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Rule Dramatic Seascapes

Reynisfjara - 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
Significant Wave Height 28% failing
Wind Gusts 8% failing

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Atlantic/Reykjavik

No opportunities in the next 14 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 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%
Sat, Jan 10
19:0011%1.2m47520m16m/s50%
20:008.1%1.2m50000m17m/s46%
21:009.3%1.2m50000m17m/s43%
22:007.5%1.2m49240m17m/s40%
23:007.5%1.2m50000m17m/s37%
Sun, Jan 11
24:008.5%1.2m50000m17m/s33%
01:007.7%1.3m50000m17m/s26%
02:007.1%1.4m50000m15m/s17%
03:007.3%1.5m50000m15m/s10%
04:008.1%1.7m50000m17m/s7%
05:008.1%1.9m50000m17m/s7%
06:0016%2m50000m16m/s6%
07:0014%2.1m50000m16m/s5%
08:0014%2.2m50000m15m/s3%
09:0039%2.3m50000m14m/s2%
10:0044%2.4m50000m11m/s1%
11:0054%2.4m50000m12m/s0%
12:0045%2.4m50000m12m/s0%
13:0042%2.5m50000m12m/s0%
14:0056%2.5m50000m11m/s0%
15:0052%2.5m50000m12m/s0%
16:0050%2.6m50000m12m/s0%
17:0037%2.6m50000m12m/s1%
18:0042%2.7m50000m13m/s2%
19:0014%2.6m50000m13m/s3%
20:0014%2.6m50000m13m/s5%
21:0014%2.6m50000m13m/s6%
22:0016%2.5m50000m14m/s6%
23:0014%2.5m50000m14m/s6%
Mon, Jan 12
24:0018%2.5m50000m15m/s6%
01:0013%2.5m50000m16m/s5%
02:0013%2.5m50000m18m/s3%
03:0014%2.5m50000m16m/s2%
04:0013%2.5m50000m16m/s1%
05:0014%2.6m50000m18m/s0%
06:0013%2.7m50000m19m/s0%
07:0016%2.7m50000m17m/s0%
08:0013%2.7m50000m22m/s0%
09:0038%2.8m48005m26m/s0%
10:0060%2.7m50460m24m/s0%
11:0057%2.6m56750m22m/s0%
12:0052%2.5m69360m21m/s0%
13:0052%2.5m60440m21m/s0%
14:0049%2.5m75560m22m/s0%
15:0056%2.4m48940m22m/s0%
16:0054%2.4m57660m19m/s0%
17:0045%2.4m44860m6.2m/s0%
18:0048%2.3m41520m4.9m/s0%
19:0020%2.2m41520m5.3m/s0%
20:0022%2.1m35880m4.7m/s0%
21:0020%2m42040m4.3m/s0%
22:0014%1.9m56340m5.2m/s0%
23:0011%1.8m50680m5.3m/s0%
Tue, Jan 13
24:0016%1.8m60420m4.6m/s0%
01:0014%1.7m47480m3.1m/s0%
02:0013%1.7m46840m3.1m/s0%
03:0014%1.6m46820m4.8m/s0%
04:0014%1.6m46020m4.9m/s0%
05:0014%1.5m46200m4.5m/s0%
06:0014%1.5m51140m3.7m/s0%
07:0014%1.5m52520m3.3m/s0%
08:0014%1.5m57400m2.9m/s0%
09:0033%1.5m60400m3m/s0%
10:0035%1.4m60400m2.8m/s0%
11:0035%1.4m53480m2.5m/s0%
12:0035%1.4m49680m3.9m/s0%
13:0037%1.4m49680m4.3m/s0%
14:0040%1.4m49680m4.2m/s0%
15:0035%1.4m44800m3m/s0%
16:0030%1.4m820m2m/s0%
17:0024%1.5m600m1.3m/s0%
18:0025%1.5m1200m1.9m/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
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, Jan 10 Sunrise 10:45 Sunset 16:02
20:00
0% 2% 100% 0.5m 131° 0.07 -23° 100% 44° 11m/s 1.1m 5.6s
21:00
0% 1% 49% 0.49m 41° 0.08 -30° 50% 43° 11m/s 1.1m 5.2s
22:00
0% 1% 78% 0.48m 41° 0.09 -36° 78% 44° 11m/s 1.1m 5.2s
23:00
0% 0% 74% 0.46m 41° 0.09 -42° 74% 46° 10m/s 1.1m 5.3s
Sun, Jan 11 Sunrise 10:43 Sunset 16:04
24:00
0% 2% 27% 0.45m 41° 0.08 -46° 29% 42° 11m/s 1.1m 5.3s
01:00
0% 3% 14% 0.43m 39° 0.07 -48° 17% 44° 10m/s 1.2m 5.5s
02:00
0% 2% 3% 0.42m 38° 0.07 -48° 5% 43° 9.7m/s 1.3m 5.6s
03:00
0% 1% 5% 0.4m 37° 0.06 -45° 7% 47° 10m/s 1.4m 5.7s
04:00
0% 0% 0% 0.42m 37° 0.06 -41° 0% 46° 12m/s 1.6m 6s
05:00
0% 0% 0% 0.45m 38° 0.05 -35° 0% 54° 8.8m/s 1.7m 6.3s
06:00
0% 1% 34% 0.47m 39° 0.05 -29° 34% 42° 11m/s 1.9m 6.7s
07:00
0% 0% 0% 0.54m 39° 0.04 -22° 0% 37° 9.6m/s 2m 6.8s
08:00
0% 0% 0% 0.61m 39° 0.03 -15° 0% 32° 9.5m/s 2.1m 6.9s
09:00
0% 0% 0% 0.68m 40° 0.03 -9.3° 0% 22° 7.1m/s 2.2m 7s
10:00
0% 0% 0% 0.73m 39° 0.02 -3.9° 0% 41° 5.2m/s 2.2m 7.1s
11:00
20% 0% 0% 0.77m 39° 0.02 0.71° 20% 39° 8.1m/s 2.2m 7.1s
12:00
85% 0% 0% 0.82m 39° 0.02 3.5° 85% 34° 8m/s 2.3m 7.2s
13:00
9% 0% 0% 0.85m 39° 0.01 4.9° 9% 25° 7.2m/s 2.3m 7.2s
14:00
37% 0% 0% 0.87m 39° 0.01 4.7° 37% 24° 6.8m/s 2.3m 7.2s
15:00
26% 0% 0% 0.9m 39° 0.01 26% 21° 8m/s 2.4m 7.2s
16:00
19% 0% 0% 0.89m 38° 0.01 0.09° 19% 6.6m/s 2.4m 7.3s
17:00
99% 0% 0% 0.87m 38° 0.01 -4.9° 99% 13° 8m/s 2.5m 7.3s
18:00
100% 0% 0% 0.86m 38° 0.01 -10° 100% 8.7m/s 2.5m 7.3s
19:00
99% 0% 0% 0.84m 37° 0.01 -17° 99% 18° 8.5m/s 2.5m 7.3s
20:00
89% 0% 0% 0.83m 37° 0.01 -23° 89% 17° 8.6m/s 2.5m 7.3s
21:00
89% 0% 0% 0.81m 37° 0.01 -30° 89% 21° 8.2m/s 2.4m 7.3s
22:00
75% 0% 0% 0.79m 36° 0.01 -36° 75% 22° 9m/s 2.4m 7.2s
23:00
96% 0% 0% 0.78m 36° 0.01 -42° 96% 26° 8.1m/s 2.4m 7.2s
Mon, Jan 12 Sunrise 10:41 Sunset 16:07
24:00
29% 0% 1% 0.76m 35° 0.01 -46° 30% 24° 9.5m/s 2.3m 7.1s
01:00
0% 0% 0% 0.74m 33° - -48° 0% 30° 11m/s 2.3m 7.1s
02:00
0% 0% 0% 0.71m 31° - -48° 0% 26° 11m/s 2.4m 7s
03:00
13% 0% 0% 0.69m 30° - -45° 13% 25° 9m/s 2.3m 6.9s
04:00
96% 0% 0% 0.67m 31° - -41° 96% 16° 9.9m/s 2.4m 7.1s
05:00
90% 0% 0% 0.65m 33° - -35° 90% 21° 12m/s 2.5m 7.2s
06:00
96% 0% 0% 0.63m 35° - -29° 96% 10° 11m/s 2.6m 7.3s
07:00
28% 0% 0% 0.59m 35° - -22° 28% 10m/s 2.6m 7.5s
08:00
6% 0% 0% 0.56m 36° - -15° 6% 15m/s 2.7m 7.6s
09:00
7% 8% 0% 0.52m 37° - -9.2° 14% 12° 17m/s 2.7m 7.8s
10:00
24% 10% 0% 0.51m 38° - -3.8° 30% 14m/s 2.6m 7.8s
11:00
40% 7% 0% 0.5m 39° - 0.83° 44% 14m/s 2.5m 7.7s
12:00
73% 12% 0% 0.49m 40° - 3.6° 77% 12m/s 2.4m 7.7s
13:00
70% 2% 0% 0.5m 40° - 71% 12m/s 2.4m 7.7s
14:00
14% 2% 0% 0.5m 40° - 4.9° 16% 13m/s 2.4m 7.7s
15:00
0% 49% 0% 0.51m 40° - 3.2° 49% 11m/s 2.3m 7.7s
16:00
0% 27% 0% 0.52m 40° - 0.24° 27% 255° 2.4m/s 2.3m 7.8s
17:00
0% 19% 0% 0.52m 41° - -4.7° 19% 248° 2.3m/s 2.3m 7.8s
18:00
0% 23% 0% 0.53m 41° - -10° 23% 243° 2.5m/s 2.2m 7.9s
19:00
0% 14% 1% 0.95m 42° - -16° 15% 240° 2.4m/s 1.7m 8.1s
20:00
0% 51% 1% 1.4m 42° - -23° 51% 250° 1.9m/s 1.1m 8.3s
21:00
0% 67% 1% 1.8m 42° - -30° 67% 281° 2.3m/s 0.53m 8.4s
22:00
0% 42% 0% 1.7m 47° - -36° 42% 295° 2.6m/s 0.58m 8.8s
23:00
0% 86% 0% 1.6m 53° - -42° 86% 300° 2.1m/s 0.63m 9.2s
Tue, Jan 13 Sunrise 10:39 Sunset 16:10
24:00
0% 59% 0% 1.5m 58° - -46° 59% 254° 1.3m/s 0.68m 9.5s
01:00
0% 80% 0% 1.4m 62° - -48° 80% 227° 1.2m/s 0.67m 9.9s
02:00
0% 86% 0% 1.4m 66° - -48° 86% 222° 1.4m/s 0.67m 10s
03:00
0% 87% 0% 1.3m 70° - -45° 87% 228° 2.2m/s 0.66m 11s
04:00
0% 82% 0% 1.3m 68° - -41° 82% 234° 2.1m/s 0.62m 11s
05:00
0% 94% 0% 1.3m 66° - -35° 94% 237° 1.7m/s 0.57m 11s
06:00
0% 85% 0% 1.3m 64° - -29° 85% 244° 1.5m/s 0.53m 11s
07:00
0% 70% 0% 1.2m 63° - -22° 70% 252° 1.5m/s 0.49m 11s
08:00
0% 36% 0% 1.2m 62° - -15° 36% 270° 1.5m/s 0.46m 11s
09:00
0% 12% 0% 1.2m 61° - -9.1° 12% 270° 1.1m/s 0.42m 11s
10:00
0% 5% 0% 1.2m 61° - -3.7° 5% 246° 0.98m/s 0.4m 11s
11:00
0% 1% 0% 1.2m 60° - 0.95° 1% 223° 1.6m/s 0.39m 11s
12:00
0% 2% 0% 1.2m 59° - 3.7° 2% 214° 2m/s 0.37m 11s
13:00
0% 9% 0% 1.2m 58° - 5.2° 9% 218° 2.3m/s 0.33m 11s
14:00
0% 18% 0% 1.3m 57° - 18% 232° 1.6m/s 0.3m 11s
15:00
0% 8% 2% 1.3m 57° - 3.4° 9% 248° 1.1m/s 0.26m 11s
16:00
0% 48% 0% 1.3m 56° - 0.4° 48% 284° 0.62m/s 0.26m 11s
17:00
0% 67% 4% 1.3m 55° - -4.5° 68% 335° 0.72m/s 0.27m 11s
18:00
0% 27% 12% 1.3m 54° - -10° 30% 357° 0.95m/s 0.27m 11s
19:00
0% 5% 1% 1.3m 54° - -16° 5% 11° 1.1m/s 0.3m 10s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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