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Rule Dramatic Seascapes

Djúpalónssandur - Dramatic Seascapes - Iceland Coast

Hellissandur, West, Iceland

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
Precipitation Chance 100% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Wave Height0.6m
Swell Height0.6m
Wind Speed7.5m/s (moderate winds)
Cloud Cover100%

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Atlantic/Reykjavik

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 photography along Iceland's otherworldly coastline. We track cloud drama, visibility, and wind patterns to predict when Atlantic storms create the most photogenic conditions.

Iceland's coastline offers landscapes found nowhere else on Earth—black volcanic sand, basalt columns, sea stacks, glacial icebergs washed ashore, and some of the world's most powerful waves. The interplay between North Atlantic weather and this volcanic shore creates constantly changing drama.

What makes Iceland's coast special for dramatic photography:

  • Unique geology - Black sand beaches, columnar basalt, and volcanic formations unlike anywhere else
  • Extreme contrast - Dark sand against white waves, blue icebergs, and stormy skies
  • Powerful seas - North Atlantic waves create dramatic action (but demand respect and safe distances)
  • Arctic light - Long golden hours and dramatic weather fronts

Dramatic conditions peak during autumn and winter storms (September-March), though Iceland can deliver drama year-round. The key is balancing dramatic weather with workable shooting conditions. Our forecast helps identify windows when storms have passed but interesting skies and waves remain. Always maintain safe distances from the waves at Reynisfjara and Diamond Beach—sneaker waves are genuinely dangerous.

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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
Atlantic/Reykjavik
Coastal Drama Score
≥ 75.0%
Significant Wave Height
≥ 1.5m
Visibility
≥ 5000.0m
Wind Gusts
≤ 22.0m/s
Precipitation Chance
≤ 30.0%
Wed, Mar 4
01:006.1%0.97m6092m8.2m/s87%
02:004.5%0.94m14478m6.2m/s84%
03:003.5%0.9m3013m5.7m/s80%
04:001.5%0.74m300m8.7m/s86%
05:001.9%0.3m7169m10m/s93%
06:002.5%0.19m18647m11m/s99%
07:003%0.4m2667m11m/s94%
08:006%0.34m4879m11m/s88%
09:009.2%0.09m24134m11m/s82%
10:007.9%0.26m1804m16m/s88%
11:0013%0.4m18603m16m/s94%
12:0018%0.23m24134m16m/s100%
13:006.8%0.07m24134m16m/s100%
14:0011%0.25m24134m15m/s100%
15:0014%0.72m24135m14m/s100%
16:0035%1.9m19974m14m/s100%
17:0021%0.76m19813m13m/s100%
18:0017%0.74m17143m11m/s100%
19:0030%1.7m22973m15m/s99%
20:0015%0.71m17474m18m/s98%
21:006.6%0.7m17281m12m/s98%
22:007.8%1.6m17457m10m/s98%
23:008.7%1.9m19724m9.8m/s99%
Thu, Mar 5
24:006.1%0.62m24134m9.2m/s99%
01:004.2%0.61m19226m8.3m/s99%
02:003.6%0.6m17679m7.4m/s99%
03:003.2%0.59m11280m7.1m/s99%
04:003.8%0.6m13961m7.3m/s100%
05:004.8%0.6m20482m8m/s100%
06:004.8%0.61m20485m8.2m/s100%
07:0015%0.62m21432m9.8m/s99%
08:0017%0.64m24135m9.6m/s98%
09:0017%0.65m21538m9m/s96%
10:0014%0.66m24134m6.9m/s98%
11:0011%0.66m19107m7.5m/s99%
12:008.9%0.67m17726m8.9m/s100%
13:0017%0.67m24134m9.2m/s100%
14:0016%0.66m24134m9.5m/s99%
15:0011%0.66m24134m11m/s99%
16:0011%0.71m21389m13m/s97%
17:009%0.77m5367m12m/s95%
18:0017%0.82m24135m11m/s94%
19:0027%0.83m24134m15m/s78%
20:0019%0.84m24134m11m/s63%
21:006.2%0.85m24134m10m/s47%
22:005.8%0.8m24134m7.1m/s64%
23:006.1%0.75m24135m8.8m/s81%
Fri, Mar 6
24:006.5%0.7m24134m12m/s98%
01:004.5%0.66m2938m16m/s91%
02:003.1%0.62m2629m14m/s83%
03:004.9%0.58m688m20m/s76%
04:003.9%0.55m1410m19m/s82%
05:003.5%0.51m4459m20m/s88%
06:003.9%0.48m3821m21m/s94%
07:008.2%0.47m4114m22m/s88%
08:0015%0.46m24135m25m/s82%
09:0022%0.45m24134m27m/s75%
10:0021%0.45m24134m28m/s81%
11:0020%0.44m24135m28m/s87%
12:0013%0.44m24134m29m/s93%
13:009.9%0.44m24134m29m/s89%
14:009.8%0.43m24135m26m/s86%
15:005.9%0.43m13922m21m/s82%
16:003.4%0.45m247m19m/s88%
17:009.2%0.48m24134m19m/s93%
18:0011%0.5m17339m18m/s98%
19:0012%0.62m15443m20m/s92%
20:0013%0.73m24134m15m/s85%
21:004%0.85m22704m15m/s79%
22:002.3%0.85m6447m19m/s84%
23:002.3%0.86m5952m19m/s89%
Sat, Mar 7
24:002%0.86m3141m19m/s94%
01:002.5%0.78m9043m19m/s94%
02:006.4%0.7m23344m19m/s94%
03:008.1%0.62m24134m20m/s94%
04:006.4%0.58m24135m21m/s94%
05:006%0.54m24134m20m/s94%
06:006.7%0.5m24135m19m/s94%
07:0021%0.48m21553m18m/s93%
08:0021%0.47m18971m17m/s92%
09:0018%0.45m16389m16m/s90%
10:0020%0.44m16469m16m/s93%
11:0025%0.42m16550m16m/s96%
12:0021%0.41m16630m16m/s99%
13:0021%0.39m19131m17m/s99%
14:0017%0.38m21633m17m/s100%
15:0015%0.36m24135m17m/s100%
16:0013%0.35m16645m17m/s100%
17:0013%0.34m9155m16m/s100%
18:0011%0.33m1665m16m/s100%
19:0018%0.32m1676m17m/s100%
20:0019%0.32m1687m18m/s99%
21:004.8%0.31m1698m20m/s99%
22:006.5%0.31m1603m19m/s99%
23:005.3%0.3m1509m18m/s100%
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
Atlantic/Reykjavik
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
Thu, Mar 5 Sunrise 08:31 Sunset 19:04
01:00
0% 85% 100% 0.58m 151° 0.11 -31° 100% 184° 7.5m/s 0.08m 11s
02:00
0% 100% 100% 0.57m 151° 0.11 -31° 100% 171° 6.6m/s 0.08m 11s
03:00
0% 98% 100% 0.57m 150° 0.11 -30° 100% 165° 6.1m/s 0.07m 10s
04:00
0% 100% 100% 0.58m 151° 0.11 -27° 100% 190° 6.2m/s 0.09m 10s
05:00
0% 68% 100% 0.59m 151° 0.1 -22° 100% 210° 7.2m/s 0.1m 10s
06:00
0% 17% 100% 0.6m 151° 0.1 -17° 100% 200° 7.4m/s 0.12m 11s
07:00
0% 5% 100% 0.6m 151° 0.13 -10° 100% 199° 8.9m/s 0.16m 10s
08:00
0% 16% 100% 0.6m 151° 0.12 -4° 100% 203° 8.6m/s 0.21m 10s
09:00
0% 81% 100% 0.6m 151° 0.12 2.4° 100% 203° 8.6m/s 0.25m 10s
10:00
0% 6% 100% 0.61m 151° 0.11 100% 185° 6.6m/s 0.24m 10s
11:00
0% 63% 100% 0.63m 151° 0.12 13° 100% 173° 6.7m/s 0.22m 10s
12:00
0% 100% 100% 0.64m 151° 0.13 16° 100% 181° 7.4m/s 0.21m 10s
13:00
0% 6% 70% 0.64m 151° 0.14 19° 70% 179° 6.6m/s 0.19m 10s
14:00
0% 6% 37% 0.65m 152° 0.17 19° 37% 173° 6.5m/s 0.16m 10s
15:00
0% 99% 100% 0.65m 152° 0.19 18° 100% 162° 8.4m/s 0.14m 10s
16:00
0% 81% 100% 0.71m 147° 0.17 15° 100% 175° 10m/s 0.27m 8.8s
17:00
0% 96% 100% 0.77m 143° 0.15 11° 100% 185° 10m/s 0.4m 7.3s
18:00
0% 82% 100% 0.83m 139° 0.12 5.7° 100% 176° 9.5m/s 0.53m 5.9s
19:00
0% 6% 24% 0.82m 139° 0.08 0.18° 24% 204° 12m/s 0.53m 5.9s
20:00
0% 6% 0% 0.81m 139° 0.06 -6.6° 6% 195° 8.5m/s 0.54m 6s
21:00
0% 5% 5% 0.8m 138° 0.06 -13° 5% 205° 7.4m/s 0.54m 6.1s
22:00
0% 5% 100% 0.74m 144° 0.05 -19° 100% 179° 4.6m/s 0.39m 7.7s
23:00
0% 3% 100% 0.67m 150° 0.06 -24° 100% 116° 6.6m/s 0.24m 9.3s
Fri, Mar 6 Sunrise 08:27 Sunset 19:07
24:00
0% 62% 100% 0.61m 156° 0.06 -28° 100% 102° 8.9m/s 0.09m 11s
01:00
0% 100% 100% 0.58m 156° 0.07 -30° 100% 99° 9.6m/s 0.1m 11s
02:00
0% 100% 100% 0.55m 155° 0.1 -31° 100% 61° 11m/s 0.1m 10s
03:00
0% 100% 100% 0.52m 155° 0.07 -29° 100% 93° 13m/s 0.11m 10s
04:00
0% 100% 100% 0.49m 154° 0.04 -26° 100% 183° 13m/s 0.11m 9.9s
05:00
0% 94% 100% 0.45m 153° 0.05 -22° 100% 167° 15m/s 0.1m 9.8s
06:00
0% 100% 100% 0.42m 152° 0.08 -16° 100% 166° 14m/s 0.1m 9.6s
07:00
0% 100% 100% 0.4m 152° 0.13 -10° 100% 169° 16m/s 0.12m 9.6s
08:00
0% 73% 99% 0.37m 151° 0.2 -3.6° 99% 170° 19m/s 0.15m 9.5s
09:00
0% 6% 52% 0.35m 151° 0.22 2.8° 52% 166° 21m/s 0.17m 9.4s
10:00
0% 66% 59% 0.33m 150° 0.09 8.4° 78% 165° 22m/s 0.2m 9.3s
11:00
0% 20% 5% 0.31m 149° 0.09 13° 20% 166° 22m/s 0.23m 9.2s
12:00
0% 6% 6% 0.29m 148° 0.09 17° 9% 172° 22m/s 0.26m 9.1s
13:00
0% 1% 27% 0.27m 155° - 19° 27% 167° 20m/s 0.28m 7.7s
14:00
0% 3% 78% 0.24m 161° - 20° 78% 160° 18m/s 0.29m 6.3s
15:00
0% 98% 100% 0.22m 168° - 18° 100% 165° 15m/s 0.31m 4.8s
16:00
0% 100% 100% 0.2m 159° - 15° 100% 173° 14m/s 0.34m 5.3s
17:00
0% 5% 97% 0.19m 151° - 11° 97% 170° 14m/s 0.37m 5.6s
18:00
0% 10% 40% 0.17m 142° - 6.1° 40% 172° 14m/s 0.4m 6s
19:00
0% 74% 10% 0.23m 141° - 0.46° 74% 162° 16m/s 0.51m 6.4s
20:00
0% 47% 6% 0.3m 140° - -6.3° 47% 161° 12m/s 0.61m 6.7s
21:00
0% 74% 4% 0.36m 138° - -13° 74% 213° 12m/s 0.72m 7.1s
22:00
0% 99% 98% 0.36m 144° - -18° 99% 214° 16m/s 0.71m 7.1s
23:00
0% 100% 8% 0.36m 150° - -24° 100% 219° 16m/s 0.71m 7.2s
Sat, Mar 7 Sunrise 08:23 Sunset 19:10
24:00
0% 99% 0% 0.36m 156° - -27° 99% 225° 17m/s 0.7m 7.2s
01:00
0% 100% 0% 0.37m 155° - -30° 100% 225° 16m/s 0.58m 9.8s
02:00
0% 93% 0% 0.39m 154° - -30° 93% 230° 15m/s 0.47m 12s
03:00
0% 33% 0% 0.4m 153° - -29° 33% 231° 16m/s 0.35m 15s
04:00
0% 5% 0% 0.4m 153° - -26° 5% 230° 16m/s 0.27m 15s
05:00
0% 6% 0% 0.4m 154° - -21° 6% 230° 16m/s 0.2m 14s
06:00
0% 86% 5% 0.4m 155° - -16° 86% 233° 15m/s 0.12m 14s
07:00
0% 90% 19% 0.4m 155° - -9.6° 90% 223° 15m/s 0.1m 14s
08:00
0% 94% 32% 0.4m 155° - -3.2° 94% 213° 14m/s 0.08m 14s
09:00
0% 98% 46% 0.4m 155° - 3.1° 98% 203° 14m/s 0.06m 13s
10:00
0% 83% 42% 0.4m 155° - 8.7° 83% 204° 14m/s 0.14m 13s
11:00
0% 67% 38% 0.39m 155° - 14° 67% 205° 14m/s 0.22m 13s
12:00
0% 52% 34% 0.39m 155° - 17° 52% 206° 14m/s 0.3m 12s
13:00
0% 68% 27% 0.38m 155° - 19° 68% 205° 14m/s 0.22m 12s
14:00
0% 84% 20% 0.36m 154° - 20° 84% 203° 14m/s 0.15m 12s
15:00
0% 100% 13% 0.35m 154° - 19° 100% 201° 14m/s 0.07m 12s
16:00
0% 100% 42% 0.34m 153° - 16° 100% 199° 13m/s 0.07m 12s
17:00
0% 100% 71% 0.34m 152° - 12° 100% 196° 13m/s 0.08m 11s
18:00
0% 100% 100% 0.33m 151° - 6.4° 100% 194° 13m/s 0.08m 11s
19:00
0% 70% 76% 0.32m 151° - 0.75° 76% 189° 13m/s 0.08m 11s
20:00
0% 39% 53% 0.32m 150° - -5.9° 53% 184° 12m/s 0.09m 11s
21:00
0% 9% 29% 0.31m 150° - -12° 29% 180° 12m/s 0.09m 11s
22:00
0% 39% 53% 0.29m 149° - -18° 53% 192° 13m/s 0.1m 11s
23:00
0% 70% 76% 0.27m 148° - -23° 76% 205° 14m/s 0.1m 11s
Sun, Mar 8 Sunrise 08:20 Sunset 19:13
24:00
0% 100% 100% 0.25m 147° - -27° 100% 217° 14m/s 0.11m 10s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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