Skip to content
PhotoWeather
Get started
More Dramatic Seascapes in California Coast
Create your own alerts
Rule Dramatic Seascapes

Dramatic Seascapes Forecast for Santa Cruz, California Coast

Capitola, California, United States

Santa Cruz combines sandstone cliffs, natural bridges, kelp-lined coves, and the boardwalk pier, providing both geological and built coastal subjects.

Currently

Real-time conditions
Coastal Drama Score
6%
Wave Height0.5m
Swell Height0.4m
Wind Speed2.3m/s (calm conditions)
Wind Gusts1.3m/s
Cloud Cover5%
Visibility24134 (Clear)

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in America/Los_Angeles

No opportunities in the next 14 days

See which requirements block the most forecast hours below.

Most common blockers (85-hour forecast)

  • Coastal Drama Score100% of hours

How this forecast is evaluated

See which weather signals PhotoWeather uses to identify Dramatic Seascapes conditions across California Coast. The requirements and hourly values below show how those signals apply at Santa Cruz.

Explore Dramatic Seascapes conditions across California Coast →

Recorded match history

Completed PhotoWeather forecast matches recorded for this exact rule at Santa Cruz during the last 365 days.

Last 30 days
0
recorded matching windows
Last 90 days
0
recorded matching windows
Last 365 days
14
recorded matching windows · 67% average confidence
Most represented month

January, with 14 of 14 matches recorded in the last 365 days.

These figures use completed PhotoWeather MatchEvent records from the previous 365 days only. They describe recorded forecast matches, not observations, climatological probability, or a guarantee of future conditions.

Create your own Dramatic Seascapes alerts

Get notified when these conditions match at your own locations.

Get this template

85-hour requirements breakdown

When available, the detailed table below covers only the stated 85-hour horizon (typically 72–168 hours, depending on available hourly data). Opportunity records above span the next 14 days, so this table does not explain that entire 14-day period.

What passed or failed, hour by hour
0matching hours in the next 85 hours
AND logic: all conditions required
Meets requirement
Misses requirement
Time
America/Los_Angeles
Coastal Drama Score
≥ 45.0%
Fri, Aug 21
22:006.1%
23:006.1%
Sat, Aug 22
24:007.5%
01:008.9%
02:0013%
03:008.9%
04:007.5%
05:006.1%
06:0010%
07:009.8%
08:0010%
09:006.3%
10:005.8%
11:008.3%
12:006%
13:006%
14:005.9%
15:007.9%
16:008.7%
17:006.2%
18:006.3%
19:006.4%
20:006.4%
21:0010%
22:007.1%
23:009.7%
Sun, Aug 23
24:009.6%
01:008.2%
02:006.8%
03:009.9%
04:0011%
05:005.8%
06:005.9%
07:005.8%
08:005.8%
09:004.9%
10:004.9%
11:006%
12:007.1%
13:005.9%
14:007%
15:009.6%
16:0011%
17:005.7%
18:004.7%
19:008.3%
20:004.6%
21:009.6%
22:005.5%
23:005.5%
Mon, Aug 24
24:005.6%
01:005.7%
02:005.8%
03:004.6%
04:005.7%
05:003.3%
06:003.3%
07:004.3%
08:004.3%
09:003.3%
10:003.3%
11:003.3%
12:003.3%
13:003.3%
14:003.3%
15:003.3%
16:003.3%
17:004.3%
18:005.5%
19:005.5%
20:007.5%
21:0012%
22:0014%
23:009.9%
Tue, Aug 25
24:009.9%
01:008.5%
02:007.2%
03:0011%
04:006.8%
05:004.4%
06:005.1%
07:004%
08:004%
09:005.1%
10:005.1%
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
°
Significant Wave Height
m
Total Cloud Coverage
%
Wind Direction
°
Wind Gusts
m/s
Wind Speed
m/s
Wind Wave Height
m
Wind Wave Period
s
Sat, Aug 22 Sunrise 06:30 Sunset 19:49
12:00
5% 0% 0% 0.44m 202° 0.5m 5% 209° 1.3m/s 2.3m/s 0.24m 4.4s
13:00
5% 0% 0% 0.38m 201° 0.45m 5% 206° 1.5m/s 2.3m/s 0.18m 4.2s
14:00
5% 0% 0% 0.32m 200° 0.4m 5% 208° 1.9m/s 2.3m/s 0.12m 4.1s
15:00
14% 0% 0% 0.29m 185° 0.38m 14% 215° 2.2m/s 2m/s 0.1m 4.6s
16:00
100% 0% 0% 0.27m 169° 0.35m 100% 213° 2m/s 1.7m/s 0.09m 5.2s
17:00 ☾
100% 0% 0% 0.24m 154° 0.33m 100% 190° 1.1m/s 0.95m/s 0.07m 5.8s
18:00 ☾
100% 0% 0% 0.23m 155° 0.31m 100% 117° 2.3m/s 0.98m/s 0.07m 5.7s
19:00 ☾
100% 0% 0% 0.23m 156° 0.3m 100% 96° 2.3m/s 0.86m/s 0.08m 5.5s
20:00 ☾
96% 0% 5% 0.22m 157° 0.28m 96% 87° 2.9m/s 1.2m/s 0.08m 5.4s
21:00 ☾
64% 0% 6% 0.21m 159° 0.29m 64% 84° 2.9m/s 1.4m/s 0.12m 5.4s
22:00 ☾
91% 0% 5% 0.2m 162° 0.29m 91% 84° 2.2m/s 1.3m/s 0.15m 5.4s
23:00 ☾
21% 0% 0% 0.19m 164° 0.3m 21% 105° 1.8m/s 1.1m/s 0.19m 5.3s
Sun, Aug 23 Sunrise 06:31 Sunset 19:48
24:00 ☾
28% 0% 0% 0.19m 165° 0.31m 28% 119° 1.4m/s 0.8m/s 0.2m 5.6s
01:00 ☾
74% 0% 0% 0.19m 165° 0.31m 74% 109° 1m/s 0.33m/s 0.22m 5.9s
02:00 ☾
19% 0% 0% 0.19m 166° 0.32m 19% 122° 1m/s 0.42m/s 0.23m 6.1s
03:00 ☾
43% 0% 0% 0.19m 166° 0.32m 43% 139° 1m/s 0.78m/s 0.23m 6.3s
04:00 ☾
31% 0% 0% 0.2m 167° 0.33m 31% 118° 0.93m/s 0.6m/s 0.23m 6.4s
05:00 ☾
100% 0% 2% 0.2m 167° 0.33m 100% 123° 0.9m/s 0.58m/s 0.23m 6.5s
06:00 ☾
100% 0% 18% 0.2m 167° 0.32m 100% 120° 1.2m/s 1m/s 0.23m 6.6s
07:00
100% 0% 67% 0.19m 167° 0.32m 100% 129° 1m/s 0.75m/s 0.22m 6.7s
08:00
100% 0% 94% 0.19m 167° 0.31m 100% 119° 1m/s 0.92m/s 0.22m 6.7s
09:00
100% 0% 90% 0.19m 165° 0.3m 100% 147° 1.2m/s 1.3m/s 0.21m 6.7s
10:00
100% 0% 89% 0.19m 163° 0.3m 100% 186° 0.41m/s 1.1m/s 0.21m 6.6s
11:00
100% 0% 96% 0.19m 161° 0.29m 100% 219° 0.92m/s 1.5m/s 0.2m 6.6s
12:00
94% 0% 1% 0.19m 161° 0.28m 94% 219° 1.6m/s 2.6m/s 0.18m 6.6s
13:00
96% 0% 34% 0.18m 160° 0.28m 96% 214° 2.3m/s 3m/s 0.15m 6.5s
14:00
16% 0% 0% 0.18m 159° 0.27m 16% 216° 2.8m/s 3.1m/s 0.13m 6.5s
15:00
29% 0% 0% 0.17m 159° 0.27m 29% 198° 2.7m/s 3.2m/s 0.13m 6.5s
16:00
54% 0% 0% 0.16m 159° 0.26m 54% 197° 2.8m/s 3m/s 0.12m 6.5s
17:00 ☾
5% 0% 0% 0.15m 160° 0.26m 5% 192° 2.4m/s 2.4m/s 0.12m 6.5s
18:00 ☾
5% 0% 0% 0.15m 160° 0.26m 5% 178° 1.9m/s 2.2m/s 0.14m 6.4s
19:00 ☾
21% 0% 0% 0.14m 160° 0.26m 21% 161° 1.9m/s 1.6m/s 0.15m 6.4s
20:00 ☾
100% 0% 0% 0.14m 160° 0.26m 100% 142° 1.8m/s 1.5m/s 0.17m 6.4s
21:00 ☾
45% 1% 0% 0.13m 160° 0.25m 45% 135° 1.8m/s 1.6m/s 0.16m 6.3s
22:00 ☾
100% 13% 0% 0.13m 159° 0.25m 100% 125° 2m/s 1.7m/s 0.16m 6.3s
23:00 ☾
100% 28% 0% 0.12m 159° 0.24m 100% 117° 1.5m/s 1.3m/s 0.15m 6.3s
Mon, Aug 24 Sunrise 06:32 Sunset 19:47
24:00 ☾
100% 28% 0% 0.13m 157° 0.24m 100% 103° 1.5m/s 1.4m/s 0.15m 6.3s
01:00 ☾
100% 30% 0% 0.14m 156° 0.25m 100% 102° 1.3m/s 0.94m/s 0.16m 6.3s
02:00 ☾
100% 30% 0% 0.15m 155° 0.25m 100% 105° 1.1m/s 0.8m/s 0.16m 6.3s
03:00 ☾
100% 16% 0% 0.14m 162° 0.25m 100% 140° 0.91m/s 0.62m/s 0.17m 5.7s
04:00 ☾
100% 1% 89% 0.14m 169° 0.25m 100% 207° 0.7m/s 0.63m/s 0.19m 5.1s
05:00 ☾
100% 0% 71% 0.13m 177° 0.25m 100% 191° 0.7m/s 0.67m/s 0.2m 4.6s
06:00 ☾
100% 0% 3% 0.12m 188° 0.25m 100% 165° 0.81m/s 0.77m/s 0.2m 4.4s
07:00
100% 0% 71% 0.1m 198° 0.24m 100% 154° 0.93m/s 0.82m/s 0.2m 4.3s
08:00
100% 0% 100% 0.09m 209° 0.24m 100% 152° 0.81m/s 0.8m/s 0.2m 4.1s
09:00
100% 0% 100% 0.08m 216° 0.26m 100% 188° 0.61m/s 0.96m/s 0.23m 3.9s
10:00
100% 0% 100% 0.08m 223° 0.29m 100% 207° 0.92m/s 1.4m/s 0.26m 3.7s
11:00
100% 0% 100% 0.07m 229° 0.31m 100% 208° 1.3m/s 2m/s 0.29m 3.5s
12:00
100% 0% 100% 0.07m 230° 0.33m 100% 208° 2.1m/s 2.9m/s 0.31m 3.5s
13:00
100% 0% 100% 0.07m 231° 0.34m 100% 214° 2.4m/s 2.9m/s 0.32m 3.6s
14:00
100% 0% 100% 0.07m 231° 0.36m 100% 213° 3.1m/s 3.2m/s 0.34m 3.7s
15:00
100% 0% 100% 0.07m 231° 0.37m 100% 206° 3m/s 3.2m/s 0.35m 3.7s
16:00
100% 0% 100% 0.07m 230° 0.37m 100% 201° 3m/s 3m/s 0.36m 3.6s
17:00 ☾
100% 0% 99% 0.07m 229° 0.38m 100% 195° 2.4m/s 2.5m/s 0.37m 3.6s
18:00 ☾
100% 0% 72% 0.07m 226° 0.44m 100% 158° 2m/s 1.9m/s 0.43m 3.5s
19:00 ☾
100% 0% 46% 0.07m 222° 0.49m 100% 120° 1.6m/s 1.3m/s 0.48m 3.5s
20:00 ☾
99% 0% 19% 0.07m 218° 0.55m 99% 83° 1.1m/s 0.72m/s 0.54m 3.4s
21:00 ☾
73% 0% 14% 0.07m 213° 0.57m 73% 59° 0.96m/s 0.55m/s 0.56m 3.4s
22:00 ☾
46% 0% 10% 0.07m 208° 0.59m 46% 36° 0.8m/s 0.39m/s 0.59m 3.5s
23:00 ☾
19% 0% 5% 0.07m 202° 0.61m 19% 13° 0.65m/s 0.22m/s 0.61m 3.5s
Tue, Aug 25 Sunrise 06:33 Sunset 19:45
24:00 ☾
18% 0% 5% 0.07m 200° 0.6m 18% 44° 0.64m/s 0.18m/s 0.59m 3.5s
01:00 ☾
17% 0% 5% 0.07m 197° 0.58m 17% 75° 0.64m/s 0.13m/s 0.58m 3.5s
02:00 ☾
16% 0% 5% 0.07m 194° 0.57m 16% 106° 0.63m/s 0.09m/s 0.56m 3.4s
03:00 ☾
44% 0% 6% 0.07m 193° 0.54m 44% 140° 0.8m/s 0.68m/s 0.53m 3.5s
04:00 ☾
72% 0% 6% 0.07m 193° 0.5m 72% 173° 0.97m/s 1.3m/s 0.49m 3.6s
05:00 ☾
100% 0% 7% 0.07m 192° 0.47m 100% 207° 1.1m/s 1.9m/s 0.46m 3.6s
06:00 ☾
100% 0% 6% 0.07m 193° 0.51m 100% 208° 1.6m/s 2.2m/s 0.5m 4s
07:00
100% 0% 6% 0.07m 194° 0.56m 100% 208° 2.1m/s 2.5m/s 0.55m 4.3s
08:00
100% 0% 5% 0.07m 196° 0.6m 100% 209° 2.5m/s 2.8m/s 0.59m 4.6s
09:00
100% 0% 3% 0.07m 190° 0.69m 100% 197° 2m/s 2.3m/s 0.68m 4.4s
10:00
100% 0% 2% 0.06m 184° 0.77m 100% 185° 1.5m/s 1.9m/s 0.76m 4.2s
11:00
100% 0% 0% 0.06m 178° 0.86m 100% 173° 1m/s 1.5m/s 0.85m 4s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

How this forecast is made

Opportunities are threshold-based signals: PhotoWeather checks whether forecast conditions match the rules for a photography scenario. They are planning guidance, not guarantees. Forecasts can change as new model runs arrive, and confidence generally decreases farther into the forecast horizon, so recheck conditions before travelling.

The weather forecast foundation comes through Open-Meteo , which aggregates models from weather agencies. PhotoWeather applies condition-specific thresholds and derived calculations; not every condition uses every model or data input.

How opportunities work → Weather data sources →
Forecast generated

Get Notified of Opportunities

Create your own custom alerts for this location and more.

Create Free Account