Skip to content
✨ New: PhotoWeather is now available on iOS and Android
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

Get notified
Free alerts · takes 30 seconds
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 47% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Wave Height0.5m
Swell Height0.1m
Wind Speed4.6m/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.

Create your own Dramatic Seascapes alerts

Get notified when these conditions match at your own locations.

Get this template

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%
Tue, Feb 17
19:006.8%0.55m366m13m/s98%
20:002.9%0.53m463m13m/s98%
21:005%0.51m299m12m/s98%
22:005.6%0.75m310m13m/s98%
23:004.8%0.74m476m13m/s99%
Wed, Feb 18
24:004.1%0.72m855m13m/s99%
01:004.9%0.7m259m15m/s100%
02:004.5%0.69m262m17m/s100%
03:004.5%0.67m150m17m/s100%
04:002%0.28m133m17m/s100%
05:002%0.29m129m17m/s100%
06:002%0.29m125m17m/s100%
07:004.5%0.25m138m17m/s100%
08:0016%0.26m296m16m/s100%
09:0015%0.28m624m15m/s100%
10:0015%0.29m737m15m/s99%
11:0010%0.39m913m15m/s99%
12:0014%0.36m1250m14m/s99%
13:0012%0.45m1177m11m/s88%
14:0015%0.47m1106m9.9m/s76%
15:0012%0.49m704m9.4m/s63%
16:0014%0.57m742m8.9m/s58%
17:0015%0.56m1040m8.7m/s53%
18:007.2%0.47m1806m7.7m/s48%
19:005.7%0.46m3055m6.2m/s50%
20:002.8%0.46m12216m5m/s53%
21:004%0.45m24134m4.4m/s55%
22:002.7%0.45m24135m3.8m/s70%
23:004.1%0.45m24134m3.7m/s85%
Thu, Feb 19
24:003.8%0.45m24135m3.6m/s100%
01:004.3%0.44m24135m3.8m/s67%
02:002.7%0.42m24134m3.4m/s33%
03:004%0.41m24135m3.3m/s0%
04:002.7%0.39m24135m3.1m/s7.4%
05:002.7%0.38m24134m3.3m/s15%
06:002.7%0.36m24135m3.3m/s22%
07:002.7%0.35m24134m3.2m/s15%
08:007.8%0.35m24135m3.3m/s7.4%
09:008.8%0.34m24134m3.2m/s0%
10:0013%0.33m24135m3m/s0%
11:0011%0.33m24135m2.6m/s0%
12:008.1%0.32m24135m2.6m/s0%
13:006.8%0.32m24135m2.4m/s0%
14:0010%0.31m24135m2.2m/s0%
15:008.1%0.31m24134m2.7m/s0%
16:009.2%0.31m24134m3.4m/s0%
17:0012%0.31m24135m3.9m/s0%
18:008.8%0.31m24135m3.5m/s0%
19:007.8%0.31m24134m3.7m/s0%
20:003.1%0.32m24134m4.2m/s0%
21:002.7%0.32m24134m4.6m/s0%
22:002.7%0.33m24135m4.6m/s0%
23:002.7%0.34m24134m4.5m/s0%
Fri, Feb 20
24:002.7%0.35m24135m4.5m/s0%
01:003.7%0.36m24135m4.7m/s0%
02:002.1%0.37m24134m5m/s0%
03:002.1%0.38m24134m5.3m/s0%
04:002.1%0.39m24134m5.1m/s0%
05:002.1%0.4m24134m5.2m/s0%
06:002.1%0.41m24134m5.3m/s0%
07:003.9%0.42m24134m5.4m/s0%
08:0012%0.42m24134m5.4m/s0%
09:0012%0.43m24135m5.2m/s0%
10:0012%0.43m24135m4.8m/s0%
11:008.1%0.43m24134m4.5m/s0%
12:008.1%0.43m24134m4.1m/s0%
13:005.2%0.42m24134m3.9m/s17%
14:005.2%0.42m24134m4.1m/s33%
15:006.3%0.41m24135m3.9m/s50%
16:0011%0.39m24135m3.2m/s67%
17:0011%0.38m24135m3.3m/s83%
18:009.6%0.36m24134m3.5m/s100%
19:007.1%0.34m24134m3.5m/s83%
20:004.1%0.31m24134m2.9m/s67%
21:002.5%0.29m24134m2.8m/s50%
22:004.1%0.27m24135m3m/s67%
23:004.1%0.25m24135m3.1m/s83%
Sat, Feb 21
24:002.9%0.23m24135m3.3m/s100%
01:004.5%0.22m16185m6m/s100%
02:004%0.2m8234m8.6m/s100%
03:001.9%0.19m284m11m/s100%
04:001.9%0.18m232m13m/s71%
05:001.9%0.18m180m15m/s42%
06:002.1%0.17m127m17m/s13%
07:002.1%0.17m195m17m/s19%
08:006%0.18m263m18m/s26%
09:006.8%0.18m330m18m/s33%
10:007%0.19m460m19m/s35%
11:007%0.19m590m20m/s37%
12:007%0.2m719m20m/s38%
13:005.8%0.24m631m22m/s46%
14:005.8%0.27m542m23m/s54%
15:0013%0.31m454m24m/s62%
16:0013%0.35m321m24m/s67%
17:0013%0.39m189m24m/s72%
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
Wed, Feb 18 Sunrise 08:58 Sunset 18:02
19:00
94% 100% 100% 0.07m 345° 0.02 -6.8° 100% 21° 4.6m/s 0.46m 2.8s
20:00
92% 100% 95% 0.07m 344° 0.01 -14° 100% 17° 4.2m/s 0.46m 2.7s
21:00
86% 74% 83% 0.08m 344° 0.01 -20° 87% 20° 3.9m/s 0.45m 2.7s
22:00
96% 78% 8% 0.08m 344° 0.01 -26° 97% 3.9m/s 0.45m 2.7s
23:00
32% 80% 92% 0.09m 344° 0.009 -32° 92% 4m/s 0.44m 2.7s
Thu, Feb 19 Sunrise 08:55 Sunset 18:05
24:00
5% 53% 78% 0.09m 344° 0.008 -36° 78% 356° 4m/s 0.44m 2.7s
01:00
5% 32% 34% 0.1m 344° 0.007 -38° 35% 349° 4.4m/s 0.43m 2.7s
02:00
5% 4% 2% 0.1m 345° 0.007 -38° 6% 341° 4.2m/s 0.42m 2.6s
03:00
5% 3% 49% 0.11m 345° 0.006 -35° 49% 337° 4.2m/s 0.41m 2.6s
04:00
4% 0% 3% 0.11m 345° 0.005 -32° 4% 337° 4m/s 0.39m 2.6s
05:00
0% 0% 0% 0.12m 344° 0.004 -26° 0% 340° 4.3m/s 0.37m 2.6s
06:00
0% 0% 0% 0.12m 344° 0.004 -20° 0% 339° 4.2m/s 0.35m 2.5s
07:00
2% 0% 0% 0.13m 344° 0.004 -13° 2% 338° 4.1m/s 0.34m 2.5s
08:00
0% 0% 0% 0.13m 345° 0.004 -6.6° 0% 342° 4.2m/s 0.34m 2.5s
09:00
0% 0% 1% 0.14m 345° 0.004 0.2° 1% 338° 4.1m/s 0.33m 2.5s
10:00
0% 0% 48% 0.13m 345° 0.004 5.5° 48% 339° 3.8m/s 0.32m 2.4s
11:00
0% 2% 25% 0.11m 346° 0.004 10° 25% 342° 3.3m/s 0.32m 2.4s
12:00
0% 0% 0% 0.1m 346° 0.004 14° 0% 341° 3.1m/s 0.31m 2.4s
13:00
0% 0% 6% 0.1m 346° 0.004 15° 6% 332° 2.6m/s 0.31m 2.4s
14:00
0% 0% 46% 0.1m 346° 0.004 15° 46% 333° 2.5m/s 0.3m 2.4s
15:00
0% 0% 5% 0.1m 347° 0.003 14° 5% 345° 3m/s 0.3m 2.3s
16:00
0% 0% 84% 0.1m 347° 0.004 10° 84% 353° 3.8m/s 0.3m 2.3s
17:00
0% 0% 71% 0.1m 347° 0.004 5.6° 71% 355° 4.5m/s 0.3m 2.3s
18:00
0% 0% 3% 0.1m 348° 0.004 0.28° 3% 348° 4.3m/s 0.3m 2.3s
19:00
4% 0% 0% 0.1m 348° 0.005 -6.5° 4% 349° 4.4m/s 0.3m 2.3s
20:00
12% 0% 0% 0.1m 349° 0.007 -13° 12% 358° 4.8m/s 0.31m 2.3s
21:00
4% 0% 0% 0.1m 349° 0.009 -20° 4% 5m/s 0.31m 2.3s
22:00
3% 0% 0% 0.1m 350° 0.01 -26° 3% 4.9m/s 0.32m 2.4s
23:00
5% 0% 0% 0.09m 350° 0.01 -31° 5% 4.9m/s 0.33m 2.4s
Fri, Feb 20 Sunrise 08:52 Sunset 18:08
24:00
6% 0% 0% 0.09m 350° 0.02 -35° 6% 5m/s 0.34m 2.4s
01:00
64% 0% 46% 0.1m 350° - -37° 64% 5.1m/s 0.35m 2.4s
02:00
100% 0% 74% 0.11m 350° - -37° 100% 5.2m/s 0.36m 2.5s
03:00
98% 0% 48% 0.12m 351° - -35° 98% 13° 5.2m/s 0.37m 2.5s
04:00
67% 0% 80% 0.12m 351° - -31° 96% 10° 5.3m/s 0.38m 2.5s
05:00
18% 0% 100% 0.11m 351° - -26° 100% 11° 5.3m/s 0.4m 2.5s
06:00
5% 0% 100% 0.11m 351° - -20° 100% 11° 5.2m/s 0.41m 2.6s
07:00
9% 0% 6% 0.11m 350° - -13° 11% 5.3m/s 0.42m 2.6s
08:00
58% 0% 24% 0.1m 350° - -6.3° 58% 5.5m/s 0.42m 2.6s
09:00
68% 0% 38% 0.1m 350° - 0.49° 68% 5.4m/s 0.43m 2.6s
10:00
68% 0% 19% 0.1m 350° - 5.9° 68% 5m/s 0.43m 2.6s
11:00
71% 0% 94% 0.09m 349° - 11° 94% 4.6m/s 0.43m 2.6s
12:00
74% 0% 93% 0.09m 349° - 14° 93% 4.3m/s 0.43m 2.7s
13:00
93% 0% 98% 0.09m 349° - 16° 98% 4m/s 0.42m 2.6s
14:00
64% 5% 100% 0.09m 348° - 16° 100% 4.1m/s 0.41m 2.6s
15:00
79% 5% 100% 0.09m 348° - 14° 100% 3.9m/s 0.4m 2.6s
16:00
37% 2% 75% 0.09m 348° - 11° 75% 356° 3.4m/s 0.39m 2.6s
17:00
5% 0% 42% 0.08m 348° - 5.9° 42% 355° 3.7m/s 0.37m 2.6s
18:00
5% 0% 72% 0.08m 348° - 0.55° 72% 352° 4.1m/s 0.36m 2.5s
19:00
5% 0% 88% 0.08m 348° - -6.2° 88% 347° 4m/s 0.34m 2.5s
20:00
21% 0% 53% 0.08m 347° - -13° 53% 335° 3.4m/s 0.31m 2.4s
21:00
11% 0% 7% 0.08m 347° - -20° 12% 328° 3.5m/s 0.29m 2.4s
22:00
27% 0% 31% 0.08m 347° - -26° 51% 329° 3.6m/s 0.27m 2.3s
23:00
53% 0% 29% 0.08m 346° - -31° 62% 336° 3.6m/s 0.25m 2.3s
Sat, Feb 21 Sunrise 08:48 Sunset 18:11
24:00
5% 0% 22% 0.08m 345° - -35° 22% 344° 3.8m/s 0.23m 2.2s
01:00
37% 32% 37% 0.08m 344° - -37° 48% 242° 4.7m/s 0.22m 2.1s
02:00
68% 63% 52% 0.07m 342° - -37° 74% 140° 5.5m/s 0.2m 2.1s
03:00
100% 95% 67% 0.07m 341° - -35° 100% 39° 6.3m/s 0.19m 2s
04:00
99% 96% 78% 0.07m 340° - -31° 100% 44° 7m/s 0.18m 2s
05:00
98% 97% 89% 0.07m 339° - -26° 100% 48° 7.8m/s 0.18m 1.9s
06:00
98% 98% 100% 0.07m 339° - -19° 100% 53° 8.5m/s 0.17m 1.9s
07:00
98% 99% 100% 0.07m 339° - -13° 100% 58° 9.6m/s 0.17m 1.9s
08:00
99% 99% 100% 0.08m 339° - -6° 100% 62° 11m/s 0.18m 1.9s
09:00
100% 100% 100% 0.08m 340° - 0.78° 100% 67° 12m/s 0.18m 1.9s
10:00
100% 98% 100% 0.08m 341° - 6.2° 100% 65° 12m/s 0.18m 1.9s
11:00
100% 97% 100% 0.07m 342° - 11° 100% 63° 13m/s 0.19m 1.9s
12:00
100% 96% 100% 0.07m 343° - 14° 100% 60° 13m/s 0.19m 1.9s
13:00
100% 97% 100% 0.07m 346° - 16° 100% 64° 15m/s 0.23m 2s
14:00
100% 99% 100% 0.07m 349° - 16° 100% 67° 16m/s 0.26m 2.1s
15:00
100% 100% 100% 0.07m 352° - 14° 100% 70° 17m/s 0.3m 2.2s
16:00
100% 100% 100% 0.08m 354° - 11° 100% 74° 18m/s 0.34m 2.3s
17:00
100% 100% 100% 0.09m 355° - 6.2° 100% 77° 18m/s 0.38m 2.4s
18:00
100% 100% 100% 0.1m 357° - 0.82° 100% 80° 18m/s 0.42m 2.5s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

Get Notified of Opportunities

Create your own custom alerts for this location and more.

Create Free Account