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Rule Dramatic Seascapes

Chesil Beach - Dramatic Seascapes - Dorset & Jurassic Coast

Weymouth, England, United Kingdom

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 60% failing
Precipitation Chance 56% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Wave Height1.9m
Swell Height0.9m
Wind Speed8.7m/s (moderate winds)
Cloud Cover34%

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Europe/London

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 weather conditions align for photography along the Jurassic Coast's UNESCO World Heritage geology. We track cloud patterns, visibility, and wind conditions to predict when storms and clearing weather create photogenic drama.

The Jurassic Coast's layered geology—185 million years exposed in cliffs and sea stacks—becomes even more powerful under dramatic skies. From the golden sandstone cliffs at West Bay to the white chalk stacks of Old Harry Rocks, this coastline offers geological diversity unmatched in Britain, and dramatic weather amplifies these natural features.

What makes the Jurassic Coast special for dramatic coastal photography:

  • Geological drama - 185 million years of Earth history exposed in colorful cliff layers
  • Natural arches - Durdle Door's limestone arch creates iconic silhouettes under storm skies
  • Exposed headlands - Portland Bill's tidal race and lighthouse face the full force of Channel weather
  • Golden cliffs - West Bay's sandstone cliffs (famous from Broadchurch) glow dramatically in storm light

The most dramatic conditions occur during autumn and winter frontal systems (October-March). Portland Bill's tidal race creates spectacular wave action when strong winds oppose tidal currents. Post-storm clearing often produces rainbow opportunities as sun breaks through over dramatic geology. The golden sandstone at West Bay becomes even more vivid when lit by low-angle storm light. Durdle Door's limestone arch creates powerful silhouettes against turbulent skies. Always respect cliff edges—the Jurassic Coast's soft geology means active erosion and landslips are common.

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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
Europe/London
Coastal Drama Score
≥ 75.0%
Significant Wave Height
≥ 1.5m
Visibility
≥ 5000.0m
Wind Gusts
≤ 22.0m/s
Precipitation Chance
≤ 30.0%
Sun, May 17
15:006.6%0.4m24135m6.8m/s99%
16:007.5%0.37m20733m8.1m/s99%
17:006.2%0.38m19065m7.4m/s99%
18:007.4%0.39m17768m7.6m/s100%
19:0017%1.2m19212m9.2m/s100%
20:0025%1.2m24135m8.5m/s99%
21:0026%1.2m21007m7.8m/s93%
22:0023%1.2m22925m7.5m/s90%
23:006.6%1.2m19383m8m/s93%
Mon, May 18
24:006.5%1.2m19213m8.4m/s95%
01:0018%2.4m13625m7.8m/s98%
02:0018%2.3m19337m7.3m/s93%
03:0014%2.3m24135m10m/s96%
04:0043%2.3m22687m10m/s93%
05:0049%2.2m23776m10m/s95%
06:0051%2.3m23233m10m/s96%
07:0044%1.8m24135m9.5m/s98%
08:0034%1.8m24135m8.4m/s75%
09:0028%1.9m24135m8.3m/s57%
10:0029%1.9m24135m8.9m/s39%
11:0024%1.9m24134m9.2m/s45%
12:0025%1.8m24135m9.6m/s50%
13:0022%2m24134m9.3m/s56%
14:0024%1.9m24134m9.4m/s68%
15:0026%1.9m24134m9.8m/s79%
16:0024%1.8m24134m9.3m/s91%
17:0022%1.8m24134m9.4m/s94%
18:0029%1.7m24134m9.1m/s97%
19:0026%1.6m24135m9.3m/s100%
20:0030%1.5m24135m10m/s99%
21:0021%1.5m17001m10m/s99%
22:0021%1.4m13361m11m/s99%
23:0010%1.4m14908m12m/s99%
Tue, May 19
24:0011%1.4m24134m14m/s99%
01:0011%1.3m24134m14m/s100%
02:008.8%1.3m9505m15m/s97%
03:008.8%1.3m8528m17m/s94%
04:0025%1.3m22079m19m/s92%
05:0022%1.3m17651m18m/s94%
06:0025%1.3m24134m14m/s97%
07:0020%1.3m24134m14m/s100%
08:0017%1.4m24134m14m/s90%
09:0014%1.4m24135m14m/s79%
10:0012%1.5m24135m15m/s69%
11:0015%1.5m24135m16m/s73%
12:0017%1.5m24134m15m/s77%
13:0017%1.6m24134m15m/s82%
14:0018%1.6m24134m15m/s67%
15:0018%1.6m24134m16m/s53%
16:0024%1.6m24134m17m/s39%
17:0023%1.6m24135m17m/s39%
18:0028%1.7m24134m17m/s39%
19:0030%1.7m24135m17m/s39%
20:0046%1.7m24134m17m/s42%
21:0046%1.7m24134m16m/s46%
22:0039%1.7m24135m16m/s49%
23:0011%1.7m24135m17m/s57%
Wed, May 20
24:0012%1.6m24134m17m/s64%
01:0011%1.6m24134m17m/s72%
02:0013%1.6m24135m15m/s55%
03:0012%1.6m24135m15m/s39%
04:0031%1.6m24135m17m/s22%
05:0042%1.6m24135m17m/s28%
06:0035%1.6m24135m16m/s33%
07:0033%1.5m24134m15m/s39%
08:0031%1.5m24134m14m/s26%
09:0023%1.5m24134m13m/s13%
10:0021%1.5m24135m13m/s0%
11:0019%1.4m24135m13m/s0%
12:0016%1.4m24135m13m/s0%
13:0012%1.3m24134m12m/s0%
14:0011%1.3m24135m12m/s0%
15:0011%1.3m24135m11m/s0%
16:0013%1.2m24134m11m/s0%
17:0013%1.2m24135m11m/s0%
18:0016%1.1m24135m11m/s0%
19:0023%1.1m24134m11m/s0%
20:0026%1.1m24134m9.3m/s0%
21:0021%1.1m24135m8m/s0%
22:0015%1m24135m6.7m/s0%
23:005.3%1m24135m6.5m/s0%
Thu, May 21
24:005.3%1m24135m6.3m/s0%
01:005.3%0.98m24135m6.1m/s0%
02:004.9%0.96m24135m5.6m/s0%
03:004.9%0.94m24135m5.1m/s0%
04:0014%0.92m24135m4.5m/s0%
05:0016%0.91m24135m4.5m/s0%
06:0014%0.9m24135m4.5m/s0%
07:0014%0.89m24135m4.4m/s0%
08:0014%0.88m24135m4.6m/s0%
09:0017%0.87m24135m4.8m/s0%
10:0015%0.86m24135m5m/s0%
11:0014%0.86m24135m5.2m/s0%
12:009.9%0.85m24135m5.4m/s0%
13:008.1%0.85m24135m5.6m/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
Europe/London
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, May 18 Sunrise 05:17 Sunset 20:55
15:00
5% 31% 14% 0.92m 98° 0.05 52° 34% 213° 8.7m/s 1.5m 7.7s
16:00
0% 7% 86% 0.96m 103° 0.05 44° 86% 209° 7.9m/s 1.4m 7.8s
17:00
4% 77% 99% 0.97m 105° 0.06 35° 99% 209° 8m/s 1.3m 7.7s
18:00
97% 99% 100% 0.97m 108° 0.06 26° 100% 209° 8m/s 1.1m 7.7s
19:00
5% 100% 99% 0.98m 110° 0.06 16° 100% 201° 7.7m/s 1m 7.7s
20:00
5% 100% 98% 0.97m 109° 0.05 7.1° 100% 188° 8.1m/s 0.93m 7.7s
21:00
10% 100% 100% 0.97m 109° 0.05 -1.1° 100% 185° 8.4m/s 0.85m 7.6s
22:00
36% 100% 100% 0.96m 108° 0.04 -8.6° 100% 187° 8.2m/s 0.78m 7.5s
23:00
100% 100% 100% 1m 109° 0.03 -14° 100% 180° 8.9m/s 0.79m 7.5s
Tue, May 19 Sunrise 05:17 Sunset 20:55
24:00
100% 100% 100% 1.1m 110° 0.04 -18° 100% 173° 11m/s 0.81m 7.4s
01:00
100% 100% 100% 1.1m 110° 0.05 -20° 100% 173° 12m/s 0.82m 7.4s
02:00
100% 100% 100% 1.1m 111° 0.04 -19° 100% 178° 12m/s 0.58m 7.3s
03:00
100% 100% 100% 1m 112° 0.03 -15° 100% 180° 13m/s 0.33m 7.3s
04:00
34% 100% 0% 0.97m 113° 0.02 -9.9° 100% 185° 13m/s 0.09m 7.3s
05:00
9% 100% 14% 0.96m 115° 0.02 -2.8° 100% 187° 13m/s 0.13m 7.3s
06:00
100% 46% 100% 0.96m 116° 0.03 5.4° 100% 212° 11m/s 0.17m 7.3s
07:00
100% 1% 100% 0.95m 117° 0.03 14° 100% 218° 10m/s 0.21m 7.3s
08:00
90% 1% 100% 0.95m 118° 0.04 24° 100% 222° 10m/s 0.24m 7.4s
09:00
0% 100% 100% 0.95m 119° 0.07 33° 100% 209° 9.4m/s 0.26m 7.4s
10:00
3% 100% 100% 0.95m 120° 0.1 42° 100% 210° 10m/s 0.29m 7.4s
11:00
0% 94% 100% 0.98m 129° 0.11 50° 100% 218° 11m/s 0.29m 7.8s
12:00
0% 31% 100% 1m 137° 0.1 57° 100% 222° 11m/s 0.28m 8.3s
13:00
4% 97% 5% 1m 146° 0.09 59° 97% 230° 11m/s 0.28m 8.7s
14:00
0% 5% 4% 1.2m 147° - 57° 5% 232° 11m/s 0.28m 8.9s
15:00
0% 5% 5% 1.3m 149° - 52° 5% 233° 12m/s 0.27m 9s
16:00
0% 5% 5% 1.4m 150° - 44° 5% 234° 12m/s 0.27m 9.1s
17:00
0% 5% 5% 1.4m 149° - 35° 5% 235° 12m/s 0.27m 9.2s
18:00
0% 7% 5% 1.4m 148° - 26° 7% 235° 12m/s 0.26m 9.2s
19:00
0% 14% 5% 1.5m 147° - 16° 14% 235° 12m/s 0.26m 9.3s
20:00
41% 9% 5% 1.4m 149° - 7.3° 41% 239° 12m/s 0.22m 9.3s
21:00
0% 5% 39% 1.4m 150° - -0.91° 39% 241° 12m/s 0.18m 9.4s
22:00
0% 61% 2% 1.4m 152° - -8.4° 61% 236° 11m/s 0.14m 9.6s
23:00
0% 100% 0% 1.4m 162° - -14° 100% 230° 11m/s 0.16m 10s
Wed, May 20 Sunrise 05:16 Sunset 20:56
24:00
0% 9% 5% 1.4m 172° - -18° 9% 234° 12m/s 0.17m 11s
01:00
0% 14% 3% 1.4m 182° - -19° 14% 238° 12m/s 0.19m 12s
02:00
0% 72% 36% 1.3m 180° - -18° 72% 240° 11m/s 0.25m 11s
03:00
0% 78% 5% 1.3m 178° - -15° 78% 235° 10m/s 0.3m 11s
04:00
3% 100% 11% 1.3m 176° - -9.7° 100% 231° 10m/s 0.36m 11s
05:00
0% 73% 5% 1.3m 177° - -2.7° 73% 232° 11m/s 0.45m 11s
06:00
5% 100% 0% 1.2m 179° - 5.5° 100% 235° 11m/s 0.55m 11s
07:00
100% 100% 0% 1.1m 181° - 14° 100% 238° 10m/s 0.64m 11s
08:00
66% 67% 5% 1.1m 178° - 24° 90% 238° 9.9m/s 0.65m 11s
09:00
88% 100% 75% 1.1m 176° - 33° 100% 238° 9.7m/s 0.65m 10s
10:00
6% 100% 42% 1m 173° - 42° 100% 232° 9.3m/s 0.66m 10s
11:00
32% 99% 5% 1m 170° - 51° 99% 229° 8.8m/s 0.65m 10s
12:00
23% 76% 2% 0.97m 166° - 57° 76% 231° 8.7m/s 0.63m 10s
13:00
96% 0% 0% 0.93m 163° - 59° 96% 231° 8.2m/s 0.62m 9.8s
14:00
9% 1% 3% 0.9m 158° - 58° 9% 227° 7.6m/s 0.61m 9.6s
15:00
5% 0% 0% 0.88m 152° - 52° 5% 226° 7.4m/s 0.59m 9.4s
16:00
5% 0% 0% 0.85m 147° - 44° 5% 225° 7.3m/s 0.58m 9.2s
17:00
5% 0% 0% 0.83m 158° - 35° 5% 224° 7.4m/s 0.56m 9.6s
18:00
5% 0% 0% 0.8m 170° - 26° 5% 227° 7.1m/s 0.53m 9.9s
19:00
45% 0% 0% 0.78m 182° - 16° 45% 227° 6.9m/s 0.51m 10s
20:00
63% 0% 26% 0.77m 182° - 7.4° 63% 217° 6.1m/s 0.49m 10s
21:00
82% 0% 52% 0.76m 181° - -0.68° 82% 207° 5.2m/s 0.47m 10s
22:00
100% 0% 78% 0.75m 181° - -8.2° 100% 197° 4.4m/s 0.45m 10s
23:00
100% 0% 52% 0.73m 175° - -14° 100% 196° 4.3m/s 0.43m 9.9s
Thu, May 21 Sunrise 05:15 Sunset 20:58
24:00
100% 0% 26% 0.72m 169° - -18° 100% 195° 4.2m/s 0.42m 9.8s
01:00
100% 0% 0% 0.7m 163° - -19° 100% 194° 4.1m/s 0.4m 9.6s
02:00
100% 0% 4% 0.69m 157° - -18° 100% 191° 3.9m/s 0.39m 9.4s
03:00
100% 0% 8% 0.68m 151° - -15° 100% 189° 3.6m/s 0.37m 9.3s
04:00
100% 0% 12% 0.67m 144° - -9.5° 100% 186° 3.4m/s 0.36m 9.1s
05:00
100% 0% 32% 0.66m 142° - -2.5° 100% 174° 3.5m/s 0.41m 9s
06:00
99% 0% 52% 0.65m 140° - 5.7° 99% 162° 3.6m/s 0.46m 8.9s
07:00
99% 0% 72% 0.64m 138° - 15° 99% 150° 3.8m/s 0.51m 8.7s
08:00
67% 0% 64% 0.63m 137° - 24° 82% 145° 3.9m/s 0.52m 8.7s
09:00
36% 0% 56% 0.61m 135° - 33° 65% 139° 4.1m/s 0.53m 8.6s
10:00
5% 0% 48% 0.6m 134° - 43° 48% 134° 4.3m/s 0.54m 8.5s
11:00
36% 2% 34% 0.58m 134° - 51° 65% 126° 4.5m/s 0.56m 8.4s
12:00
68% 3% 19% 0.57m 134° - 57° 82% 118° 4.7m/s 0.59m 8.4s
13:00
99% 5% 5% 0.55m 135° - 60° 99% 110° 4.9m/s 0.61m 8.3s
14:00
68% 5% 5% 0.56m 135° - 58° 68% 110° 5.4m/s 0.67m 8.3s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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