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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.

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
Precipitation Chance 78% failing
Visibility 35% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Wave Height2.6m
Swell Height1.5m
Wind Speed7.7m/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 86 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%
Fri, May 15
04:0025%1.1m24135m3.3m/s45%
05:0030%1.2m24134m4.5m/s50%
06:0026%1.3m24135m6.2m/s56%
07:0016%1.4m24134m5.5m/s68%
08:0014%1.5m11953m5.4m/s53%
09:0016%1.6m11163m5.8m/s39%
10:0016%1.7m11636m5.7m/s47%
11:0015%1.9m11227m5.7m/s56%
12:0013%1.5m11250m5.9m/s64%
13:0019%1.7m11814m6.2m/s86%
14:0019%1.8m11379m6.4m/s91%
15:0021%1.9m12551m6.6m/s96%
16:0030%2m20078m6.9m/s97%
17:0033%2.1m11134m7.4m/s98%
18:0042%2.6m11062m8m/s100%
19:0040%2.6m11069m8.7m/s100%
20:0049%2.6m6547m9.5m/s100%
21:0054%2.7m5276m10m/s100%
22:0048%2.7m4906m10m/s100%
23:0046%2.7m4797m11m/s100%
Sat, May 16
24:0042%2.8m4653m11m/s100%
01:0042%2.8m1025m11m/s100%
02:0044%2.8m456m12m/s100%
03:0044%2.8m230m12m/s100%
04:0050%2.9m202m13m/s100%
05:0050%2.9m145m13m/s100%
06:0046%2.9m117m13m/s100%
07:0039%2.9m110m13m/s100%
08:0040%2.9m110m13m/s99%
09:0040%2.9m110m14m/s99%
10:0034%2.9m112m14m/s99%
11:0037%2.8m119m14m/s99%
12:0036%2.8m113m14m/s99%
13:0033%2.9m104m14m/s93%
14:0033%2.9m126m14m/s86%
15:0033%2.9m137m14m/s79%
16:0030%2.9m4629m14m/s80%
17:0033%2.9m5837m14m/s80%
18:0039%2.9m4818m14m/s80%
19:0042%2.9m5582m13m/s72%
20:0050%2.9m6098m13m/s64%
21:0054%2.9m8054m13m/s56%
22:0052%2.8m8544m12m/s50%
23:0052%2.7m463m12m/s44%
Sun, May 17
24:0045%2.7m5520m11m/s37%
01:0039%2.6m3053m10m/s34%
02:0039%2.6m4966m11m/s30%
03:0040%2.5m3571m10m/s27%
04:0050%2.5m3753m9.6m/s37%
05:0053%2.4m5574m9.2m/s46%
06:0053%2.4m12050m7.8m/s56%
07:0051%2.3m22696m7m/s37%
08:0051%2.2m24135m6.3m/s19%
09:0051%2.1m24135m5.6m/s0%
10:0043%2m24134m4.8m/s0%
11:0031%2m24134m4.3m/s0%
12:0029%1.9m24134m4m/s0%
13:0025%1.9m24134m3.6m/s0%
14:0024%1.8m24135m3.6m/s0%
15:0024%1.8m11308m3.4m/s0%
16:0026%1.7m11065m2.3m/s0%
17:0029%1.7m11064m1.7m/s0%
18:0031%1.7m11539m1.4m/s0%
19:0032%1.6m24135m0.93m/s7.4%
20:0035%1.6m24134m0.9m/s15%
21:0038%1.5m24135m0.91m/s22%
22:0037%1.5m24135m1.8m/s28%
23:0024%1.5m24134m1.8m/s33%
Mon, May 18
24:0023%1.4m24135m1.9m/s39%
01:0021%1.4m19820m3.5m/s36%
02:0019%1.3m15505m5.1m/s33%
03:0014%1.3m11190m6.7m/s30%
04:0015%1.3m11149m6.1m/s39%
05:0014%1.2m11107m5.4m/s47%
06:0013%1.2m11066m4.7m/s56%
07:0011%1.2m11063m5.1m/s56%
08:0012%1.2m11061m5.4m/s55%
09:0014%1.1m11058m5.7m/s55%
10:0012%1.1m10321m6.4m/s58%
11:0010%1.1m9585m7m/s61%
12:0010%1.1m8848m7.6m/s64%
13:0010%1.1m9585m7.7m/s56%
14:0012%1m10323m7.8m/s47%
15:0012%1m11060m7.9m/s39%
16:0012%1m11064m8m/s39%
17:0011%0.98m11068m8.1m/s39%
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
Fri, May 15 Sunrise 04:09 Sunset 22:17
20:00
100% 100% 100% 1.5m 156° 0.03 12° 100% 107° 7.7m/s 2.1m 8.7s
21:00
100% 100% 100% 1.6m 190° 0.03 5.9° 100% 100° 7.6m/s 2.1m 9.9s
22:00
100% 100% 100% 1.6m 196° 0.03 0.94° 100% 95° 7.7m/s 2m 11s
23:00
99% 100% 100% 1.6m 202° 0.03 -3.5° 100% 94° 8m/s 1.9m 11s
Sat, May 16 Sunrise 04:06 Sunset 22:20
24:00
96% 100% 100% 1.6m 207° 0.03 -6.3° 100% 94° 8.2m/s 1.8m 12s
01:00
95% 100% 100% 1.6m 207° 0.03 -7.4° 100% 94° 8.5m/s 1.8m 12s
02:00
100% 100% 100% 1.6m 207° 0.03 -6.9° 100% 94° 9m/s 1.9m 12s
03:00
100% 100% 100% 1.6m 207° 0.03 -4.8° 100% 91° 9.4m/s 1.9m 12s
04:00
100% 100% 100% 1.6m 207° 0.03 -1° 100% 89° 9.6m/s 1.8m 12s
05:00
100% 100% 100% 1.7m 207° 0.02 3.7° 100% 88° 9.7m/s 1.8m 12s
06:00
100% 100% 91% 1.7m 207° 0.02 9.4° 100% 90° 9.8m/s 1.8m 12s
07:00
98% 100% 85% 1.7m 207° 0.01 16° 100% 90° 9.9m/s 1.8m 12s
08:00
98% 100% 97% 1.8m 207° 0.01 22° 100% 90° 10m/s 1.8m 12s
09:00
100% 100% 99% 1.8m 207° 0.01 29° 100% 88° 10m/s 1.8m 12s
10:00
100% 100% 99% 1.8m 207° 0.01 35° 100% 87° 11m/s 1.7m 12s
11:00
100% 100% 100% 1.9m 207° 0.02 40° 100% 86° 10m/s 1.6m 12s
12:00
100% 100% 100% 1.9m 206° 0.03 44° 100% 84° 10m/s 1.5m 13s
13:00
100% 100% 98% 1.9m 206° - 46° 100% 85° 11m/s 1.6m 13s
14:00
100% 100% 91% 1.9m 206° - 45° 100% 84° 11m/s 1.6m 13s
15:00
100% 100% 82% 1.9m 205° - 42° 100% 85° 11m/s 1.7m 13s
16:00
100% 100% 69% 1.9m 205° - 38° 100% 87° 10m/s 1.7m 12s
17:00
81% 100% 88% 1.9m 205° - 32° 100% 89° 10m/s 1.7m 12s
18:00
50% 100% 99% 1.9m 205° - 25° 100% 88° 9.8m/s 1.7m 12s
19:00
70% 100% 98% 1.8m 205° - 19° 100% 84° 9.5m/s 1.8m 12s
20:00
84% 100% 93% 1.8m 204° - 12° 100% 77° 8.4m/s 1.8m 12s
21:00
53% 100% 74% 1.8m 204° - 6.1° 100% 75° 8m/s 1.8m 12s
22:00
66% 100% 69% 1.7m 204° - 1.1° 100% 73° 7.7m/s 1.8m 12s
23:00
38% 100% 92% 1.7m 204° - -3.3° 100% 71° 7.6m/s 1.7m 12s
Sun, May 17 Sunrise 04:03 Sunset 22:23
24:00
18% 96% 53% 1.7m 203° - -6° 96% 68° 7m/s 1.7m 12s
01:00
5% 97% 48% 1.6m 203° - -7.2° 97% 68° 7m/s 1.6m 12s
02:00
1% 96% 40% 1.6m 202° - -6.7° 96% 68° 7m/s 1.5m 12s
03:00
0% 95% 5% 1.6m 202° - -4.6° 95% 69° 6.8m/s 1.5m 12s
04:00
0% 75% 5% 1.6m 201° - -0.74° 75% 66° 6.1m/s 1.4m 11s
05:00
0% 75% 1% 1.6m 201° - 3.9° 75% 65° 5.7m/s 1.3m 11s
06:00
0% 76% 3% 1.6m 200° - 9.6° 76% 65° 5.6m/s 1.3m 11s
07:00
0% 68% 5% 1.5m 200° - 16° 68% 64° 5.2m/s 1.2m 11s
08:00
0% 60% 5% 1.4m 200° - 23° 60% 63° 5.2m/s 1.1m 11s
09:00
0% 63% 0% 1.4m 200° - 29° 63% 69° 4.9m/s 1.1m 11s
10:00
0% 61% 0% 1.3m 199° - 35° 61% 75° 4.5m/s 1.1m 11s
11:00
0% 46% 0% 1.3m 199° - 41° 46% 78° 4.1m/s 1.1m 11s
12:00
0% 34% 0% 1.2m 198° - 44° 34% 80° 4m/s 1m 11s
13:00
0% 5% 0% 1.1m 196° - 46° 5% 71° 3.5m/s 1m 11s
14:00
0% 16% 0% 1.1m 193° - 45° 16% 70° 3.1m/s 0.97m 10s
15:00
0% 38% 0% 1.1m 190° - 42° 38% 80° 3m/s 0.94m 10s
16:00
0% 39% 0% 1.1m 190° - 38° 39% 69° 1.7m/s 0.93m 10s
17:00
0% 47% 0% 1.1m 190° - 32° 47% 32° 0.82m/s 0.92m 10s
18:00
0% 28% 0% 1.1m 190° - 25° 28% 358° 0.62m/s 0.91m 10s
19:00
0% 48% 0% 1m 171° - 19° 48% 277° 0.52m/s 0.94m 9.6s
20:00
0% 76% 0% 1m 152° - 12° 76% 217° 0.68m/s 0.97m 9s
21:00
0% 70% 0% 1m 134° - 6.3° 70% 159° 0.58m/s 1m 8.5s
22:00
0% 57% 0% 0.98m 134° - 1.3° 57% 105° 1.3m/s 0.94m 8.4s
23:00
0% 20% 0% 0.94m 135° - -3° 20% 61° 1.4m/s 0.88m 8.3s
Mon, May 18 Sunrise 04:00 Sunset 22:26
24:00
0% 36% 0% 0.91m 135° - -5.8° 36% 41° 1.8m/s 0.82m 8.2s
01:00
0% 56% 0% 0.88m 134° - -7° 56% 49° 3m/s 0.82m 8.1s
02:00
0% 76% 0% 0.86m 132° - -6.5° 76% 58° 4.2m/s 0.81m 8.1s
03:00
0% 97% 0% 0.83m 130° - -4.3° 97% 66° 5.3m/s 0.81m 8s
04:00
0% 98% 0% 0.8m 132° - -0.46° 98% 67° 4.7m/s 0.6m 8s
05:00
0% 99% 0% 0.77m 133° - 4.1° 99% 68° 4m/s 0.39m 7.9s
06:00
0% 100% 0% 0.74m 135° - 9.8° 100% 69° 3.4m/s 0.18m 7.9s
07:00
0% 100% 0% 0.72m 154° - 16° 100% 68° 3.3m/s 0.19m 8.3s
08:00
0% 100% 0% 0.71m 173° - 23° 100% 67° 3.3m/s 0.19m 8.7s
09:00
0% 100% 0% 0.69m 192° - 29° 100% 66° 3.2m/s 0.2m 9.2s
10:00
0% 100% 0% 0.69m 194° - 36° 100% 69° 3.7m/s 0.19m 9.1s
11:00
0% 100% 0% 0.7m 195° - 41° 100% 73° 4.2m/s 0.19m 9.1s
12:00
0% 100% 0% 0.7m 197° - 45° 100% 76° 4.6m/s 0.18m 9s
13:00
0% 100% 0% 0.7m 197° - 46° 100% 75° 4.8m/s 0.17m 9s
14:00
0% 100% 0% 0.7m 197° - 45° 100% 75° 5m/s 0.17m 8.9s
15:00
0% 100% 0% 0.7m 197° - 43° 100% 74° 5.2m/s 0.16m 8.9s
16:00
0% 100% 0% 0.7m 197° - 38° 100% 72° 5m/s 0.16m 8.8s
17:00
0% 100% 0% 0.69m 197° - 32° 100% 70° 4.7m/s 0.15m 8.8s
18:00
0% 100% 0% 0.69m 197° - 26° 100% 68° 4.5m/s 0.15m 8.8s
19:00
0% 99% 0% 0.68m 197° - 19° 99% 68° 4.3m/s 0.14m 8.7s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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