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Rule Dramatic Seascapes

Bar Harbor - Dramatic Seascapes - New England, USA

Bar Harbor, Maine, United States

Dramatic coastal photography conditions - powerful waves combined with atmospheric drama and good visibility for seascape shots.

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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 100% failing
Precipitation Chance 49% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Wave Height0.0m
Swell Height0.1m
Wind Speed1.6m/s (calm conditions)
Cloud Cover100%

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in America/New_York

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 the dramatic conditions that make the Maine coast and Cape Cod world-class seascape photography destinations. We combine wave height, wind patterns, and storm systems to predict when the rocky New England shoreline will come alive with crashing waves and moody atmosphere.

New England's coastline—especially Maine's rocky shores—creates some of North America's most dramatic seascapes. Cold North Atlantic waters meet granite cliffs, creating powerful wave action. Historic lighthouses perched on headlands add iconic human elements to wild natural drama.

What makes New England coastal photography exceptional:

  • Acadia granite coast - Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs, and Schoodic Point where waves explode against pink granite
  • Lighthouse drama - Portland Head Light, Nubble Light, and dozens more frame seascapes with maritime history
  • Nor'easter storms - Autumn and winter storms bring massive waves and dramatic skies to the entire coastline
  • Cape Cod exposure - The Cape juts far into the Atlantic, catching dramatic weather from all directions

Best conditions occur during and after nor'easter storms, typically October through March. These powerful low-pressure systems bring huge waves, dramatic skies, and often spectacular light during clearing phases. Safety is critical—rogue waves can sweep exposed rocks. Our forecast helps you time visits for drama without excessive danger.

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72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour
0matching hours in the next 80 hours
AND logic: all conditions required
Meets requirement
Misses requirement
Time
America/New_York
Coastal Drama Score
≥ 75.0%
Significant Wave Height
≥ 1.5m
Visibility
≥ 5000.0m
Wind Gusts
≤ 22.0m/s
Precipitation Chance
≤ 30.0%
Wed, Jul 8
24:006.1%0.55m24135m0.8m/s50%
01:007.1%0.6m24134m1.1m/s50%
02:003%0.41m8685m1.3m/s50%
03:002.6%0.46m4231m0.62m/s0%
04:0014%0.52m4133m0.6m/s0%
05:0013%0.57m4231m0.81m/s0%
06:0015%0.62m4238m1.5m/s0%
07:0019%0.68m4317m1.7m/s0%
08:006.9%0.01m4173m1.7m/s0%
09:005.9%0.01m4243m1.3m/s0%
10:002.1%0.01m4321m1.3m/s0%
11:003.4%0.01m4913m1.5m/s0%
12:005.5%0.02m4392m2m/s0%
13:005.7%0.03m4680m3.1m/s0%
14:004.8%0.04m24134m2.5m/s0%
15:004.6%0.04m24134m2.8m/s0%
16:009.7%0.05m24134m3.1m/s0%
17:005.9%0.05m24135m4.1m/s0%
18:006.6%0.05m24134m4m/s0%
19:008.3%0.06m24134m3.8m/s0%
20:0013%0.06m24135m2.3m/s0%
21:008.6%0.05m24135m1.9m/s0%
22:003%0.04m24135m1.4m/s0%
23:003.6%0.03m24134m1.1m/s0%
Thu, Jul 9
24:003.6%0.03m24134m2.1m/s0%
01:002.6%0.02m24134m2.3m/s0%
02:002.6%0.02m24135m3.1m/s0%
03:003%0.02m24135m3.3m/s0%
04:007.5%0.02m24134m2.4m/s0%
05:009.7%0.02m24135m1.9m/s0%
06:0013%0.02m24134m4.1m/s0%
07:0011%0.03m24135m4m/s0%
08:006.6%0.03m24135m2.9m/s0%
09:007.6%0.05m24134m3.3m/s15%
10:004.8%0.07m24135m3.2m/s31%
11:004.8%0.09m24135m3.9m/s46%
12:004.8%0.13m24134m4.5m/s53%
13:006.7%0.16m24135m5.1m/s61%
14:004.7%0.2m24135m5.1m/s68%
15:005.8%0.17m24134m4.7m/s71%
16:008.6%0.13m24135m3.9m/s73%
17:009.2%0.1m24135m1.6m/s76%
18:007.5%0.08m24135m0.91m/s82%
19:007.9%0.06m24135m1.5m/s88%
20:0016%0.04m24135m1m/s94%
21:008.6%0.03m24135m0.81m/s70%
22:002.4%0.03m24135m1.6m/s46%
23:003.8%0.02m17345m2.4m/s22%
Fri, Jul 10
24:001.3%0.02m5397m1m/s30%
01:002.2%0.02m11659m1m/s37%
02:002.2%0.02m14248m2.1m/s44%
03:002.8%0.02m24134m1.6m/s62%
04:004.8%0.01m8529m1.2m/s81%
05:005.5%0.01m5291m1.2m/s100%
06:006.8%0.01m4540m0.6m/s72%
07:003.3%0.01m4164m1.5m/s44%
08:003.3%0.01m4220m1.1m/s16%
09:002.8%0.02m4168m3.6m/s37%
10:002.9%0.04m4836m4.6m/s58%
11:006.5%0.05m24134m5.2m/s79%
12:004.8%0.04m24135m4.4m/s80%
13:005.5%0.04m24135m3.2m/s80%
14:008.4%0.03m24135m3.9m/s81%
15:009.1%0.05m24135m3.5m/s64%
16:007.1%0.08m24135m3m/s47%
17:008.2%0.1m24135m2.6m/s30%
18:0010%0.09m24135m4.6m/s27%
19:0012%0.07m24135m6.6m/s25%
20:0012%0.06m24135m8.5m/s23%
21:0011%0.07m24135m8.5m/s32%
22:004.4%0.08m24135m8.5m/s41%
23:005%0.09m24135m8.4m/s50%
Sat, Jul 11
24:003.7%0.1m24135m8.3m/s50%
01:003.2%0.12m24135m8.1m/s50%
02:002.4%0.13m24135m7.9m/s50%
03:003.2%0.14m24135m7.3m/s33%
04:007.9%0.14m24135m6.7m/s17%
05:006.9%0.15m24135m6m/s0%
06:006.4%0.16m24135m5.6m/s0%
07:005.4%0.16m24135m5.2m/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
America/New_York
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, Jul 8 Sunrise 04:57 Sunset 20:18
10:00
0% 100% 29% 0.15m 98° 0.01 51° 100% 125° 1.6m/s 0.09m 1.1s
11:00
3% 81% 10% 0.15m 93° 0.01 60° 81% 131° 2m/s 0.1m 1.1s
12:00
12% 25% 9% 0.15m 108° 0.01 67° 33% 144° 2.5m/s 0.09m 1.1s
13:00
41% 24% 0% 0.16m 122° 0.01 68° 56% 141° 3.6m/s 0.07m 1.1s
14:00
95% 2% 0% 0.16m 137° 0.01 62° 95% 148° 3.6m/s 0.06m 1.1s
15:00
0% 1% 0% 0.15m 137° 0.01 54° 1% 150° 3.8m/s 0.07m 1.1s
16:00
44% 1% 0% 0.14m 137° 0.02 43° 44% 152° 3.7m/s 0.08m 1.2s
17:00
100% 1% 0% 0.13m 137° 0.02 33° 100% 149° 3.9m/s 0.09m 1.3s
18:00
100% 0% 0% 0.12m 137° 0.02 22° 100% 153° 3.1m/s 0.08m 1.3s
19:00
100% 0% 10% 0.12m 138° 0.02 12° 100% 155° 2.5m/s 0.07m 1.3s
20:00
80% 0% 0% 0.11m 139° 0.02 2.3° 80% 183° 1.9m/s 0.06m 1.4s
21:00
5% 0% 0% 0.1m 140° 0.02 -6.7° 5% 198° 1.8m/s 0.06m 1.4s
22:00
5% 0% 0% 0.1m 141° 0.02 -14° 5% 225° 1.5m/s 0.07m 1.4s
23:00
82% 36% 0% 0.09m 142° 0.01 -20° 84% 213° 1.1m/s 0.07m 1.4s
Thu, Jul 9 Sunrise 04:57 Sunset 20:17
24:00
94% 40% 0% 0.09m 174° 0.01 -23° 94% 230° 1.6m/s 0.08m 1.3s
01:00
100% 0% 0% 0.08m 206° 0.01 -23° 100% 215° 1.6m/s 0.09m 1.2s
02:00
100% 0% 0% 0.08m 238° 0.01 -21° 100% 227° 1.7m/s 0.1m 1.1s
03:00
90% 0% 0% 0.08m 230° 0.01 -16° 90% 219° 1.6m/s 0.1m 1.1s
04:00
100% 0% 0% 0.08m 222° 0.01 -8.9° 100% 222° 1.5m/s 0.09m 1.1s
05:00
93% 0% 0% 0.08m 214° 0.01 0.07° 93% 235° 1.4m/s 0.09m 1.1s
06:00
27% 0% 1% 0.09m 213° 0.009 9.1° 27% 236° 1.3m/s 0.12m 1.1s
07:00
20% 0% 5% 0.09m 213° 0.008 19° 20% 226° 2m/s 0.14m 1.1s
08:00
5% 0% 5% 0.1m 213° 0.007 30° 5% 227° 1.7m/s 0.17m 1.1s
09:00
5% 3% 28% 0.14m 208° 0.007 41° 28% 214° 2.3m/s 0.14m 1.2s
10:00
5% 5% 5% 0.17m 203° 0.007 51° 8% 209° 2.4m/s 0.12m 1.3s
11:00
1% 0% 5% 0.21m 198° 0.007 60° 5% 202° 3m/s 0.09m 1.4s
12:00
0% 0% 5% 0.17m 186° 0.007 67° 5% 200° 3.3m/s 0.13m 1.6s
13:00
69% 13% 5% 0.12m 174° 0.007 67° 71% 200° 3.7m/s 0.16m 1.8s
14:00
97% 28% 0% 0.08m 163° 0.006 62° 97% 192° 4m/s 0.2m 2s
15:00
67% 38% 0% 0.09m 162° 0.006 54° 89% 181° 4m/s 0.28m 2s
16:00
32% 88% 0% 0.09m 162° 0.006 43° 88% 237° 2.1m/s 0.37m 2.1s
17:00
7% 40% 0% 0.1m 162° 0.007 33° 40% 254° 0.57m/s 0.45m 2.1s
18:00
10% 0% 0% 0.16m 164° 0.007 22° 10% 153° 0.37m/s 0.42m 2.1s
19:00
5% 8% 0% 0.23m 166° 0.008 12° 11% 158° 1.1m/s 0.4m 2.1s
20:00
23% 47% 18% 0.29m 168° 0.009 2.2° 47% 164° 0.96m/s 0.37m 2.1s
21:00
90% 12% 0% 0.24m 168° - -6.8° 90% 99° 0.62m/s 0.33m 2.1s
22:00
100% 0% 0% 0.18m 168° - -14° 100% 51° 1.4m/s 0.28m 2.1s
23:00
40% 9% 4% 0.13m 167° - -20° 40% 71° 1.9m/s 0.24m 2.1s
Fri, Jul 10 Sunrise 04:58 Sunset 20:17
24:00
100% 21% 16% 0.15m 147° - -23° 100% 163° 1m/s 0.21m 1.8s
01:00
100% 30% 47% 0.17m 127° - -23° 100% 84° 1m/s 0.18m 1.4s
02:00
100% 33% 42% 0.19m 106° - -21° 100% 38° 1.7m/s 0.15m 1.1s
03:00
100% 28% 64% 0.17m 106° - -16° 100% 45° 1.5m/s 0.12m 1.1s
04:00
96% 38% 94% 0.14m 106° - -9° 97% 70° 1.1m/s 0.09m 1.1s
05:00
100% 45% 100% 0.12m 105° - -0.06° 100% 64° 1.2m/s 0.06m 1.1s
06:00
100% 64% 34% 0.11m 180° - 100% 11° 0.54m/s 0.06m 1.1s
07:00
92% 95% 100% 0.11m 254° - 19° 100% 320° 0.83m/s 0.06m 1.1s
08:00
99% 24% 98% 0.1m 328° - 30° 99% 273° 0.81m/s 0.06m 1.1s
09:00
100% 27% 100% 0.1m 327° - 40° 100% 291° 1.8m/s 0.06m 1.1s
10:00
99% 39% 95% 0.09m 326° - 51° 100% 294° 2.4m/s 0.05m 1.1s
11:00
70% 88% 46% 0.09m 325° - 60° 88% 287° 3.1m/s 0.05m 1.1s
12:00
99% 75% 82% 0.29m 326° - 66° 99% 303° 2.4m/s 0.12m 1.1s
13:00
100% 38% 96% 0.49m 328° - 67° 100% 291° 0.93m/s 0.2m 1.1s
14:00
100% 98% 100% 0.69m 330° - 62° 100% 330° 1.4m/s 0.27m 1.1s
15:00
100% 84% 85% 0.51m 292° - 53° 100% 228° 1.6m/s 0.21m 1.3s
16:00
100% 69% 70% 0.32m 254° - 43° 100% 127° 1.8m/s 0.16m 1.4s
17:00
100% 55% 55% 0.14m 216° - 33° 100% 25° 2.1m/s 0.1m 1.5s
18:00
100% 68% 55% 0.14m 217° - 22° 100% 17° 2.3m/s 0.09m 1.5s
19:00
100% 82% 55% 0.13m 218° - 12° 100% 2.6m/s 0.07m 1.5s
20:00
100% 95% 55% 0.13m 219° - 2.2° 100% 2.9m/s 0.06m 1.5s
21:00
67% 91% 36% 0.14m 260° - -6.9° 94% 3.1m/s 0.07m 1.4s
22:00
33% 87% 18% 0.14m 302° - -14° 89% 3.3m/s 0.08m 1.3s
23:00
0% 83% 0% 0.15m 343° - -20° 83% 3.4m/s 0.09m 1.2s
Sat, Jul 11 Sunrise 04:59 Sunset 20:16
24:00
0% 56% 0% 0.14m 347° - -23° 56% 3.7m/s 0.1m 1.4s
01:00
0% 28% 0% 0.14m 350° - -23° 28% 12° 3.9m/s 0.12m 1.6s
02:00
0% 0% 0% 0.13m 354° - -21° 0% 15° 4.2m/s 0.13m 1.8s
03:00
2% 0% 1% 0.12m 237° - -16° 2% 12° 4.2m/s 0.14m 1.8s
04:00
3% 0% 1% 0.12m 120° - -9.1° 3% 4.2m/s 0.14m 1.8s
05:00
5% 0% 2% 0.11m 3.3° - -0.27° 5% 4.2m/s 0.15m 1.9s
06:00
5% 4% 1% 0.12m 5.7° - 8.9° 7% 3.8m/s 0.16m 1.9s
07:00
5% 8% 1% 0.14m 8.1° - 19° 9% 13° 3.3m/s 0.16m 1.9s
08:00
5% 12% 0% 0.15m 11° - 30° 12% 17° 2.8m/s 0.17m 2s
09:00
30% 35% 0% 0.15m 11° - 40° 35% 45° 2.1m/s 0.16m 2s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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