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Rule Dramatic Seascapes

Dyrhólaey - Dramatic Seascapes - Iceland Coast

Vik, South, Iceland

Dramatic coastal photography conditions - powerful waves combined with atmospheric drama and good visibility for seascape shots.

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Atlantic/Reykjavik
Next opportunity
Dramatic Seascapes
Dyrhólaey
Tue, Jan 20 · 12:00–13:00 · 1h window
Low confidence
35%
Dramatic Seascapes
Dyrhólaey
Tue, Jan 20 · 15:00–16:00
Low

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 72 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%
Sun, Jan 11
12:0051%1.9m50000m15m/s2%
13:0051%2.3m50000m15m/s1%
14:0061%2.6m50000m15m/s1%
15:0063%3m50000m16m/s0%
16:0064%3.1m50000m15m/s0%
17:0054%3.3m50000m14m/s0%
18:0056%3.4m50000m17m/s0%
19:0020%3.4m50000m17m/s0%
20:0020%3.4m50000m17m/s0%
21:0019%3.4m50000m11m/s0%
22:0021%3.3m50000m19m/s0%
23:0021%3.3m50000m21m/s0%
Mon, Jan 12
24:0021%3.2m50000m21m/s0%
01:0026%3m50000m18m/s0%
02:0020%2.9m50000m22m/s0%
03:0016%2.8m50000m25m/s0%
04:0016%2.7m50000m27m/s0%
05:0016%2.7m50000m29m/s0%
06:0017%2.6m50000m30m/s0%
07:0018%2.6m50000m32m/s0%
08:0018%2.6m50000m35m/s0%
09:0058%2.7m50000m35m/s0%
10:0052%2.6m50000m35m/s0%
11:0068%2.5m50000m35m/s0%
12:0068%2.5m50000m34m/s0%
13:0086%2.4m50000m33m/s0%
14:0081%2.4m50000m32m/s0%
15:0068%2.3m50000m31m/s0%
16:0066%2.3m50000m30m/s0%
17:0061%2.2m50000m30m/s0%
18:0060%2.2m50000m30m/s0%
19:0021%2.1m50000m30m/s0%
20:0020%2.1m50000m29m/s0%
21:0020%2m50000m30m/s0%
22:0014%1.9m50000m30m/s0%
23:0014%1.9m50000m30m/s0%
Tue, Jan 13
24:0014%1.9m50000m29m/s0%
01:0013%1.8m50000m27m/s0%
02:0013%1.8m50000m27m/s0%
03:0013%1.7m50000m26m/s0%
04:0013%1.6m50000m26m/s0%
05:0013%1.6m50000m26m/s0%
06:0012%1.6m50000m25m/s0%
07:0012%1.6m50000m20m/s0%
08:0012%1.6m50000m22m/s0%
09:0032%1.6m50675m18m/s0%
10:0043%1.6m49840m9.4m/s0%
11:0036%1.7m43610m4.2m/s0%
12:0039%1.7m40400m3.2m/s0%
13:0042%1.7m39480m3.4m/s0%
14:0048%1.8m37840m3.2m/s0%
15:0042%1.8m20640m2m/s0%
16:0028%1.8m59380m1.4m/s0%
17:0024%1.8m75420m2.2m/s0%
18:0024%1.8m75420m2.5m/s0%
19:009.3%1.8m75420m2.5m/s0%
20:009.3%1.8m75420m1.9m/s0%
21:009.3%1.8m75400m1.2m/s0%
22:0012%1.9m75400m0.6m/s0%
23:0012%2m75400m0.3m/s0%
Wed, Jan 14
24:0011%2.1m75500m0.5m/s0%
01:0011%2.4m75400m1.1m/s0%
02:0011%2.7m75340m1.9m/s0%
03:0016%3m75340m1.5m/s0%
04:0015%3.3m75340m1.1m/s0%
05:0021%3.5m75340m2.2m/s1%
06:0020%3.8m75340m3.3m/s2%
07:0019%4m75340m3.3m/s3%
08:0016%4.1m75340m3.1m/s5%
09:0046%4.3m75320m3m/s8%
10:0060%4.3m75380m3.5m/s12%
11:0074%4.4m75380m5.3m/s17%
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
Sun, Jan 11 Sunrise 10:43 Sunset 16:04
13:00
0% 0% 0% 0.92m 152° 0.01 4.9° 0% 23° 9.8m/s 1.9m 10s
14:00
0% 0% 0% 0.91m 97° 0.01 4.7° 0% 22° 9.9m/s 2.4m 9.1s
15:00
0% 0% 0% 0.9m 42° 0.01 0% 25° 10m/s 2.8m 7.9s
16:00
0% 0% 0% 0.88m 43° 0.01 0.09° 0% 39° 9m/s 3m 8.1s
17:00
0% 0% 0% 0.86m 43° 0.009 -4.9° 0% 42° 9.5m/s 3.1m 8.3s
18:00
0% 0% 0% 0.84m 44° 0.008 -10° 0% 42° 11m/s 3.3m 8.4s
19:00
0% 0% 0% 0.82m 43° 0.008 -17° 0% 43° 11m/s 3.3m 8.4s
20:00
0% 0% 0% 0.8m 42° 0.008 -23° 0% 23° 4.1m/s 3.3m 8.4s
21:00
0% 0% 0% 0.78m 41° 0.008 -30° 0% 349° 7.1m/s 3.3m 8.4s
22:00
0% 0% 0% 0.76m 40° 0.007 -36° 0% 12m/s 3.3m 8.4s
23:00
0% 0% 0% 0.73m 40° 0.007 -42° 0% 14m/s 3.2m 8.3s
Mon, Jan 12 Sunrise 10:41 Sunset 16:07
24:00
0% 0% 0% 0.71m 40° 0.008 -46° 0% 12m/s 3.1m 8.3s
01:00
35% 0% 0% 0.69m 39° 0.009 -48° 35% 11m/s 2.9m 8.1s
02:00
42% 0% 7% 0.66m 39° 0.009 -48° 46% 360° 15m/s 2.8m 8s
03:00
100% 0% 33% 0.64m 38° 0.009 -45° 100% 17m/s 2.7m 7.8s
04:00
100% 0% 71% 0.61m 37° 0.009 -41° 100% 18m/s 2.6m 7.8s
05:00
81% 0% 55% 0.59m 37° 0.009 -35° 92% 10° 20m/s 2.6m 7.7s
06:00
70% 0% 50% 0.56m 36° 0.008 -29° 85% 20m/s 2.6m 7.6s
07:00
57% 0% 68% 0.54m 38° 0.007 -22° 86% 21m/s 2.6m 7.7s
08:00
73% 0% 56% 0.51m 40° 0.006 -15° 88% 23m/s 2.6m 7.8s
09:00
38% 0% 20% 0.49m 41° 0.006 -9.2° 50% 24m/s 2.6m 7.9s
10:00
0% 0% 1% 0.5m 42° 0.007 -3.8° 1% 23m/s 2.5m 8s
11:00
0% 0% 2% 0.52m 42° 0.007 0.83° 2% 23m/s 2.4m 8s
12:00
0% 0% 3% 0.53m 43° 0.008 3.6° 3% 22m/s 2.4m 8.1s
13:00
51% 0% 0% 0.53m 43° 0.007 51% 22m/s 2.3m 8.1s
14:00
64% 0% 0% 0.53m 43° 0.007 4.9° 64% 20m/s 2.3m 8.1s
15:00
3% 0% 0% 0.53m 43° 0.006 3.2° 3% 20m/s 2.2m 8.1s
16:00
1% 0% 0% 0.94m 44° 0.006 0.24° 1% 19m/s 1.9m 8.1s
17:00
0% 0% 0% 1.4m 45° 0.007 -4.7° 0% 19m/s 1.5m 8.1s
18:00
0% 0% 0% 1.8m 45° 0.006 -10° 0% 19m/s 1.1m 8.1s
19:00
0% 0% 0% 1.7m 45° 0.007 -16° 0% 19m/s 1m 8.3s
20:00
0% 0% 0% 1.7m 45° 0.007 -23° 0% 19m/s 0.94m 8.4s
21:00
0% 0% 0% 1.7m 45° 0.007 -30° 0% 19m/s 0.85m 8.5s
22:00
0% 0% 0% 1.6m 45° 0.007 -36° 0% 19m/s 0.82m 8.6s
23:00
0% 0% 0% 1.6m 45° 0.008 -42° 0% 11° 20m/s 0.8m 8.8s
Tue, Jan 13 Sunrise 10:39 Sunset 16:10
24:00
0% 0% 0% 1.5m 45° 0.009 -46° 0% 357° 16m/s 0.77m 8.9s
01:00
0% 0% 0% 1.5m 44° - -48° 0% 355° 16m/s 0.74m 9s
02:00
0% 0% 0% 1.4m 44° - -48° 0% 357° 16m/s 0.71m 9.1s
03:00
0% 0% 0% 1.4m 44° - -45° 0% 355° 15m/s 0.68m 9.3s
04:00
0% 0% 0% 1.4m 51° - -41° 0% 345° 15m/s 0.65m 9.6s
05:00
0% 0% 0% 1.3m 58° - -35° 0% 350° 16m/s 0.61m 9.9s
06:00
0% 0% 0% 1.3m 65° - -29° 0% 342° 11m/s 0.58m 10s
07:00
0% 0% 0% 1.3m 61° - -22° 0% 335° 10m/s 0.6m 10s
08:00
0% 0% 0% 1.3m 58° - -15° 0% 339° 14m/s 0.62m 10s
09:00
0% 6% 0% 1.3m 55° - -9.1° 6% 314° 7.9m/s 0.64m 10s
10:00
0% 0% 0% 1.4m 53° - -3.7° 0% 259° 1.9m/s 0.65m 11s
11:00
0% 2% 0% 1.4m 50° - 0.95° 2% 267° 2.3m/s 0.67m 11s
12:00
0% 8% 0% 1.5m 47° - 3.7° 8% 236° 1.8m/s 0.68m 11s
13:00
0% 17% 0% 1.5m 46° - 5.2° 17% 242° 1.8m/s 0.62m 11s
14:00
0% 37% 1% 1.5m 45° - 37% 268° 1.1m/s 0.56m 11s
15:00
0% 33% 3% 1.5m 44° - 3.4° 34% 349° 0.25m/s 0.5m 11s
16:00
0% 7% 2% 1.5m 44° - 0.4° 9% 15° 0.78m/s 0.49m 11s
17:00
0% 4% 0% 1.5m 43° - -4.5° 4% 22° 1.4m/s 0.48m 11s
18:00
0% 1% 0% 1.5m 43° - -10° 1% 14° 1.4m/s 0.47m 11s
19:00
0% 0% 0% 1.5m 43° - -16° 0% 360° 1m/s 0.46m 11s
20:00
0% 0% 0% 1.6m 43° - -23° 0% 351° 0.61m/s 0.45m 11s
21:00
5% 0% 0% 1.6m 43° - -30° 5% 338° 0.27m/s 0.44m 11s
22:00
73% 0% 0% 1.2m 43° - -36° 73% 342° 0.16m/s 0.94m 11s
23:00
90% 0% 0% 0.81m 43° - -41° 90% 360° 0.1m/s 1.4m 11s
Wed, Jan 14 Sunrise 10:37 Sunset 16:13
24:00
98% 0% 0% 0.43m 44° - -46° 98% 346° 0.21m/s 2m 12s
01:00
100% 0% 0% 0.42m 44° - -48° 100% 0.71m/s 2.3m 11s
02:00
99% 0% 0% 0.41m 44° - -47° 99% 22° 0.81m/s 2.6m 11s
03:00
100% 0% 63% 0.4m 45° - -45° 100% 14° 0.62m/s 3m 10s
04:00
95% 0% 98% 0.38m 45° - -41° 100% 52° 0.57m/s 3.2m 9.8s
05:00
20% 0% 17% 0.36m 46° - -35° 34% 53° 1.5m/s 3.5m 9.4s
06:00
12% 1% 64% 0.34m 46° - -28° 68% 30° 2.1m/s 3.8m 9.2s
07:00
63% 0% 1% 0.36m 45° - -22° 63% 35° 1.9m/s 3.9m 9.3s
08:00
98% 0% 0% 0.37m 45° - -15° 98% 35° 1.6m/s 4.1m 9.4s
09:00
99% 0% 0% 0.39m 44° - -9° 99% 41° 1.9m/s 4.3m 9.6s
10:00
77% 0% 0% 0.47m 44° - -3.5° 77% 62° 2.2m/s 4.3m 9.6s
11:00
35% 0% 0% 0.56m 44° - 1.1° 35% 60° 3.1m/s 4.3m 9.7s
12:00
2% 0% 2% 0.64m 44° - 3.9° 3% 54° 3.7m/s 4.4m 9.7s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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