Funchal - Dramatic Seascapes - Madeira
Dramatic coastal photography conditions - powerful waves combined with atmospheric drama and good visibility for seascape shots.
No Dramatic Seascapes opportunities in the next 14 days
Tip: Scroll down to the 72-hour table to see exactly which condition fails hour by hour.
Currently
Real-time conditionsUpcoming Opportunities
When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.
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 ruleThis forecast identifies conditions when Atlantic storms and dramatic seas transform Madeira's volcanic coastline into scenes of elemental power meeting ancient geology. We track wave heights, wind patterns, Atlantic storm systems, and clearing conditions to predict photogenic drama while conditions remain safe from elevated viewpoints.
Madeira's volcanic origins created a coastline of sheer cliffs, natural pools, and exposed headlands directly facing Atlantic swells. The island's position 600 kilometers off Morocco means full exposure to Atlantic weather, while its volcanic cliffs—some dropping 580 meters to the sea—create overwhelming compositions. Winter storms bring massive swells crashing against black basalt formations.
What makes Madeira coastal drama photography special:
- Volcanic natural pools - Porto Moniz's lava pools become spectacular when Atlantic waves crash over black basalt walls
- Europe's highest sea cliff - Cabo Girão's 580-meter face creates vertigo-inducing compositions with waves far below
- Exposed headlands - Ponta de São Lourenço's barren volcanic peninsula receives full Atlantic fury from three sides
- Fishing village resilience - Traditional coastal communities like Câmara de Lobos show human scale against powerful seas
Porto Moniz becomes the premier coastal drama location when Atlantic swells arrive—the natural volcanic pools transform as waves explode over black lava walls. Shoot from elevated positions showing pool structures against white water and storm skies. Cabo Girão provides extraordinary drama from above—Europe's second-highest sea cliff creates dizzying perspectives when waves crash 580 meters below the glass viewing platform. Ponta de São Lourenço's eastern headland becomes wild during storms—crashing waves on three sides create otherworldly compositions. Machico bay captures drama with dark sand beach and waves breaking on the harbour wall. October through March brings the most dramatic conditions. Always prioritize safety—photograph from elevated, protected positions.
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72-hour requirements breakdown
What passed or failed, hour by hourTime Atlantic/Madeira | Coastal Drama Score ≥ 75.0% | Significant Wave Height ≥ 1.5m | Visibility ≥ 5000.0m | Wind Gusts ≤ 22.0m/s | Precipitation Chance ≤ 30.0% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Apr 9 | |||||
| 05:00 | - | - | 22771m | 9.7m/s | 82% |
| 06:00 | - | - | 23080m | 10m/s | 82% |
| 07:00 | - | - | 370m | 10m/s | 82% |
| 08:00 | - | - | 357m | 9.2m/s | 67% |
| 09:00 | - | - | 190m | 9.1m/s | 53% |
| 10:00 | - | - | 527m | 8.7m/s | 39% |
| 11:00 | - | - | 345m | 9.6m/s | 39% |
| 12:00 | - | - | 232m | 9.2m/s | 39% |
| 13:00 | - | - | 125m | 8.7m/s | 39% |
| 14:00 | - | - | 345m | 7.6m/s | 26% |
| 15:00 | - | - | 2106m | 6.8m/s | 13% |
| 16:00 | - | - | 5265m | 5.8m/s | 0% |
| 17:00 | - | - | 24134m | 5.3m/s | 21% |
| 18:00 | - | - | 24135m | 5.4m/s | 43% |
| 19:00 | - | - | 24135m | 4.7m/s | 64% |
| 20:00 | - | - | 24135m | 4.9m/s | 65% |
| 21:00 | - | - | 24135m | 5.5m/s | 67% |
| 22:00 | - | - | 24134m | 5.3m/s | 69% |
| 23:00 | - | - | 24134m | 5m/s | 76% |
| Fri, Apr 10 | |||||
| 24:00 | - | - | 24135m | 4.5m/s | 83% |
| 01:00 | - | - | 23509m | 3.9m/s | 90% |
| 02:00 | - | - | 89m | 5.2m/s | 82% |
| 03:00 | - | - | 319m | 5.9m/s | 73% |
| 04:00 | - | - | 313m | 5.9m/s | 65% |
| 05:00 | - | - | 156m | 6.2m/s | 75% |
| 06:00 | - | - | 91m | 6.7m/s | 85% |
| 07:00 | - | - | 151m | 7.4m/s | 95% |
| 08:00 | - | - | 199m | 7.8m/s | 76% |
| 09:00 | - | - | 306m | 7.3m/s | 58% |
| 10:00 | - | - | 173m | 6.9m/s | 39% |
| 11:00 | - | - | 177m | 6.3m/s | 39% |
| 12:00 | - | - | 181m | 6.3m/s | 39% |
| 13:00 | - | - | 141m | 6.1m/s | 39% |
| 14:00 | - | - | 82m | 5.4m/s | 39% |
| 15:00 | - | - | 76m | 4.8m/s | 39% |
| 16:00 | - | - | 65m | 5.1m/s | 39% |
| 17:00 | - | - | 78m | 4.8m/s | 39% |
| 18:00 | - | - | 91m | 5m/s | 39% |
| 19:00 | - | - | 100m | 5.3m/s | 39% |
| 20:00 | - | - | 102m | 5.5m/s | 26% |
| 21:00 | - | - | 124m | 5.6m/s | 13% |
| 22:00 | - | - | 386m | 6m/s | 0% |
| 23:00 | - | - | 1715m | 6.2m/s | 13% |
| Sat, Apr 11 | |||||
| 24:00 | - | - | 24135m | 6.1m/s | 26% |
| 01:00 | - | - | 24134m | 5.6m/s | 39% |
| 02:00 | - | - | 24135m | 5.4m/s | 39% |
| 03:00 | - | - | 24134m | 5.2m/s | 39% |
| 04:00 | - | - | 24135m | 5.1m/s | 39% |
| 05:00 | - | - | 24134m | 5.3m/s | 53% |
| 06:00 | - | - | 24135m | 4.9m/s | 68% |
| 07:00 | - | - | 24135m | 4.8m/s | 82% |
| 08:00 | - | - | 181m | 4.7m/s | 60% |
| 09:00 | - | - | 260m | 4.7m/s | 38% |
| 10:00 | - | - | 2902m | 4.3m/s | 17% |
| 11:00 | - | - | 579m | 4.5m/s | 24% |
| 12:00 | - | - | 376m | 3.6m/s | 32% |
| 13:00 | - | - | 818m | 3.5m/s | 39% |
| 14:00 | - | - | 8590m | 4.4m/s | 39% |
| 15:00 | - | - | 16363m | 5.3m/s | 39% |
| 16:00 | - | - | 24135m | 6.2m/s | 39% |
| 17:00 | - | - | 24135m | 6.9m/s | 39% |
| 18:00 | - | - | 24135m | 7.6m/s | 39% |
| 19:00 | - | - | 24135m | 8.2m/s | 39% |
| 20:00 | - | - | 24135m | 8m/s | 39% |
| 21:00 | - | - | 24135m | 7.8m/s | 39% |
| 22:00 | - | - | 24135m | 7.5m/s | 39% |
| 23:00 | - | - | 24135m | 7.8m/s | 53% |
| Sun, Apr 12 | |||||
| 24:00 | - | - | 24135m | 8m/s | 68% |
| 01:00 | - | - | 24135m | 8.2m/s | 82% |
| 02:00 | - | - | 24135m | 8.3m/s | 58% |
| 03:00 | - | - | 24135m | 8.3m/s | 34% |
| 04:00 | - | - | 24135m | 8.3m/s | 10% |
| 05:00 | - | - | 24135m | 7.2m/s | 16% |
| 06:00 | - | - | 24135m | 6.1m/s | 22% |
What does Coastal Drama Score mean?
Inputs that drive the scoreThis 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/Madeira | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Apr 9
Sunrise 07:45
Sunset 20:33 | ||||||||||||
| 09:00 | 0% | 99% | 0% | - | - | 0.08 | 15° | 99% | 7° | 5.4m/s | - | - |
| 10:00 | 0% | 90% | 0% | - | - | 0.07 | 27° | 90% | 12° | 5.1m/s | - | - |
| 11:00 | 0% | 98% | 1% | - | - | 0.06 | 40° | 98% | 16° | 5.2m/s | - | - |
| 12:00 | 0% | 99% | 1% | - | - | 0.06 | 51° | 99% | 17° | 5.2m/s | - | - |
| 13:00 | 0% | 99% | 1% | - | - | 0.06 | 60° | 99% | 22° | 4.9m/s | - | - |
| 14:00 | 0% | 98% | 0% | - | - | 0.06 | 65° | 98% | 22° | 4.9m/s | - | - |
| 15:00 | 0% | 98% | 0% | - | - | 0.05 | 62° | 98% | 23° | 4.6m/s | - | - |
| 16:00 | 0% | 96% | 0% | - | - | 0.05 | 54° | 96% | 15° | 3.9m/s | - | - |
| 17:00 | 0% | 27% | 0% | - | - | 0.05 | 43° | 27% | 17° | 3.6m/s | - | - |
| 18:00 | 0% | 51% | 0% | - | - | 0.05 | 31° | 51% | 9° | 3.8m/s | - | - |
| 19:00 | 0% | 52% | 0% | - | - | 0.05 | 19° | 52% | 8° | 3.4m/s | - | - |
| 20:00 | 0% | 28% | 0% | - | - | 0.05 | 6.3° | 28% | 354° | 3.2m/s | - | - |
| 21:00 ☾ | 0% | 25% | 0% | - | - | 0.05 | -6.3° | 25% | 352° | 3.4m/s | - | - |
| 22:00 ☾ | 0% | 10% | 0% | - | - | 0.05 | -18° | 10% | 353° | 3.2m/s | - | - |
| 23:00 ☾ | 0% | 6% | 0% | - | - | 0.05 | -29° | 6% | 351° | 3m/s | - | - |
| Fri, Apr 10
Sunrise 07:45
Sunset 20:33 | ||||||||||||
| 24:00 ☾ | 8% | 33% | 0% | - | - | 0.05 | -39° | 33% | 348° | 2.7m/s | - | - |
| 01:00 ☾ | 1% | 95% | 0% | - | - | 0.07 | -46° | 95% | 342° | 2.4m/s | - | - |
| 02:00 ☾ | 1% | 99% | 0% | - | - | 0.08 | -49° | 99% | 350° | 3.1m/s | - | - |
| 03:00 ☾ | 0% | 99% | 0% | - | - | 0.08 | -48° | 99% | 1° | 3.6m/s | - | - |
| 04:00 ☾ | 0% | 98% | 0% | - | - | 0.06 | -42° | 98% | 358° | 3.6m/s | - | - |
| 05:00 ☾ | 0% | 99% | 0% | - | - | 0.07 | -33° | 99% | 356° | 3.6m/s | - | - |
| 06:00 ☾ | 0% | 100% | 0% | - | - | 0.07 | -22° | 100% | 358° | 4m/s | - | - |
| 07:00 ☾ | 0% | 98% | 0% | - | - | 0.08 | -9.9° | 98% | 5° | 4.3m/s | - | - |
| 08:00 | 0% | 99% | 0% | - | - | 0.08 | 2.7° | 99% | 6° | 4.5m/s | - | - |
| 09:00 | 0% | 99% | 0% | - | - | 0.1 | 15° | 99% | 3° | 4.4m/s | - | - |
| 10:00 | 0% | 99% | 0% | - | - | 0.1 | 28° | 99% | 7° | 4.2m/s | - | - |
| 11:00 | 0% | 95% | 0% | - | - | 0.09 | 40° | 95% | 8° | 3.9m/s | - | - |
| 12:00 | 0% | 64% | 0% | - | - | 0.08 | 51° | 64% | 7° | 3.9m/s | - | - |
| 13:00 | 0% | 54% | 0% | - | - | 0.09 | 61° | 54% | 10° | 3.7m/s | - | - |
| 14:00 | 0% | 54% | 0% | - | - | - | 65° | 54% | 11° | 3.3m/s | - | - |
| 15:00 | 0% | 54% | 0% | - | - | - | 63° | 54% | 5° | 2.9m/s | - | - |
| 16:00 | 0% | 59% | 0% | - | - | - | 54° | 59% | 3° | 3.2m/s | - | - |
| 17:00 | 0% | 66% | 0% | - | - | - | 43° | 66% | 3° | 3.1m/s | - | - |
| 18:00 | 13% | 70% | 0% | - | - | - | 31° | 70% | 4° | 3.1m/s | - | - |
| 19:00 | 13% | 78% | 0% | - | - | - | 19° | 78% | 2° | 3.3m/s | - | - |
| 20:00 | 5% | 69% | 0% | - | - | - | 6.4° | 69% | 360° | 3.4m/s | - | - |
| 21:00 ☾ | 32% | 62% | 0% | - | - | - | -6.1° | 62% | 360° | 3.4m/s | - | - |
| 22:00 ☾ | 56% | 54% | 0% | - | - | - | -18° | 58% | 357° | 3.7m/s | - | - |
| 23:00 ☾ | 89% | 57% | 0% | - | - | - | -29° | 90% | 356° | 3.9m/s | - | - |
| Sat, Apr 11
Sunrise 07:44
Sunset 20:33 | ||||||||||||
| 24:00 ☾ | 98% | 55% | 0% | - | - | - | -39° | 98% | 353° | 3.8m/s | - | - |
| 01:00 ☾ | 0% | 23% | 0% | - | - | - | -46° | 23% | 355° | 3.5m/s | - | - |
| 02:00 ☾ | 0% | 6% | 0% | - | - | - | -49° | 6% | 353° | 3.3m/s | - | - |
| 03:00 ☾ | 0% | 6% | 0% | - | - | - | -47° | 6% | 352° | 3.3m/s | - | - |
| 04:00 ☾ | 0% | 0% | 0% | - | - | - | -41° | 0% | 354° | 3.2m/s | - | - |
| 05:00 ☾ | 0% | 0% | 0% | - | - | - | -32° | 0% | 356° | 3.4m/s | - | - |
| 06:00 ☾ | 0% | 14% | 0% | - | - | - | -21° | 14% | 357° | 3.1m/s | - | - |
| 07:00 ☾ | 0% | 11% | 0% | - | - | - | -9.6° | 11% | 355° | 3.1m/s | - | - |
| 08:00 | 0% | 52% | 0% | - | - | - | 2.9° | 52% | 354° | 3m/s | - | - |
| 09:00 | 0% | 52% | 0% | - | - | - | 15° | 52% | 357° | 3.2m/s | - | - |
| 10:00 | 0% | 51% | 0% | - | - | - | 28° | 51% | 357° | 2.8m/s | - | - |
| 11:00 | 0% | 50% | 0% | - | - | - | 40° | 50% | 358° | 3.2m/s | - | - |
| 12:00 | 0% | 50% | 0% | - | - | - | 52° | 50% | 3° | 2.6m/s | - | - |
| 13:00 | 5% | 50% | 0% | - | - | - | 61° | 50% | 2° | 2.7m/s | - | - |
| 14:00 | 5% | 58% | 0% | - | - | - | 66° | 58% | 16° | 4m/s | - | - |
| 15:00 | 5% | 66% | 0% | - | - | - | 63° | 66% | 30° | 5.3m/s | - | - |
| 16:00 | 5% | 74% | 0% | - | - | - | 55° | 74% | 44° | 6.5m/s | - | - |
| 17:00 | 15% | 76% | 0% | - | - | - | 44° | 76% | 44° | 7.2m/s | - | - |
| 18:00 | 25% | 77% | 0% | - | - | - | 32° | 77% | 44° | 7.8m/s | - | - |
| 19:00 | 36% | 79% | 0% | - | - | - | 19° | 79% | 44° | 8.5m/s | - | - |
| 20:00 | 30% | 60% | 0% | - | - | - | 6.5° | 61% | 44° | 8.3m/s | - | - |
| 21:00 ☾ | 26% | 40% | 0% | - | - | - | -6° | 44% | 43° | 8.1m/s | - | - |
| 22:00 ☾ | 20% | 21% | 0% | - | - | - | -18° | 26% | 42° | 7.9m/s | - | - |
| 23:00 ☾ | 31% | 31% | 0% | - | - | - | -29° | 36% | 43° | 8.1m/s | - | - |
| Sun, Apr 12
Sunrise 07:43
Sunset 20:34 | ||||||||||||
| 24:00 ☾ | 42% | 42% | 0% | - | - | - | -39° | 45% | 44° | 8.4m/s | - | - |
| 01:00 ☾ | 53% | 52% | 0% | - | - | - | -46° | 55% | 45° | 8.6m/s | - | - |
| 02:00 ☾ | 35% | 36% | 0% | - | - | - | -49° | 37% | 46° | 8.5m/s | - | - |
| 03:00 ☾ | 18% | 18% | 0% | - | - | - | -47° | 19% | 48° | 8.3m/s | - | - |
| 04:00 ☾ | 0% | 2% | 0% | - | - | - | -41° | 2% | 50° | 8.1m/s | - | - |
| 05:00 ☾ | 2% | 2% | 0% | - | - | - | -32° | 3% | 55° | 7.1m/s | - | - |
| 06:00 ☾ | 3% | 3% | 0% | - | - | - | -21° | 4% | 60° | 6.1m/s | - | - |
| 07:00 ☾ | 5% | 4% | 0% | - | - | - | -9.4° | 5% | 65° | 5.1m/s | - | - |
| 08:00 | 5% | 13% | 0% | - | - | - | 3.1° | 14% | 67° | 5.8m/s | - | - |
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