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Rule Dramatic Seascapes

Raudisandur - Dramatic Seascapes - Iceland Coast

Patreksfjordur, Westfjords, 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 85% failing
Significant Wave Height 64% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Wave Height2.4m
Swell Height1.3m
Wind Speed3.5m/s (calm conditions)
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%
Fri, Jun 5
02:0070%2.9m24134m0.92m/s0%
03:0069%2.8m24135m0.9m/s0%
04:0074%2.7m24134m0.6m/s13%
05:0064%2.8m24135m0.5m/s26%
06:0062%3m24135m0.72m/s39%
07:0056%3m24134m1.1m/s16%
08:0045%2.9m24135m1.8m/s26%
09:0051%2.8m24134m2.2m/s37%
10:0044%2.6m24135m2.8m/s51%
11:0028%1.8m24135m3.2m/s65%
12:0027%1.8m24134m3.4m/s79%
13:0027%1.8m24134m3.2m/s83%
14:0027%1.9m24135m2.6m/s87%
15:0028%1.9m24135m2.6m/s92%
16:0043%2.3m22964m3.1m/s95%
17:0031%2.4m482m2.5m/s97%
18:0034%2.5m616m2.7m/s99%
19:0047%2.6m21915m1.4m/s99%
20:0051%2.8m22226m1.1m/s99%
21:0064%2.9m14711m1.3m/s99%
22:0054%2.9m5052m1.7m/s98%
23:0054%2.9m993m2.3m/s98%
Sat, Jun 6
24:0058%2.3m892m3.1m/s98%
01:0054%2.5m632m6.4m/s75%
02:0050%2.4m1219m6.1m/s51%
03:0059%2.3m11325m6.9m/s26%
04:0062%2.1m19216m6.9m/s31%
05:0058%2m24135m4.8m/s35%
06:0044%1.9m24134m3.8m/s39%
07:0030%1.9m24135m4.7m/s35%
08:0038%1.8m24134m5.7m/s32%
09:0036%1.8m24134m6.4m/s28%
10:0027%1.8m24134m7.4m/s32%
11:0028%1.7m24134m8.7m/s35%
12:0038%1.7m24134m9.4m/s39%
13:0027%1.8m24134m8.6m/s39%
14:0028%1.8m24135m8m/s38%
15:0024%1.8m24135m6.8m/s38%
16:0024%1.8m24134m5.4m/s46%
17:0024%1.9m24134m3.3m/s54%
18:0028%1.9m24134m2.5m/s62%
19:0037%1.8m24135m2.9m/s63%
20:0038%1.8m24135m4.4m/s64%
21:0025%1.8m13921m5.6m/s65%
22:0024%1.8m10788m3.6m/s66%
23:0026%1.7m24134m3.2m/s67%
Sun, Jun 7
24:0025%1.7m21262m7.6m/s68%
01:0024%1.6m24135m5.8m/s57%
02:0021%1.5m24135m5.7m/s45%
03:0021%1.5m24134m6m/s33%
04:0015%1.4m7824m4.7m/s35%
05:0019%1.3m20689m3.9m/s37%
06:0026%1.2m24135m3.8m/s39%
07:0016%1.2m24134m2.8m/s26%
08:0016%1.1m24135m2.5m/s13%
09:0016%1m24134m3.1m/s0%
10:0016%0.99m24134m3.1m/s7.4%
11:0017%0.95m24135m2.8m/s15%
12:0016%0.91m24135m2.3m/s22%
13:0015%0.89m24135m1.7m/s48%
14:0017%0.87m24135m1.6m/s74%
15:0015%0.85m18523m1.7m/s100%
16:0017%0.84m24134m2.4m/s100%
17:0016%0.83m24134m3.6m/s100%
18:0017%0.82m24134m5.1m/s100%
19:0019%0.83m24134m6.6m/s75%
20:0016%0.83m24134m5.7m/s51%
21:0019%0.84m24134m4.7m/s26%
22:0026%0.85m24135m4.7m/s42%
23:0021%0.85m24134m5.9m/s58%
Mon, Jun 8
24:0021%0.86m24134m6.6m/s74%
01:0025%0.86m24134m7.2m/s62%
02:0016%0.87m9447m8.9m/s50%
03:0021%0.87m9345m10m/s39%
04:0016%0.89m98m11m/s42%
05:0015%0.91m68m11m/s46%
06:0015%0.93m72m10m/s49%
07:0013%0.96m82m9.3m/s38%
08:0013%0.98m108m8.4m/s28%
09:0013%1m160m4.8m/s17%
10:0012%1m9408m2.5m/s32%
11:0022%1m24135m2.4m/s47%
12:0021%1m23439m2.8m/s62%
13:0015%1.1m23671m2.6m/s54%
14:0012%1.1m23903m2.4m/s46%
15:0012%1.1m24135m2.3m/s38%
16:0014%1.1m24135m2.1m/s40%
17:0014%1.1m24135m1.9m/s42%
18:0019%1m24135m1.7m/s44%
19:0020%1.1m24135m1.6m/s42%
20:0020%1.1m24135m1.5m/s40%
21:0024%1.1m24135m1.4m/s39%
22:0026%1.2m24135m1.6m/s45%
23:0028%1.2m24135m1.8m/s50%
Tue, Jun 9
24:0034%1.3m24135m1.9m/s56%
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
Sat, Jun 6 Sunrise 02:43 Sunset 24:25
02:00
100% 100% 100% 1.3m 86° 0.02 -1.4° 100% 195° 3.5m/s 2.2m 9.5s
03:00
100% 100% 100% 1.5m 87° 0.02 0.26° 100% 190° 3.8m/s 2.2m 9.4s
04:00
100% 100% 100% 1.6m 86° 0.03 2.8° 100% 191° 3.2m/s 2.1m 9.2s
05:00
92% 100% 100% 1.7m 85° 0.03 6.6° 100% 170° 1.9m/s 2.1m 9s
06:00
29% 100% 100% 1.8m 83° 0.04 11° 100% 134° 2.3m/s 2.1m 8.9s
07:00
3% 91% 100% 1.5m 82° 0.04 17° 100% 129° 3.1m/s 1.9m 8.7s
08:00
27% 46% 92% 1.2m 81° 0.04 23° 92% 131° 4.1m/s 1.8m 8.6s
09:00
70% 16% 79% 0.89m 79° 0.03 29° 80% 138° 4.9m/s 1.7m 8.4s
10:00
86% 23% 100% 0.87m 80° 0.03 35° 100% 143° 5.6m/s 1.7m 8.5s
11:00
72% 31% 99% 0.85m 80° 0.02 40° 99% 139° 6.5m/s 1.6m 8.6s
12:00
28% 13% 12% 0.83m 81° 0.02 44° 33% 149° 8.3m/s 1.6m 8.6s
13:00
0% 5% 82% 0.74m 83° 0.03 47° 82% 159° 7.3m/s 1.7m 8.8s
14:00
0% 5% 77% 0.65m 85° 0.03 47° 77% 160° 6.7m/s 1.7m 9s
15:00
0% 4% 4% 0.56m 88° 0.04 45° 4% 160° 5.6m/s 1.7m 9.3s
16:00
0% 4% 0% 0.55m 86° 0.04 41° 4% 159° 4.4m/s 1.8m 9.2s
17:00
0% 0% 6% 0.53m 85° 0.04 36° 6% 163° 2.2m/s 1.8m 9s
18:00
0% 2% 79% 0.52m 84° 0.03 30° 79% 137° 0.91m/s 1.8m 8.9s
19:00
0% 19% 48% 0.51m 82° 0.03 24° 48% 2.3m/s 1.8m 8.8s
20:00
5% 46% 36% 0.5m 81° 0.02 18° 49% 349° 4.5m/s 1.8m 8.8s
21:00
33% 94% 92% 0.49m 79° 0.02 12° 97% 25° 4.3m/s 1.8m 8.7s
22:00
100% 100% 100% 0.48m 80° 0.02 7.4° 100% 24° 1.3m/s 1.7m 8.7s
23:00
8% 99% 100% 0.48m 81° 0.02 3.3° 100% 1.8m/s 1.7m 8.6s
Sun, Jun 7 Sunrise 02:39 Sunset 24:29
24:00
0% 100% 100% 0.47m 82° 0.02 0.63° 100% 53° 3.9m/s 1.6m 8.6s
01:00
0% 78% 100% 0.46m 83° - -1.2° 100% 47° 3m/s 1.5m 8.5s
02:00
0% 100% 100% 0.46m 85° - -1.3° 100% 65° 2.8m/s 1.4m 8.4s
03:00
0% 100% 100% 0.45m 87° - 0.34° 100% 118° 3.7m/s 1.4m 8.4s
04:00
0% 100% 100% 0.5m 89° - 2.8° 100% 169° 3.7m/s 1.3m 8.3s
05:00
0% 96% 93% 0.54m 92° - 6.7° 96% 178° 3.4m/s 1.2m 8.2s
06:00
0% 64% 5% 0.59m 95° - 12° 64% 151° 3m/s 1.1m 8.2s
07:00
0% 15% 5% 0.64m 120° - 17° 15% 149° 2.4m/s 1.1m 9.2s
08:00
0% 15% 3% 0.69m 145° - 23° 15% 138° 2m/s 1m 10s
09:00
0% 15% 4% 0.74m 170° - 29° 15% 136° 2.2m/s 0.95m 11s
10:00
4% 36% 5% 0.73m 176° - 35° 36% 143° 2.3m/s 0.9m 12s
11:00
4% 35% 5% 0.72m 182° - 41° 35% 152° 2m/s 0.84m 12s
12:00
0% 48% 5% 0.71m 189° - 45° 48% 163° 1.4m/s 0.79m 13s
13:00
0% 49% 5% 0.67m 189° - 47° 49% 208° 0.62m/s 0.76m 13s
14:00
0% 68% 5% 0.64m 189° - 47° 68% 279° 0.89m/s 0.72m 13s
15:00
0% 76% 0% 0.6m 190° - 45° 76% 310° 1.8m/s 0.69m 12s
16:00
0% 71% 0% 0.57m 190° - 41° 71% 330° 2.8m/s 0.66m 12s
17:00
6% 16% 0% 0.53m 190° - 36° 16% 340° 3.8m/s 0.62m 12s
18:00
14% 12% 5% 0.5m 191° - 30° 15% 349° 5m/s 0.59m 12s
19:00
5% 10% 5% 0.5m 191° - 24° 10% 354° 6m/s 0.53m 12s
20:00
5% 5% 5% 0.5m 192° - 18° 5% 354° 4.7m/s 0.47m 12s
21:00
1% 1% 5% 0.5m 193° - 12° 5% 356° 4m/s 0.4m 12s
22:00
5% 0% 30% 0.51m 192° - 7.5° 30% 353° 3.9m/s 0.34m 11s
23:00
5% 5% 100% 0.51m 192° - 3.4° 100% 353° 4.3m/s 0.28m 11s
Mon, Jun 8 Sunrise 02:36 Sunset 24:33
24:00
63% 6% 100% 0.52m 192° - 0.72° 100% 352° 4.9m/s 0.22m 11s
01:00
43% 22% 100% 0.53m 192° - -1.1° 100% 351° 5.6m/s 0.21m 11s
02:00
5% 87% 100% 0.53m 193° - -1.2° 100% 352° 6.5m/s 0.2m 11s
03:00
51% 99% 100% 0.54m 194° - 0.41° 100% 351° 6.6m/s 0.19m 11s
04:00
85% 100% 100% 0.55m 195° - 2.9° 100% 348° 6.8m/s 0.17m 11s
05:00
88% 99% 100% 0.57m 195° - 6.7° 100% 345° 6.6m/s 0.16m 11s
06:00
92% 100% 100% 0.58m 196° - 12° 100% 347° 6.4m/s 0.14m 11s
07:00
100% 100% 100% 0.61m 195° - 17° 100% 348° 5.9m/s 0.18m 11s
08:00
100% 100% 100% 0.64m 194° - 23° 100% 349° 5.5m/s 0.21m 11s
09:00
99% 99% 100% 0.67m 194° - 29° 100% 353° 3.7m/s 0.25m 11s
10:00
69% 92% 98% 0.67m 193° - 35° 99% 355° 2.6m/s 0.26m 11s
11:00
13% 40% 28% 0.66m 192° - 41° 56% 353° 2.5m/s 0.26m 11s
12:00
0% 60% 13% 0.66m 192° - 45° 60% 343° 2.4m/s 0.27m 11s
13:00
0% 73% 31% 0.65m 192° - 47° 73% 279° 1.9m/s 0.33m 11s
14:00
0% 86% 50% 0.65m 191° - 47° 86% 215° 1.4m/s 0.39m 11s
15:00
0% 99% 69% 0.64m 191° - 45° 99% 151° 0.92m/s 0.45m 11s
16:00
0% 92% 61% 0.65m 191° - 41° 92% 113° 1.1m/s 0.46m 11s
17:00
0% 85% 54% 0.65m 191° - 36° 85% 75° 1.4m/s 0.48m 10s
18:00
0% 77% 46% 0.66m 191° - 31° 77% 37° 1.6m/s 0.49m 10s
19:00
0% 82% 35% 0.72m 190° - 24° 82% 36° 1.5m/s 0.4m 10s
20:00
0% 87% 24% 0.79m 189° - 18° 87% 35° 1.3m/s 0.3m 10s
21:00
0% 92% 13% 0.85m 188° - 13° 92% 33° 1.2m/s 0.21m 10s
22:00
0% 65% 10% 0.92m 173° - 7.6° 65% 29° 1.4m/s 0.22m 9.9s
23:00
0% 39% 6% 0.98m 158° - 3.5° 39% 24° 1.6m/s 0.24m 9.7s
Tue, Jun 9 Sunrise 02:32 Sunset 24:37
24:00
0% 13% 3% 1m 144° - 0.8° 13% 20° 1.7m/s 0.25m 9.5s
01:00
0% 10% 2% 1.1m 129° - -0.96° 10% 14° 1.8m/s 0.26m 9.4s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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