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Rule Dramatic Seascapes

Albufeira - Dramatic Seascapes - Algarve, Portugal

Albufeira, Faro, Portugal

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 100% failing
Precipitation Chance 42% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Wave Height0.6m
Swell Height1.1m
Wind Speed1.6m/s (calm conditions)
Cloud Cover100%

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Europe/Lisbon

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

The Algarve coastline combines powerful Atlantic wave action with soft limestone geology, creating one of Europe's most dramatic coastal landscapes. Centuries of erosion have carved spectacular sea caves, towering stacks, and natural arches that demand careful timing for optimal conditions.

Benagil's famous sea cave—with its collapsed roof creating a natural skylight—becomes most dramatic when Atlantic swells surge through the entrance, creating dynamic foreground motion. Ponta da Piedade near Lagos features a maze of golden limestone pillars, sea arches, and hidden grottos best captured during stormy conditions when waves crash against the formations.

What makes Algarve coastal drama exceptional:

  • Benagil Cathedral Cave - Iconic dome skylight with beach interior, best photographed by kayak or paddleboard
  • Ponta da Piedade stacks - Dozens of formations creating intricate composition opportunities
  • Sagres fortress cliffs - Europe's southwestern corner where Atlantic meets Mediterranean influence
  • Erosion patterns - Honeycomb weathering and tafoni creating unique cliff textures

Winter months (November-February) bring the most powerful Atlantic storms and dramatic wave action. Sunrise often provides calmer conditions for sea cave access, while afternoon westerly winds create more dramatic spray and wave patterns. Always respect safety—these cliffs are actively eroding.

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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
Europe/Lisbon
Coastal Drama Score
≥ 75.0%
Significant Wave Height
≥ 1.5m
Visibility
≥ 5000.0m
Wind Gusts
≤ 22.0m/s
Precipitation Chance
≤ 30.0%
Wed, Apr 8
08:0017%0.44m12117m3.7m/s68%
09:0014%0.52m24134m3.3m/s54%
10:006.3%0.59m23620m3.8m/s39%
11:006.2%0.59m24134m4.1m/s39%
12:005.1%0.6m22996m5.5m/s39%
13:005.4%0.66m22888m5.9m/s39%
14:006%0.69m22688m5.6m/s26%
15:006%0.73m24134m5.8m/s13%
16:006.5%0.76m24135m5.4m/s0%
17:009.8%0.76m24135m5.3m/s0%
18:008.8%0.77m24134m5.1m/s0%
19:0012%0.79m24135m5.7m/s0%
20:0018%0.63m24135m6.1m/s13%
21:005.6%0.63m24134m5.8m/s26%
22:006.6%0.54m24134m4.6m/s39%
23:004.8%0.38m24135m3.2m/s44%
Thu, Apr 9
24:005.3%0.67m24135m3.3m/s48%
01:005.4%0.69m24135m3.2m/s52%
02:006.3%0.76m24134m3.9m/s61%
03:006%0.48m24134m4.5m/s56%
04:006.4%0.5m24135m5.8m/s51%
05:006%0.53m24134m6.6m/s60%
06:0026%4.7m24135m6.8m/s69%
07:0037%0.59m24134m5.7m/s78%
08:0029%0.57m24135m2.1m/s78%
09:0015%0.54m24135m2m/s78%
10:0014%0.52m24134m0.92m/s78%
11:0014%0.49m24135m1.2m/s77%
12:0013%0.47m24134m2.3m/s77%
13:0013%0.44m24134m2m/s76%
14:009.4%0.44m11867m2.5m/s51%
15:0012%0.44m17326m4.3m/s25%
16:0014%0.44m13646m3.2m/s0%
17:0019%0.42m22354m1.8m/s7.4%
18:0020%0.4m24135m1.4m/s15%
19:0022%0.38m24135m1.5m/s22%
20:0023%0.37m24135m1.6m/s22%
21:0021%0.37m24135m1.7m/s22%
22:009.4%0.36m24134m1.8m/s22%
23:007%0.37m24134m2.8m/s36%
Fri, Apr 10
24:006.8%0.39m24135m2.6m/s50%
01:006.4%0.4m24134m2.4m/s64%
02:007.2%0.4m24135m2.2m/s55%
03:007.6%0.4m24135m2.4m/s47%
04:008.2%0.4m24135m2.6m/s38%
05:007.6%0.4m24134m2.8m/s44%
06:007.6%0.4m24135m1.6m/s50%
07:0027%0.4m24135m1.1m/s56%
08:0018%0.39m24134m1.1m/s45%
09:0013%0.37m24134m2.4m/s34%
10:0012%0.36m24135m1.5m/s22%
11:0012%0.4m24135m1.5m/s28%
12:0011%0.44m24135m2.1m/s33%
13:0013%0.48m24135m2.2m/s39%
14:0012%0.52m24135m2.9m/s42%
15:0017%0.55m24134m3.6m/s46%
16:0018%0.59m24135m4.6m/s50%
17:0012%0.6m15958m5.5m/s42%
18:0015%0.62m24135m5.7m/s34%
19:0011%0.63m24134m7.1m/s26%
20:007.7%0.61m9818m7.7m/s30%
21:009.6%0.59m21526m6.3m/s35%
22:002.9%0.57m24134m6.5m/s39%
23:004.6%0.54m24135m6.6m/s33%
Sat, Apr 11
24:005.2%0.5m24135m7.5m/s28%
01:005%0.47m24134m7.9m/s22%
02:005%0.42m24135m9.4m/s22%
03:005%0.37m24134m9m/s22%
04:005%0.32m24135m8.5m/s22%
05:005.6%0.3m24134m9.4m/s22%
06:006.4%0.27m24135m8.4m/s22%
07:0021%0.25m24135m7.5m/s22%
08:0028%0.24m24134m8.8m/s15%
09:0020%0.24m24134m9.3m/s7.4%
10:0014%0.23m24134m5.4m/s0%
11:0014%0.23m24135m5.8m/s0%
12:0012%0.24m24135m9.1m/s0%
13:0010%0.24m24134m10m/s0%
14:0010%0.25m24134m14m/s0%
15:0011%0.26m24135m17m/s0%
16:0013%0.27m24135m21m/s0%
17:007.4%0.28m24135m21m/s0%
18:008.7%0.29m24135m20m/s0%
19:0010%0.3m24135m20m/s0%
20:0011%0.28m24135m19m/s0%
21:009.3%0.27m24135m18m/s0%
22:003.2%0.25m24135m17m/s0%
23:003.2%0.23m24135m17m/s0%
Sun, Apr 12
24:003.1%0.22m24135m18m/s0%
01:003.1%0.2m24135m18m/s0%
02:003.2%0.22m24135m18m/s0%
03:003.2%0.23m24135m17m/s0%
04:006.6%0.25m24135m16m/s0%
05:007.8%0.25m24135m15m/s0%
06:006.2%0.25m24135m13m/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
Europe/Lisbon
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 07:07 Sunset 20:02
08:00
1% 100% 100% 1.1m 81° 0.02 9.7° 100% 23° 1.6m/s 0.15m 2.4s
09:00
7% 100% 100% 1.1m 83° 0.01 22° 100% 58° 1.4m/s 0.13m 2.5s
10:00
1% 100% 100% 1.1m 85° 0.007 33° 100% 17° 0.89m/s 0.12m 2.6s
11:00
0% 100% 99% 1.1m 109° 0.007 44° 100% 322° 1.3m/s 0.1m 3.1s
12:00
0% 98% 87% 1.1m 133° 0.009 54° 98% 332° 2m/s 0.07m 3.6s
13:00
0% 92% 64% 1m 157° 0.01 60° 93% 282° 1.9m/s 0.05m 4.1s
14:00
0% 100% 97% 1.1m 161° 0.02 60° 100% 229° 3.2m/s 0.94m 3.7s
15:00
0% 100% 84% 1.1m 164° 0.02 55° 100% 230° 4.2m/s 1.8m 3.3s
16:00
0% 100% 19% 1.1m 168° 0.02 46° 100% 242° 2.8m/s 2.7m 2.8s
17:00
0% 72% 87% 1.1m 179° 0.02 35° 93% 257° 1.6m/s 2.6m 2.8s
18:00
0% 8% 100% 1m 191° 0.02 24° 100% 266° 1.4m/s 2.5m 2.8s
19:00
0% 5% 100% 0.98m 202° 0.02 12° 100% 284° 1.5m/s 2.4m 2.8s
20:00
0% 0% 100% 0.97m 191° 0.02 0.19° 100% 263° 1.4m/s 1.6m 2.8s
21:00
0% 0% 24% 0.95m 179° 0.02 -12° 24% 288° 1.6m/s 0.84m 2.8s
22:00
0% 0% 45% 0.94m 167° 0.02 -23° 45% 320° 1.9m/s 0.06m 2.8s
23:00
1% 0% 10% 0.97m 166° 0.02 -32° 10% 311° 2.8m/s 0.07m 2.8s
Fri, Apr 10 Sunrise 07:07 Sunset 20:02
24:00
100% 0% 100% 1m 165° 0.03 -40° 100% 305° 2.5m/s 0.07m 2.8s
01:00
100% 0% 100% 1m 165° 0.03 -44° 100% 288° 2.1m/s 0.08m 2.8s
02:00
100% 3% 100% 1m 164° 0.03 -45° 100% 318° 2.1m/s 0.07m 3s
03:00
100% 5% 100% 1.1m 164° 0.02 -41° 100% 342° 2.2m/s 0.07m 3.2s
04:00
69% 21% 100% 1.1m 164° 0.02 -34° 100% 355° 2.6m/s 0.06m 3.4s
05:00
0% 74% 100% 1.1m 181° 0.02 -24° 100% 12° 2.7m/s 0.08m 3.2s
06:00
0% 5% 98% 1m 198° 0.02 -13° 98% 40° 1.5m/s 0.09m 3s
07:00
0% 5% 68% 1m 215° 0.02 -1.8° 68% 108° 1m/s 0.11m 2.8s
08:00
0% 1% 8% 1m 198° 0.02 10° 8% 103° 1m/s 0.11m 2.8s
09:00
0% 5% 4% 0.98m 181° 0.02 22° 5% 163° 1.9m/s 0.1m 2.8s
10:00
0% 0% 0% 0.96m 165° 0.02 34° 0% 210° 1.4m/s 0.1m 2.8s
11:00
0% 0% 1% 0.93m 137° 0.02 45° 1% 241° 1.8m/s 0.17m 2.8s
12:00
0% 0% 3% 0.89m 109° 0.02 54° 3% 252° 2.5m/s 0.23m 2.8s
13:00
1% 0% 0% 0.86m 81° 0.02 60° 1% 250° 2.8m/s 0.3m 2.8s
14:00
5% 0% 13% 0.81m 81° - 60° 13% 245° 3.5m/s 0.33m 3.1s
15:00
42% 0% 61% 0.75m 81° - 55° 61% 244° 4.4m/s 0.36m 3.5s
16:00
5% 0% 60% 0.7m 81° - 46° 60% 258° 5.2m/s 0.39m 3.8s
17:00
0% 0% 5% 0.62m 83° - 35° 5% 263° 5.5m/s 0.43m 3.9s
18:00
4% 0% 4% 0.54m 85° - 24° 4% 263° 5.2m/s 0.46m 4s
19:00
4% 0% 0% 0.46m 86° - 12° 4% 276° 5.8m/s 0.5m 4.1s
20:00
4% 0% 1% 0.46m 88° - 0.34° 4% 291° 6m/s 0.48m 4.1s
21:00
14% 0% 0% 0.47m 89° - -12° 14% 320° 5.3m/s 0.45m 4s
22:00
1% 12% 0% 0.47m 90° - -23° 12% 339° 4.9m/s 0.43m 4s
23:00
0% 0% 0% 0.54m 89° - -32° 0% 341° 4.8m/s 0.4m 3.8s
Sat, Apr 11 Sunrise 07:06 Sunset 20:03
24:00
86% 0% 2% 0.62m 89° - -40° 86% 335° 5.6m/s 0.37m 3.6s
01:00
4% 0% 0% 0.69m 88° - -44° 4% 340° 5.2m/s 0.34m 3.5s
02:00
3% 0% 0% 0.71m 89° - -44° 3% 341° 6.2m/s 0.26m 3.3s
03:00
0% 0% 0% 0.72m 90° - -40° 0% 342° 5.6m/s 0.19m 3.2s
04:00
0% 0% 0% 0.74m 91° - -33° 0% 345° 4.7m/s 0.11m 3s
05:00
0% 0% 0% 0.72m 108° - -24° 0% 330° 5.4m/s 0.24m 3.3s
06:00
0% 0% 0% 0.71m 125° - -13° 0% 322° 4.8m/s 0.36m 3.6s
07:00
0% 0% 0% 0.69m 142° - -1.5° 0% 324° 4.2m/s 0.49m 3.9s
08:00
34% 2% 0% 0.67m 143° - 10° 34% 311° 5.2m/s 0.35m 3.5s
09:00
77% 5% 0% 0.66m 144° - 22° 77% 332° 5.4m/s 0.2m 3.1s
10:00
3% 9% 0% 0.64m 145° - 34° 9% 324° 3.4m/s 0.06m 2.7s
11:00
0% 14% 0% 0.62m 124° - 45° 14% 308° 4.3m/s 0.08m 2.3s
12:00
18% 5% 0% 0.61m 103° - 54° 20% 317° 7.2m/s 0.09m 2s
13:00
5% 4% 0% 0.59m 82° - 60° 6% 329° 8.1m/s 0.11m 1.6s
14:00
3% 3% 0% 0.56m 82° - 61° 4% 332° 11m/s 0.12m 1.8s
15:00
2% 1% 0% 0.54m 81° - 55° 2% 336° 13m/s 0.13m 2s
16:00
0% 0% 0% 0.51m 81° - 46° 0% 340° 16m/s 0.14m 2.2s
17:00
0% 0% 0% 0.48m 82° - 35° 0% 340° 16m/s 0.15m 2.3s
18:00
0% 0% 0% 0.46m 84° - 24° 0% 340° 15m/s 0.17m 2.5s
19:00
0% 0% 0% 0.43m 85° - 12° 0% 341° 15m/s 0.18m 2.6s
20:00
0% 0% 0% 0.41m 86° - 0.48° 0% 341° 14m/s 0.17m 2.6s
21:00
0% 0% 0% 0.39m 87° - -11° 0% 342° 13m/s 0.15m 2.6s
22:00
0% 0% 0% 0.37m 88° - -22° 0% 342° 13m/s 0.14m 2.7s
23:00
0% 0% 0% 0.36m 87° - -32° 0% 343° 13m/s 0.12m 2.7s
Sun, Apr 12 Sunrise 07:04 Sunset 20:04
24:00
0% 0% 0% 0.34m 86° - -39° 0% 343° 13m/s 0.11m 2.7s
01:00
0% 0% 0% 0.33m 85° - -44° 0% 343° 13m/s 0.09m 2.8s
02:00
0% 0% 0% 0.39m 66° - -44° 0% 344° 13m/s 0.09m 2.4s
03:00
0% 0% 0% 0.44m 47° - -40° 0% 345° 13m/s 0.1m 2s
04:00
0% 0% 0% 0.5m 28° - -33° 0% 346° 13m/s 0.1m 1.6s
05:00
0% 0% 0% 0.56m 137° - -24° 0% 342° 12m/s 0.09m 1.6s
06:00
1% 0% 0% 0.62m 247° - -13° 1% 338° 11m/s 0.08m 1.6s
07:00
1% 0% 0% 0.68m 357° - -1.2° 1% 334° 10m/s 0.07m 1.6s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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