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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 68% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Wave Height2.8m
Swell Height0.6m
Wind Speed2.8m/s (calm conditions)
Cloud Cover5%

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 80 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%
Wed, Jul 8
05:0040%1.6m24135m3.4m/s0%
06:0034%1.6m24134m3.3m/s0%
07:0018%0.99m24135m3.2m/s0%
08:0015%0.98m24134m2.9m/s0%
09:0013%0.98m24135m1.7m/s0%
10:0013%0.97m24134m2.2m/s0%
11:0016%1m24134m2.4m/s0%
12:0016%1m24134m2.2m/s0%
13:0031%2.5m24134m1.8m/s0%
14:0038%2.6m24134m2.4m/s0%
15:0033%2.8m24135m2.9m/s0%
16:0040%2.9m24135m3.1m/s0%
17:0043%2.8m24135m3.6m/s0%
18:0051%2.8m24135m4.3m/s0%
19:0051%2.7m24134m4.2m/s0%
20:0047%2.6m24134m3m/s0%
21:0047%2.5m24134m2.9m/s0%
22:0042%2.3m24135m3m/s0%
23:0037%2.2m24134m3.4m/s0%
Thu, Jul 9
24:0013%2m24134m3.4m/s0%
01:0012%1.9m24135m2.8m/s0%
02:0016%1.8m24135m2.7m/s0%
03:0011%1.7m24135m2.7m/s0%
04:0034%1.6m24134m3m/s0%
05:0034%1.6m24134m2.6m/s0%
06:0031%1.5m24134m2.5m/s0%
07:0026%1.4m24135m2.8m/s0%
08:0022%1.4m24135m2.2m/s0%
09:0015%1.3m24134m1.4m/s0%
10:0018%1.3m24135m0.9m/s0%
11:0012%1.3m24134m1.1m/s0%
12:0012%1.2m24135m1.7m/s0%
13:0014%1.2m24135m2m/s0%
14:0014%1.2m24134m2.1m/s0%
15:0016%1.1m24135m1.9m/s0%
16:0027%1.1m24135m1.7m/s0%
17:0020%1.1m24134m1.6m/s0%
18:0023%1.1m24135m1m/s0%
19:0029%1m24135m0.6m/s0%
20:0035%1m24134m1.6m/s0%
21:0037%1m24135m3m/s0%
22:0022%0.98m24135m3.8m/s0%
23:0022%0.98m24135m3.6m/s0%
Fri, Jul 10
24:006.5%0.97m24135m3.1m/s0%
01:005.7%0.97m24135m3m/s0%
02:004.7%0.97m24135m3.6m/s0%
03:004.7%0.96m24135m3.2m/s0%
04:0016%0.96m24134m3.2m/s0%
05:0018%0.99m24135m3.7m/s0%
06:0020%1m24134m4m/s0%
07:0022%1m24135m4.2m/s0%
08:0021%1.1m24134m4.5m/s0%
09:0014%1.1m24134m6.6m/s0%
10:0014%1.1m24135m7.8m/s0%
11:0011%1.1m24134m8.6m/s0%
12:0012%1m24134m8.6m/s0%
13:0017%1m24134m8.6m/s0%
14:0011%1m24135m7.3m/s0%
15:008.1%0.99m24134m6m/s0%
16:0011%0.98m24134m5.5m/s0%
17:009.8%0.97m24135m5m/s0%
18:0012%0.96m24135m4.3m/s0%
19:0018%0.95m24135m3.7m/s0%
20:0024%0.96m24135m5.4m/s0%
21:0025%0.96m24135m7.2m/s0%
22:0015%0.97m24135m8.9m/s0%
23:0016%1m24135m8.6m/s0%
Sat, Jul 11
24:005.6%1m24135m8.3m/s0%
01:005.6%1.1m24135m8m/s0%
02:006%1.1m24135m8.4m/s0%
03:006.1%1.2m24135m8.8m/s0%
04:0026%1.3m24135m9.2m/s0%
05:0030%1.3m24135m9.3m/s0%
06:0030%1.4m24135m9.3m/s0%
07:0025%1.5m24135m9.3m/s0%
08:0025%1.6m24135m8.9m/s0%
09:0021%1.6m24135m8.5m/s0%
10:0021%1.7m24135m8m/s0%
11:0018%1.7m24135m6.8m/s0%
12:0016%1.7m24135m5.6m/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
Wed, Jul 8 Sunrise 05:07 Sunset 21:21
15:00
5% 0% 0% 0.6m 93° 0.008 55° 5% 231° 2.8m/s 2.7m 8.2s
16:00
5% 0% 0% 0.64m 93° 0.008 47° 5% 242° 3m/s 2.8m 8.3s
17:00
2% 0% 0% 0.66m 90° 0.007 38° 2% 243° 3.3m/s 2.7m 8.2s
18:00
0% 0% 0% 0.68m 87° 0.007 29° 0% 255° 3.9m/s 2.6m 8.2s
19:00
0% 0% 0% 0.7m 84° 0.007 19° 0% 279° 3.9m/s 2.6m 8.1s
20:00
0% 0% 0% 0.71m 87° 0.008 10° 0% 296° 3m/s 2.4m 8s
21:00
5% 0% 0% 0.71m 90° 0.008 2.3° 5% 317° 2.9m/s 2.3m 7.9s
22:00
0% 0% 0% 0.72m 92° 0.008 -5.2° 0% 321° 3m/s 2.2m 7.7s
23:00
5% 0% 0% 0.71m 93° 0.007 -11° 5% 335° 3.3m/s 2m 7.6s
Thu, Jul 9 Sunrise 05:07 Sunset 21:21
24:00
5% 0% 0% 0.71m 94° 0.007 -15° 5% 352° 3.3m/s 1.8m 7.4s
01:00
5% 0% 0% 0.7m 95° 0.007 -17° 5% 358° 2.8m/s 1.7m 7.2s
02:00
37% 0% 0% 0.77m 95° 0.008 -16° 37% 2.7m/s 1.6m 7.1s
03:00
99% 0% 0% 0.85m 94° 0.008 -13° 99% 10° 2.6m/s 1.4m 7s
04:00
82% 0% 0% 0.92m 94° 0.008 -8.4° 82% 38° 2.9m/s 1.3m 6.8s
05:00
5% 0% 0% 0.94m 93° 0.008 -1.7° 5% 31° 2.6m/s 0.95m 6.7s
06:00
5% 0% 0% 0.95m 91° 0.008 6.2° 5% 2.5m/s 0.55m 6.6s
07:00
29% 0% 0% 0.97m 90° 0.008 15° 29% 356° 2.7m/s 0.16m 6.5s
08:00
23% 0% 0% 0.96m 94° 0.007 24° 23% 356° 2.2m/s 0.18m 6.5s
09:00
82% 0% 0% 0.95m 98° 0.007 34° 82% 351° 1.3m/s 0.19m 6.5s
10:00
88% 0% 0% 0.94m 102° 0.007 43° 88% 290° 0.59m/s 0.21m 6.5s
11:00
84% 0% 0% 0.93m 127° 0.008 51° 84% 200° 1.1m/s 0.21m 7.3s
12:00
9% 0% 0% 0.93m 152° 0.008 58° 9% 184° 1.8m/s 0.21m 8.1s
13:00
28% 0% 0% 0.92m 177° 0.009 62° 28% 179° 2m/s 0.21m 8.9s
14:00
27% 0% 0% 0.91m 176° 0.009 60° 27% 168° 1.9m/s 0.22m 8.7s
15:00
47% 0% 0% 0.91m 175° 0.009 55° 47% 176° 1.9m/s 0.22m 8.6s
16:00
52% 0% 0% 0.9m 174° 0.01 47° 52% 171° 1.7m/s 0.23m 8.4s
17:00
82% 0% 0% 0.88m 174° 0.01 38° 82% 169° 1.5m/s 0.23m 8.4s
18:00
90% 0% 0% 0.87m 173° 0.01 29° 90% 163° 0.71m/s 0.23m 8.3s
19:00
96% 0% 0% 0.85m 172° 0.01 19° 96% 334° 0.31m/s 0.23m 8.3s
20:00
100% 0% 0% 0.84m 169° 0.01 10° 100% 328° 1.6m/s 0.22m 8.2s
21:00
100% 0% 0% 0.82m 167° 0.01 2.2° 100% 336° 3m/s 0.21m 8.1s
22:00
100% 0% 0% 0.81m 164° 0.01 -5.3° 100% 337° 3.7m/s 0.2m 8.1s
23:00
100% 0% 0% 0.82m 164° 0.01 -11° 100% 350° 3.5m/s 0.23m 8s
Fri, Jul 10 Sunrise 05:08 Sunset 21:21
24:00
100% 0% 0% 0.83m 163° 0.01 -15° 100% 20° 3m/s 0.27m 8s
01:00
100% 0% 0% 0.84m 162° 0.01 -17° 100% 57° 3.1m/s 0.3m 7.9s
02:00
100% 0% 1% 0.83m 162° - -16° 100% 63° 3.5m/s 0.33m 7.9s
03:00
100% 0% 3% 0.81m 162° - -14° 100% 51° 3.2m/s 0.35m 7.8s
04:00
100% 0% 2% 0.8m 161° - -8.6° 100% 30° 3.1m/s 0.38m 7.8s
05:00
100% 0% 23% 0.78m 161° - -1.8° 100% 30° 3.7m/s 0.45m 7.8s
06:00
94% 0% 40% 0.77m 160° - 6.1° 94% 54° 3.9m/s 0.53m 7.8s
07:00
77% 0% 68% 0.75m 159° - 15° 77% 59° 3.7m/s 0.6m 7.8s
08:00
21% 0% 17% 0.74m 158° - 24° 23% 67° 4.1m/s 0.63m 7.8s
09:00
40% 0% 96% 0.72m 157° - 33° 96% 83° 4.9m/s 0.67m 7.8s
10:00
35% 0% 100% 0.71m 156° - 43° 100% 93° 5.5m/s 0.7m 7.8s
11:00
95% 0% 100% 0.71m 155° - 51° 100% 101° 6m/s 0.7m 7.7s
12:00
37% 0% 100% 0.7m 154° - 58° 100% 101° 5.9m/s 0.7m 7.7s
13:00
26% 0% 45% 0.7m 152° - 61° 54% 106° 5.9m/s 0.7m 7.7s
14:00
99% 0% 69% 0.69m 152° - 60° 99% 109° 5.3m/s 0.5m 7.7s
15:00
100% 0% 80% 0.67m 151° - 55° 100% 111° 4.8m/s 0.3m 7.6s
16:00
82% 0% 89% 0.66m 151° - 47° 89% 123° 4.5m/s 0.1m 7.6s
17:00
97% 0% 100% 0.66m 151° - 38° 100% 120° 4.4m/s 0.12m 7.5s
18:00
84% 0% 93% 0.65m 150° - 29° 96% 98° 3.7m/s 0.14m 7.5s
19:00
65% 0% 62% 0.65m 150° - 19° 65% 56° 3.1m/s 0.16m 7.4s
20:00
43% 0% 42% 0.68m 151° - 10° 43% 57° 3.8m/s 0.21m 7.4s
21:00
22% 0% 21% 0.71m 151° - 2.1° 22% 59° 4.5m/s 0.27m 7.4s
22:00
0% 0% 1% 0.74m 152° - -5.4° 1% 60° 5.2m/s 0.32m 7.3s
23:00
0% 0% 0% 0.74m 152° - -11° 0% 59° 5.3m/s 0.37m 7.3s
Sat, Jul 11 Sunrise 05:09 Sunset 21:20
24:00
0% 0% 0% 0.74m 153° - -15° 0% 59° 5.3m/s 0.42m 7.2s
01:00
0% 0% 0% 0.74m 153° - -17° 0% 58° 5.4m/s 0.47m 7.1s
02:00
0% 0% 0% 0.85m 154° - -17° 0% 67° 5.7m/s 0.52m 7s
03:00
0% 0% 0% 0.96m 154° - -14° 0% 77° 5.9m/s 0.57m 6.9s
04:00
0% 0% 1% 1.1m 154° - -8.7° 1% 86° 6.2m/s 0.62m 6.8s
05:00
0% 0% 0% 1.1m 156° - -1.9° 0% 101° 6.5m/s 0.64m 6.9s
06:00
0% 0% 0% 1.2m 157° - 5.9° 0% 115° 6.9m/s 0.65m 7s
07:00
0% 0% 0% 1.3m 158° - 15° 0% 130° 7.2m/s 0.67m 7s
08:00
0% 0% 0% 1.4m 160° - 24° 0% 128° 6.6m/s 0.65m 7.2s
09:00
0% 0% 0% 1.5m 161° - 33° 0% 126° 5.9m/s 0.64m 7.3s
10:00
0% 0% 0% 1.5m 163° - 43° 0% 124° 5.2m/s 0.62m 7.4s
11:00
0% 0% 0% 1.6m 164° - 51° 0% 112° 4.5m/s 0.5m 7.6s
12:00
0% 0% 0% 1.6m 165° - 58° 0% 99° 3.7m/s 0.38m 7.7s
13:00
0% 0% 0% 1.6m 167° - 61° 0% 86° 3m/s 0.26m 7.9s
14:00
1% 0% 0% 1.6m 168° - 60° 1% 73° 3.8m/s 0.26m 7.9s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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