	5.8m/s	0%
18:00	6.1%	0.39m	24135m	6.6m/s	0%
19:00	11%	0.42m	24135m	7.7m/s	0%
20:00	8.8%	0.44m	24135m	7.3m/s	0%
21:00	11%	0.48m	24134m	6.2m/s	0%
22:00	3.3%	0.51m	24134m	5.8m/s	0%
23:00	3.1%	0.55m	24134m	4.8m/s	0%
Fri, May 1
24:00	3.8%	0.54m	24134m	4.6m/s	0%
01:00	5.5%	0.53m	24135m	4.4m/s	0%
02:00	4.5%	0.52m	24135m	4.3m/s	0%
03:00	4.5%	0.51m	24135m	4.4m/s	0%
04:00	4.7%	0.51m	24135m	4.6m/s	0%
05:00	4%	0.5m	24135m	4.7m/s	0%
06:00	17%	0.58m	16647m	5.4m/s	0%
07:00	11%	0.65m	9159m	6.1m/s	0%
08:00	8.2%	0.73m	1671m	6.7m/s	0%
09:00	5.7%	0.67m	3343m	7.6m/s	0%
10:00	5.5%	0.61m	5014m	8.4m/s	0%
11:00	3.9%	0.55m	6685m	9.2m/s	0%
12:00	4.7%	0.6m	12502m	10m/s	0%
13:00	5.1%	0.66m	18319m	11m/s	0%
14:00	5.6%	0.71m	24135m	12m/s	0%
15:00	5.6%	0.72m	24135m	12m/s	0%
16:00	6.8%	0.72m	24135m	12m/s	0%
17:00	6.8%	0.73m	24135m	12m/s	0%

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 28 Sunrise 06:17 Sunset 20:00
19:00 ☾	0%	0%	0%	0.37m	219°	0.02	11°	0%	308°	4.4m/s	0.75m	4.8s
20:00 ☾	0%	0%	0%	0.52m	223°	0.02	-0.53°	0%	307°	3.4m/s	0.65m	4.9s
21:00 ☾	0%	2%	0%	0.37m	221°	0.02	-12°	2%	305°	3.3m/s	0.58m	4.5s
22:00 ☾	0%	3%	0%	0.23m	218°	0.02	-21°	3%	300°	3.1m/s	0.52m	4.1s
23:00 ☾	0%	9%	0%	0.08m	215°	0.02	-29°	9%	299°	3.3m/s	0.45m	3.7s
Wed, Apr 29 Sunrise 06:17 Sunset 20:00
24:00 ☾	0%	9%	0%	0.15m	215°	0.02	-35°	9%	306°	3.3m/s	0.34m	3.9s
01:00 ☾	0%	4%	0%	0.21m	216°	0.03	-37°	4%	305°	3.1m/s	0.23m	4s
02:00 ☾	0%	0%	0%	0.28m	216°	0.03	-36°	0%	300°	2.7m/s	0.12m	4.2s
03:00 ☾	0%	0%	0%	0.27m	217°	0.02	-31°	0%	309°	2.7m/s	0.1m	4.3s
04:00 ☾	0%	0%	0%	0.25m	218°	0.02	-24°	0%	295°	1.8m/s	0.08m	4.3s
05:00 ☾	0%	0%	0%	0.24m	219°	0.02	-14°	0%	293°	1.4m/s	0.06m	4.4s
06:00 ☾	0%	0%	0%	0.24m	218°	0.02	-3.9°	0%	289°	0.9m/s	0.06m	4.3s
07:00	0%	0%	0%	0.23m	217°	0.02	7.4°	0%	337°	1.1m/s	0.05m	4.3s
08:00	0%	0%	0%	0.23m	217°	0.02	19°	0%	356°	0.96m/s	0.05m	4.2s
09:00	0%	0%	0%	0.21m	216°	0.02	31°	0%	66°	0.4m/s	0.07m	4.3s
10:00	0%	0%	0%	0.2m	215°	0.02	42°	0%	194°	1.3m/s	0.09m	4.4s
11:00	0%	0%	0%	0.18m	215°	0.02	53°	0%	241°	1.7m/s	0.11m	4.5s
12:00	0%	0%	0%	0.17m	248°	0.02	62°	0%	262°	2.3m/s	0.13m	3.8s
13:00	0%	9%	0%	0.16m	281°	0.02	67°	9%	273°	3.4m/s	0.15m	3.1s
14:00	0%	15%	0%	0.15m	314°	0.02	64°	15%	282°	4m/s	0.17m	2.4s
15:00	0%	7%	0%	0.14m	288°	0.02	56°	7%	283°	4.4m/s	0.16m	2.7s
16:00	0%	0%	0%	0.14m	261°	0.02	46°	0%	287°	4.6m/s	0.15m	2.9s
17:00 ☾	0%	0%	0%	0.13m	234°	0.02	34°	0%	294°	4.6m/s	0.14m	3.2s
18:00 ☾	0%	2%	0%	0.12m	228°	0.02	22°	2%	299°	4.6m/s	0.14m	3.3s
19:00 ☾	0%	8%	0%	0.12m	222°	0.02	11°	8%	303°	4.6m/s	0.13m	3.4s
20:00 ☾	0%	14%	0%	0.11m	216°	0.02	-0.27°	14%	304°	4m/s	0.13m	3.5s
21:00 ☾	0%	23%	0%	0.11m	216°	0.02	-11°	23%	299°	3.4m/s	0.11m	3.4s
22:00 ☾	0%	17%	0%	0.11m	217°	0.02	-21°	17%	295°	3m/s	0.09m	3.4s
23:00 ☾	0%	12%	0%	0.11m	217°	0.02	-29°	12%	297°	2.6m/s	0.07m	3.3s
Thu, Apr 30 Sunrise 06:16 Sunset 20:01
24:00 ☾	0%	3%	0%	0.11m	214°	0.02	-35°	3%	289°	1.8m/s	0.07m	3.4s
01:00 ☾	0%	1%	0%	0.1m	212°	0.02	-37°	1%	275°	1.6m/s	0.07m	3.4s
02:00 ☾	0%	5%	0%	0.1m	209°	0.02	-36°	5%	286°	1.7m/s	0.07m	3.4s
03:00 ☾	0%	4%	0%	0.1m	209°	0.02	-31°	4%	294°	1.4m/s	0.08m	3.4s
04:00 ☾	0%	3%	0%	0.1m	209°	0.02	-24°	3%	298°	0.87m/s	0.08m	3.4s
05:00 ☾	0%	1%	0%	0.1m	209°	0.02	-14°	1%	303°	0.45m/s	0.09m	3.4s
06:00 ☾	2%	1%	0%	0.1m	209°	-	-3.7°	2%	296°	0.47m/s	0.09m	3.4s
07:00	5%	0%	0%	0.1m	208°	-	7.6°	5%	311°	0.84m/s	0.09m	3.3s
08:00	3%	0%	0%	0.1m	208°	-	19°	3%	322°	0.84m/s	0.09m	3.3s
09:00	5%	0%	2%	0.1m	208°	-	31°	5%	356°	0.14m/s	0.1m	3.3s
10:00	5%	0%	5%	0.1m	209°	-	43°	5%	184°	0.73m/s	0.1m	3.3s
11:00	94%	0%	4%	0.1m	209°	-	53°	94%	223°	1.8m/s	0.11m	3.2s
12:00	83%	21%	24%	0.1m	258°	-	62°	83%	234°	2.3m/s	0.14m	2.8s
13:00	0%	21%	0%	0.11m	306°	-	67°	21%	254°	2.4m/s	0.18m	2.5s
14:00	0%	13%	0%	0.11m	355°	-	64°	13%	270°	2.9m/s	0.21m	2.1s
15:00	0%	17%	0%	0.11m	352°	-	56°	17%	282°	3.5m/s	0.26m	2.3s
16:00	0%	5%	0%	0.11m	348°	-	46°	5%	292°	4m/s	0.3m	2.5s
17:00 ☾	0%	1%	0%	0.11m	345°	-	34°	1%	299°	4.7m/s	0.35m	2.7s
18:00 ☾	0%	8%	0%	0.11m	231°	-	23°	8%	303°	5.1m/s	0.37m	2.7s
19:00 ☾	0%	6%	0%	0.12m	117°	-	11°	6%	304°	5m/s	0.4m	2.8s
20:00 ☾	0%	5%	0%	0.12m	2.3°	-	0.02°	5%	307°	4.5m/s	0.42m	2.9s
21:00 ☾	0%	9%	0%	0.11m	121°	-	-11°	9%	306°	3.8m/s	0.46m	3s
22:00 ☾	0%	14%	0%	0.11m	240°	-	-21°	14%	302°	3.7m/s	0.5m	3.1s
23:00 ☾	0%	17%	0%	0.1m	358°	-	-29°	17%	303°	3.5m/s	0.54m	3.2s
Fri, May 1 Sunrise 06:14 Sunset 20:02
24:00 ☾	16%	11%	0%	0.1m	239°	-	-34°	27%	309°	3.7m/s	0.53m	3.3s
01:00 ☾	31%	6%	0%	0.11m	121°	-	-37°	37%	315°	3.9m/s	0.52m	3.3s
02:00 ☾	47%	0%	0%	0.11m	2°	-	-35°	47%	322°	4.1m/s	0.51m	3.4s
03:00 ☾	39%	6%	0%	0.11m	2.5°	-	-31°	39%	320°	4.5m/s	0.5m	3.4s
04:00 ☾	31%	12%	0%	0.1m	3.1°	-	-23°	32%	318°	4.9m/s	0.5m	3.4s
05:00 ☾	23%	18%	0%	0.1m	3.6°	-	-14°	24%	316°	5.3m/s	0.49m	3.3s
06:00 ☾	33%	27%	2%	0.09m	122°	-	-3.4°	39%	315°	5.8m/s	0.57m	3.5s
07:00	42%	37%	3%	0.09m	240°	-	7.8°	53%	315°	6.4m/s	0.65m	3.7s
08:00	52%	47%	5%	0.08m	359°	-	19°	68%	314°	6.9m/s	0.73m	3.8s
09:00	68%	46%	37%	0.08m	357°	-	31°	78%	314°	7.4m/s	0.67m	3.7s
10:00	84%	46%	68%	0.07m	356°	-	43°	89%	314°	8m/s	0.61m	3.6s
11:00	100%	45%	100%	0.07m	355°	-	54°	100%	313°	8.5m/s	0.55m	3.5s
12:00	100%	33%	100%	0.07m	353°	-	63°	100%	313°	8.9m/s	0.6m	3.5s
13:00	100%	20%	100%	0.07m	351°	-	67°	100%	314°	9.4m/s	0.66m	3.6s
14:00	100%	8%	100%	0.07m	350°	-	65°	100%	314°	9.8m/s	0.71m	3.6s
15:00	100%	6%	100%	0.07m	350°	-	56°	100%	313°	9.8m/s	0.72m	3.7s
16:00	100%	4%	100%	0.07m	350°	-	46°	100%	312°	9.7m/s	0.72m	3.8s
17:00 ☾	100%	2%	100%	0.07m	350°	-	34°	100%	312°	9.6m/s	0.73m	3.8s
18:00 ☾	100%	1%	67%	0.07m	352°	-	23°	100%	314°	9.6m/s	0.67m	3.7s

How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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