Skip to content
Rule Storm Chaser

Stokksnes - Storm Chaser - Iceland Coast

Hofn, East, Iceland

Dramatic storm conditions — from atmospheric builds to active thunderstorms

No opportunities right now
Here’s what usually blocks matches

No Storm Chaser opportunities in the next 14 days

Get notified
Free alerts · takes 30 seconds
Rule requirements (key thresholds)
Storm Intensity · ≥ 55.0% Cloud Drama Score · ≥ 55.0% CAPE · ≥ 1200.0J/kg Lifted Index · ≤ -2.0°C

Tip: Scroll down to the 72-hour table to see exactly which condition fails hour by hour.

Most common blockers (next 72 hours)
Storm Intensity 100% failing
CAPE 100% failing
Cloud Drama Score 68% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Cloud Cover74%
Wind Gusts6.0m/s
Precipitation Chance45%
Air Pressure996.4hPa
CAPE0
Lifted Index8.8°C
Wind Gusts6.0m/s
Precipitation0.0mm

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 tracks North Atlantic storm systems hitting Iceland's volcanic coastline, identifying when conditions create dramatic—but photographable—opportunities. We monitor storm intensity, wave height, wind speed, and post-storm clearing to predict optimal storm photography windows.

Iceland's position in the North Atlantic storm track means powerful weather systems regularly batter its shores. These storms create some of the most dramatic coastal photography opportunities on Earth, with massive waves crashing against black sand, icebergs, and basalt formations. The key is timing—shooting after peak storm intensity when conditions remain dramatic but become safer.

What makes Iceland's coast special for storm photography:

  • North Atlantic power - Powerful storm systems generate massive waves hitting volcanic shores
  • Sneaker wave drama - Reynisfjara's notorious sneaker waves create spectacular but dangerous conditions
  • Storm-driven waterfalls - Coastal waterfalls like Svartifoss and Seljalandsfoss become more dramatic in storms
  • Black sand contrast - Dark volcanic beaches make white storm waves and spray even more dramatic

Reynisfjara black sand beach becomes Iceland's most dramatic—and most dangerous—storm location. The beach's gently sloping profile allows waves to rush far up the sand with little warning. Multiple tourists have been killed here by "sneaker waves" that arrive without warning during storm conditions. Our forecast helps identify post-storm windows when seas remain photogenic but the worst danger has passed—never turn your back on the ocean here. Diamond Beach offers similar drama with the added element of icebergs being tossed by storm waves. Stokksnes combines storm seas with the dramatic Vestrahorn mountain backdrop. Icelandic storms also supercharge coastal waterfalls—wind-driven spray and increased flow create spectacular conditions. Safety is absolutely paramount—maintain safe distances, watch wave patterns for several minutes before positioning, and be prepared to retreat quickly.

Create your own Storm Chaser 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 80 hours
OR logic: one branch per group is enough
Meets requirement
Misses requirement
Time
Atlantic/Reykjavik
Storm Intensity
≥ 55.0%
Cloud Drama Score
≥ 55.0%
CAPE
OR1·B1
≥ 1200.0J/kg
Lifted Index
OR1·B2
≤ -2.0°C
Visibility
≥ 2500.0m
Wind Gusts
≤ 22.0m/s
Wed, Jul 8
04:000%61%0J/kg11°C24135m4.7m/s
05:000%46%0J/kg11°C24134m3.9m/s
06:0011%35%0J/kg11°C24135m3.7m/s
07:000%77%0J/kg11°C24134m4.7m/s
08:000%51%0J/kg10°C24135m4.6m/s
09:0011%43%0J/kg9.2°C24134m4.8m/s
10:000%44%0J/kg8.3°C24134m5.6m/s
11:000%45%0J/kg11°C24134m5.2m/s
12:0013%67%0J/kg9.5°C24134m5.2m/s
13:000%49%0J/kg8.1°C24134m5.3m/s
14:000%100%0J/kg8.8°C24135m6m/s
15:0013%62%0J/kg7.3°C24135m4.1m/s
16:000%49%0J/kg7.4°C24135m4.5m/s
17:000%48%0J/kg6.7°C24135m4.3m/s
18:0015%48%0J/kg6.3°C24134m4.6m/s
19:000%55%0J/kg5.9°C24134m3.7m/s
20:000%52%1J/kg5.7°C24134m2.6m/s
21:0015%58%1J/kg5.7°C24135m3m/s
22:000%28%1J/kg5.8°C24134m3.9m/s
23:000%28%1J/kg4.3°C24134m4m/s
Thu, Jul 9
24:0017%51%3J/kg5.3°C24135m4.8m/s
01:000%32%0J/kg6.2°C24135m6.7m/s
02:000%61%0J/kg7.5°C24135m8m/s
03:0020%57%0J/kg9.2°C5863m9.4m/s
04:0022%57%0J/kg9.4°C3878m10m/s
05:000%41%0J/kg9.9°C24134m9.8m/s
06:0019%39%0J/kg10°C24135m9.2m/s
07:0016%30%0J/kg9.8°C24135m8.4m/s
08:0016%29%0J/kg9.4°C24134m8.5m/s
09:0029%29%5J/kg9.9°C24135m9m/s
10:0013%46%10J/kg10°C24134m9.1m/s
11:0013%52%10J/kg9.8°C24135m9.1m/s
12:0027%52%11J/kg9°C24135m9.5m/s
13:0014%38%10J/kg8.4°C24134m9.8m/s
14:0015%27%11J/kg8.8°C24135m9.5m/s
15:0033%61%16J/kg8.9°C24135m9.3m/s
16:0020%85%9J/kg8.2°C24134m9.5m/s
17:0020%81%1J/kg6.5°C24135m8.2m/s
18:0022%55%11J/kg7.3°C24135m7.7m/s
19:0018%63%10J/kg8.1°C24134m7m/s
20:0014%35%4J/kg8.3°C24135m6.2m/s
21:0016%35%7J/kg7.6°C24135m5m/s
22:0014%40%12J/kg7.6°C24135m4.9m/s
23:0017%34%23J/kg6.6°C23797m5.3m/s
Fri, Jul 10
24:0018%83%32J/kg5.8°C22633m4.9m/s
01:0015%55%18J/kg5.1°C23530m3.8m/s
02:0015%58%12J/kg3.4°C23582m4.2m/s
03:0012%58%13J/kg2.5°C23998m4.4m/s
04:000%92%14J/kg2.2°C24135m3.8m/s
05:000%92%11J/kg2.2°C24134m2.4m/s
06:000%60%0J/kg1.7°C24135m1.6m/s
07:000%53%0J/kg1.6°C24134m1.7m/s
08:000%52%0J/kg1.6°C24134m1.9m/s
09:008.4%53%0J/kg2.2°C24135m2.7m/s
10:000%61%0J/kg3°C24134m3.2m/s
11:000%22%0J/kg3.7°C24134m4.4m/s
12:0011%21%0J/kg5°C24134m4.8m/s
13:000%18%0J/kg6.3°C24135m4.9m/s
14:000%23%0J/kg7.1°C24134m5.2m/s
15:0011%23%0J/kg7.5°C24134m5m/s
16:000%23%0J/kg8.5°C24135m4.1m/s
17:000%28%0J/kg8.8°C24135m3.4m/s
18:000%18%0J/kg8.9°C24135m3.5m/s
19:000%60%0J/kg9°C24135m3.1m/s
20:000%40%0J/kg9°C24135m2.8m/s
21:0013%17%0J/kg9.1°C24135m2.4m/s
22:000%40%0J/kg8.8°C24135m2.2m/s
23:000%43%0J/kg8.5°C24135m2m/s
Sat, Jul 11
24:0013%43%0J/kg8.3°C24135m1.8m/s
01:000%43%0J/kg6.1°C24120m1.8m/s
02:000%43%0J/kg4°C24104m1.8m/s
03:0013%43%0J/kg1.8°C24089m1.8m/s
04:000%46%0J/kg2.6°C23456m2m/s
05:000%56%0J/kg3.3°C22823m2.2m/s
06:0013%87%0J/kg4.1°C22190m2.4m/s
07:000%95%0J/kg4.7°C22190m2.8m/s
08:000%81%0J/kg5.3°C22190m3.2m/s
09:0013%18%0J/kg5.8°C22190m3.6m/s
10:000%53%0J/kg6°C22823m3.6m/s
11:000%45%0J/kg6.2°C23455m3.6m/s
How to read: colored cells show whether each predicate requirement is met; highlighted rows mean the full rule matched (an opportunity). For OR groups, only one branch is required, so some OR-branch predicates can be ✕ even in a matching hour.

What does Cloud 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
Air Pressure
hPa
CAPE
J/kg
Convective Precip Fraction
fraction
High Clouds
%
Lifted Index
°C
Low Clouds
%
Mid-Level Clouds
%
Precipitation Chance
%
Rainfall
mm
Relative Humidity
%
Showers
mm
Simulated Reflectivity
dBZ
Solar Elevation
°
Total Cloud Coverage
%
Total Precipitation
mm
Wind Shear 0-3 km
m/s
Wind Shear 0-6 km
m/s
Wind Speed
m/s
Wed, Jul 8 Sunrise 02:53 Sunset 23:16
14:00
996hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 15% 8.8°C 27% 74% 45% 0mm 89% 0mm -20dBZ 47° 74% 0mm - - 5.9m/s
15:00
996hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 90% 7.3°C 72% 13% 39% 0mm 88% 0mm -20dBZ 44° 90% 0mm 8.8m/s 24m/s 4.1m/s
16:00
996hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 100% 7.4°C 37% 100% 39% 0mm 88% 0mm -20dBZ 39° 100% 0mm - - 4.9m/s
17:00
995hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 100% 6.7°C 100% 100% 39% 0mm 88% 0mm -20dBZ 34° 100% 0mm - - 4.4m/s
18:00
995hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 100% 6.3°C 100% 100% 39% 0.06mm 90% 0mm -20dBZ 27° 100% 0mm 13m/s 22m/s 4.3m/s
19:00
995hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 100% 5.9°C 100% 100% 26% 0.02mm 91% 0mm -20dBZ 21° 100% 0.06mm - - 3.6m/s
20:00
995hPa 1J/kg 0fraction 100% 5.7°C 99% 100% 13% 0mm 90% 0mm -20dBZ 15° 100% 0.06mm - - 2.6m/s
21:00
994hPa 1J/kg 0fraction 100% 5.7°C 89% 100% 0% 0mm 90% 0mm -20dBZ 8.8° 100% 0.06mm 12m/s 21m/s 3.1m/s
22:00
994hPa 1J/kg 0fraction 1% 5.8°C 99% 0% 0% 0.01mm 90% 0mm -20dBZ 99% 0.06mm - - 3.5m/s
23:00
994hPa 1J/kg 0fraction 0% 4.3°C 98% 0% 0% 0.04mm 90% 0mm -20dBZ 0.51° 98% 0.06mm - - 3.8m/s
Thu, Jul 9 Sunrise 02:55 Sunset 23:14
24:00
993hPa 3J/kg 0fraction 0% 5.3°C 76% 0% 0% 0mm 91% 0mm -20dBZ -2.3° 76% 0.13mm 14m/s 25m/s 4.3m/s
01:00
993hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 6.2°C 99% 0% 0% 0.02mm 92% 0mm -20dBZ -3.3° 99% 0mm - - 5.3m/s
02:00
993hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 7.5°C 68% 0% 0% 0mm 93% 0.01mm -20dBZ -2.6° 68% 0mm - - 6.1m/s
03:00
993hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 9.2°C 76% 0% 0% 0mm 94% 0.01mm -20dBZ -0.04° 76% 0mm 18m/s 24m/s 7.3m/s
04:00
993hPa 0J/kg 0.18fraction 0% 9.4°C 26% 0% 13% 0mm 92% 0.01mm -17dBZ 3.2° 26% 0.06mm - - 8.1m/s
05:00
993hPa 0J/kg 0.37fraction 0% 9.9°C 13% 0% 26% 0mm 87% 0.03mm -14dBZ 7.7° 13% 0.06mm - - 8m/s
06:00
993hPa 0J/kg 0.55fraction 0% 10°C 10% 0% 39% 0mm 86% 0mm -10dBZ 13° 10% 0.06mm 18m/s 24m/s 7.8m/s
07:00
994hPa 0J/kg 0.55fraction 0% 9.8°C 8% 0% 39% 0mm 85% 0mm -7.2dBZ 19° 8% 0mm - - 7.5m/s
08:00
994hPa 0J/kg 0.55fraction 0% 9.4°C 6% 0% 39% 0mm 86% 0mm -3.9dBZ 26° 6% 0mm - - 7.9m/s
09:00
994hPa 5J/kg 0.55fraction 0% 9.9°C 7% 0% 39% 0mm 87% 0.02mm -0.68dBZ 32° 7% 0mm 14m/s 23m/s 8.6m/s
10:00
995hPa 10J/kg 0.53fraction 0% 10°C 15% 0% 39% 0mm 85% 0.02mm -7.1dBZ 38° 15% 0.06mm - - 9m/s
11:00
995hPa 10J/kg 0.5fraction 0% 9.8°C 26% 0% 39% 0mm 84% 0.03mm -14dBZ 43° 26% 0.06mm - - 9m/s
12:00
995hPa 11J/kg 0.47fraction 0% 9°C 26% 5% 39% 0.01mm 84% 0.02mm -20dBZ 47° 26% 0.13mm 9.8m/s 18m/s 9.2m/s
13:00
995hPa 10J/kg 0.65fraction 0% 8.4°C 14% 5% 26% 0mm 83% 0.03mm -14dBZ 48° 14% 0.06mm - - 9.2m/s
14:00
995hPa 11J/kg 0.82fraction 0% 8.8°C 6% 5% 13% 0mm 82% 0.02mm -7.9dBZ 47° 6% 0.06mm - - 8.7m/s
15:00
995hPa 16J/kg 1fraction 0% 8.9°C 53% 6% 0% 0mm 81% 0.04mm -1.8dBZ 44° 53% 0.13mm 10m/s 20m/s 8.3m/s
16:00
995hPa 9J/kg 1fraction 0% 8.2°C 61% 49% 7% 0mm 79% 0.01mm 2.6dBZ 39° 63% 0.13mm - - 7.9m/s
17:00
995hPa 1J/kg 1fraction 0% 6.5°C 57% 20% 15% 0mm 78% 0mm 7.1dBZ 34° 57% 0.13mm - - 7m/s
18:00
996hPa 11J/kg 1fraction 0% 7.3°C 69% 5% 22% 0mm 79% 0mm 11dBZ 27° 69% 0.13mm 13m/s 24m/s 6.9m/s
19:00
996hPa 10J/kg 0.85fraction 0% 8.1°C 47% 5% 28% 0mm 81% 0.04mm 4.4dBZ 21° 47% 0mm - - 6.1m/s
20:00
996hPa 4J/kg 0.69fraction 0% 8.3°C 96% 5% 33% 0mm 80% 0.02mm -2.6dBZ 14° 96% 0mm - - 5.1m/s
21:00
996hPa 7J/kg 0.54fraction 0% 7.6°C 98% 5% 39% 0mm 82% 0mm -9.7dBZ 8.7° 98% 0.06mm 11m/s 24m/s 4.2m/s
22:00
996hPa 12J/kg 0.69fraction 0% 7.6°C 87% 5% 39% 0mm 83% 0.03mm -2.2dBZ 3.9° 87% 0.06mm - - 3.7m/s
23:00
997hPa 23J/kg 0.85fraction 0% 6.6°C 87% 5% 39% 0mm 85% 0.16mm 5.3dBZ 0.41° 87% 0.13mm - - 4m/s
Fri, Jul 10 Sunrise 02:58 Sunset 23:11
24:00
997hPa 32J/kg 1fraction 0% 5.8°C 71% 60% 39% 0mm 86% 0.2mm 13dBZ -2.4° 72% 0.25mm 9.5m/s 21m/s 3.9m/s
01:00
997hPa 18J/kg 0.8fraction 0% 5.1°C 39% 98% 26% 0mm 86% 0.25mm 7.7dBZ -3.4° 98% 0.19mm - - 2.9m/s
02:00
997hPa 12J/kg 0.59fraction 0% 3.4°C 41% 2% 13% 0mm 86% 0.21mm 2.7dBZ -2.8° 41% 0.31mm - - 3.5m/s
03:00
997hPa 13J/kg 0.39fraction 0% 2.5°C 43% 5% 0% 0mm 86% 0.12mm -2.3dBZ -0.26° 43% 0.38mm 8.2m/s 14m/s 3.7m/s
04:00
997hPa 14J/kg 0.26fraction 0% 2.2°C 37% 23% 0% 0mm 86% 0.09mm -8.2dBZ 40% 0.5mm - - 3.1m/s
05:00
998hPa 11J/kg 0.13fraction 0% 2.2°C 46% 68% 0% 0mm 85% 0.09mm -14dBZ 7.6° 69% 0.56mm - - 1.8m/s
06:00
998hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 1.7°C 47% 87% 0% 0mm 83% 0.01mm -20dBZ 13° 87% 0.63mm 6.9m/s 9.8m/s 1m/s
07:00
998hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 1.6°C 20% 99% 0% 0mm 79% 0mm -20dBZ 19° 99% 0mm - - 1.3m/s
08:00
999hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 1.6°C 92% 99% 0% 0mm 74% 0mm -20dBZ 26° 99% 0mm - - 1.6m/s
09:00
1000hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 2.2°C 32% 97% 0% 0mm 71% 0mm -20dBZ 32° 97% 0mm 5.3m/s 11m/s 2.7m/s
10:00
1000hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 3°C 9% 54% 7% 0mm 72% 0mm -20dBZ 38° 54% 0mm - - 3.2m/s
11:00
1001hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 3.7°C 6% 5% 15% 0mm 70% 0mm -20dBZ 43° 6% 0mm - - 3.3m/s
12:00
1002hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 5°C 5% 5% 22% 0mm 67% 0mm -20dBZ 47° 5% 0mm 6.6m/s 11m/s 3.9m/s
13:00
1003hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 6.3°C 5% 4% 15% 0mm 66% 0mm -20dBZ 48° 5% 0mm - - 4.6m/s
14:00
1003hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 5% 7.1°C 5% 0% 7% 0mm 68% 0mm -20dBZ 47° 5% 0mm - - 5m/s
15:00
1004hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 7.5°C 2% 0% 0% 0mm 68% 0mm -20dBZ 44° 2% 0mm 6.5m/s 13m/s 4.6m/s
16:00
1005hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 8.5°C 1% 0% 0% 0mm 65% 0mm -20dBZ 39° 1% 0mm - - 3.6m/s
17:00
1005hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 5% 8.8°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 62% 0mm -20dBZ 33° 5% 0mm - - 3.2m/s
18:00
1006hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 0% 8.9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 63% 0mm -20dBZ 27° 0% 0mm 7.3m/s 13m/s 3.8m/s
19:00
990hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 31% 9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 61% 0mm -20dBZ 21° 31% 0mm - - 3.4m/s
20:00
973hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 61% 9°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 58% 0mm -20dBZ 14° 61% 0mm - - 3.1m/s
21:00
957hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 92% 9.1°C 0% 0% 0% 0mm 56% 0mm -20dBZ 8.6° 92% 0mm 8.1m/s 13m/s 2.7m/s
22:00
957hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 94% 8.8°C 0% 11% 0% 0mm 54% 0mm -20dBZ 3.8° 94% 0mm - - 2.5m/s
23:00
957hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 97% 8.5°C 0% 23% 0% 0mm 53% 0mm -20dBZ 0.32° 97% 0mm - - 2.2m/s
Sat, Jul 11 Sunrise 03:01 Sunset 23:09
24:00
957hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 100% 8.3°C 0% 34% 0% 0mm 51% 0mm -20dBZ -2.5° 100% 0mm 7.6m/s 12m/s 2m/s
01:00
957hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 100% 6.1°C 2% 54% 0% 0mm 49% 0mm -20dBZ -3.5° 100% 0mm - - 1.9m/s
02:00
957hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 100% 4°C 4% 73% 0% 0mm 47% 0mm -20dBZ -2.9° 100% 0mm - - 1.9m/s
03:00
957hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 100% 1.8°C 5% 92% 0% 0mm 45% 0mm -20dBZ -0.47° 100% 0mm 8.8m/s 14m/s 1.9m/s
04:00
957hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 80% 2.6°C 4% 87% 0% 0mm 45% 0mm -20dBZ 2.9° 92% 0mm - - 2m/s
05:00
957hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 60% 3.3°C 3% 82% 0% 0mm 45% 0mm -20dBZ 7.5° 85% 0mm - - 2.1m/s
06:00
958hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 40% 4.1°C 1% 77% 0% 0mm 45% 0mm -20dBZ 13° 77% 0mm 9.5m/s 10m/s 2.2m/s
07:00
958hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 29% 4.7°C 1% 51% 0% 0mm 45% 0mm -20dBZ 19° 53% 0mm - - 2.4m/s
08:00
958hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 17% 5.3°C 1% 26% 0% 0mm 45% 0mm -20dBZ 26° 30% 0mm - - 2.7m/s
09:00
958hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 5% 5.8°C 1% 0% 0% 0mm 45% 0mm -20dBZ 32° 6% 0mm 7.9m/s 11m/s 2.9m/s
10:00
959hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 32% 6°C 2% 2% 0% 0mm 46% 0mm -20dBZ 38° 33% 0mm - - 3.1m/s
11:00
959hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 59% 6.2°C 4% 3% 0% 0mm 47% 0mm -20dBZ 43° 60% 0mm - - 3.2m/s
12:00
959hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 86% 6.4°C 5% 5% 0% 0mm 48% 0mm -20dBZ 46° 86% 0mm 9.8m/s 8.3m/s 3.4m/s
13:00
960hPa 0J/kg 0fraction 59% 5.7°C 5% 4% 0% 0mm 53% 0mm -20dBZ 48° 59% 0mm - - 3.6m/s
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