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Rule Dramatic Seascapes

Donostia / San Sebastián - Dramatic Seascapes - Spanish Coast & Islands

Donostia / San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain

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 68% failing
Precipitation Chance 22% failing

Currently

Real-time conditions
Wave Height1.6m
Swell Height0.9m
Wind Speed3.1m/s (calm conditions)
Cloud Cover2%

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Europe/Madrid

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

Spain's coastline encompasses extraordinary diversity—from the wild Atlantic Basque coast with its jagged cliffs and powerful swells to the volcanic Canary Islands' otherworldly black sand beaches. Each region offers distinct coastal drama shaped by geology and ocean forces.

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe in the Basque Country features a dramatic hermitage perched on a rocky islet connected by a winding stone bridge—a location made famous globally but timelessly photogenic during Atlantic storms. The Canary Islands' volcanic origins create stark black lava formations meeting turquoise waters, particularly spectacular along Lanzarote's Los Hervideros coastline and Tenerife's northern shores.

What makes Spanish coastal drama exceptional:

  • Basque cliff formations - Flysch rock layers create dramatic striped patterns along the coast
  • Volcanic meets ocean - Canary Islands' recent lava flows create stark black formations against Atlantic blue
  • Mediterranean sea caves - Costa Brava hidden coves and Mallorca's cathedral-like caves
  • Tidal range variation - Atlantic coast massive tidal swings reveal hidden rock formations

Best conditions vary by region: Basque coast storms peak October-February with dramatic wave action. Canary Islands offer year-round coastal drama with reliable conditions. Mediterranean coast provides summer clarity but winter storm opportunities. Always check tide times for foreground rock access.

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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/Madrid
Coastal Drama Score
≥ 75.0%
Significant Wave Height
≥ 1.5m
Visibility
≥ 5000.0m
Wind Gusts
≤ 22.0m/s
Precipitation Chance
≤ 30.0%
Tue, Jul 7
15:0022%1.7m22997m1.8m/s0%
16:0023%1.3m22999m1.6m/s0%
17:0027%1.3m22999m1.8m/s0%
18:0027%1.3m23025m2.1m/s7.4%
19:0055%2.2m24135m2.3m/s15%
20:0057%2.1m24135m2.5m/s22%
21:0044%1.2m24135m6.1m/s15%
22:0041%1.8m24134m1.4m/s0%
23:0044%1.8m24135m0.72m/s0%
Wed, Jul 8
24:0014%1.7m24135m0.62m/s0%
01:0013%1.7m24135m1.2m/s0%
02:0011%1.1m24134m1.2m/s0%
03:0014%1.1m24134m0.3m/s0%
04:0013%1.6m24135m0.8m/s0%
05:0016%1.6m24135m1.1m/s0%
06:0042%1.6m24135m1.3m/s0%
07:0049%1.6m24134m0.6m/s0%
08:0024%0.99m22746m0.41m/s0%
09:0022%0.98m24134m0.42m/s0%
10:0017%0.98m24135m0.9m/s0%
11:0014%0.97m24134m1m/s0%
12:0017%1m24134m1.4m/s17%
13:0017%1m24134m1.5m/s33%
14:0029%2.5m23028m1.7m/s50%
15:0029%2.6m23021m1.5m/s33%
16:0031%2.8m23045m1.9m/s17%
17:0036%2.9m24135m2.5m/s0%
18:0036%2.8m23021m2.5m/s0%
19:0049%2.8m23097m3m/s0%
20:0039%2.7m24134m2.7m/s0%
21:0045%2.6m24134m2.3m/s7.4%
22:0051%2.5m24134m0.73m/s15%
23:0042%2.3m24135m1.5m/s22%
Thu, Jul 9
24:0013%2.2m24134m0.61m/s22%
01:0016%2m24134m0.91m/s22%
02:0016%1.9m24135m1.1m/s22%
03:0011%1.8m24135m1m/s22%
04:0011%1.7m24135m1m/s22%
05:0014%1.6m24134m0.8m/s22%
06:0030%1.6m24134m0.92m/s22%
07:0032%1.5m24134m1.1m/s22%
08:0020%1.4m24135m0.71m/s22%
09:0024%1.4m24135m0.21m/s15%
10:0014%1.3m24134m0.62m/s7.4%
11:0012%1.3m24135m1.2m/s0%
12:0012%1.3m24134m1.9m/s0%
13:0012%1.2m24135m2.3m/s0%
14:0014%1.2m24135m2.6m/s0%
15:0014%1.2m24134m2.8m/s17%
16:0014%1.1m24135m3m/s33%
17:0023%1.1m22999m2.9m/s50%
18:0023%1.1m23004m2.4m/s67%
19:0027%1.1m22999m1.5m/s83%
20:0025%1m23035m1.4m/s100%
21:0035%1m24134m1.1m/s67%
22:0042%1m24135m1.3m/s33%
23:0018%0.98m24135m1.1m/s0%
Fri, Jul 10
24:005.6%0.98m24135m1.4m/s0%
01:006.1%0.97m24135m2m/s0%
02:006.3%0.97m24135m1.1m/s0%
03:004.7%0.97m24135m1.7m/s0%
04:004.1%0.96m24135m1.7m/s0%
05:006.3%0.96m24134m1.8m/s0%
06:0018%0.99m24135m1.6m/s0%
07:0018%1m24134m1.1m/s0%
08:0017%1m24135m0.83m/s0%
09:0024%1.1m24134m0.73m/s0%
10:0017%1.1m24134m0.91m/s0%
11:0021%1.1m24135m1m/s0%
12:0014%1.1m23010m1.3m/s0%
13:0014%1m22999m1.5m/s0%
14:0013%1m23000m2.3m/s0%
15:0013%1m22999m1.8m/s17%
16:0012%0.99m23000m2.1m/s33%
17:0013%0.98m24134m6.4m/s50%
18:0011%0.97m24135m5.5m/s67%
19:0020%0.96m24135m1.3m/s83%
20:0017%0.95m24135m1.4m/s100%
21:0024%0.96m24135m1.8m/s67%
22:0021%0.96m24135m2.3m/s33%
23:0013%0.97m24135m2.7m/s0%
Sat, Jul 11
24:007.2%1m24135m3m/s0%
01:008.2%1m24135m3.3m/s0%
02:005.2%1.1m24135m3.6m/s0%
03:005.6%1.1m24135m3.9m/s0%
04:005.7%1.2m24135m4.1m/s0%
05:008.5%1.3m24135m4.3m/s0%
06:0025%1.3m24135m4.5m/s0%
07:0028%1.4m24135m4.7m/s0%
08:0026%1.5m24135m4.8m/s0%
09:0026%1.6m24135m6.2m/s0%
10:0022%1.6m24135m7.5m/s0%
11:0024%1.7m24135m8.8m/s0%
12:0025%1.7m24135m9.4m/s0%
13:0022%1.7m24135m10m/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/Madrid
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 06:36 Sunset 21:49
16:00
0% 2% 0% 0.89m 111° 0.03 60° 2% 358° 3.1m/s 2.1m 8.7s
17:00
0% 1% 0% 0.84m 109° 0.03 50° 1% 2.9m/s 2.2m 8.7s
18:00
0% 2% 0% 0.83m 109° 0.03 39° 2% 332° 3.3m/s 2.1m 8.6s
19:00
0% 1% 8% 0.82m 109° 0.04 28° 8% 293° 1.2m/s 2.1m 8.5s
20:00
1% 0% 0% 0.81m 109° 0.04 17° 1% 90° 1.9m/s 2m 8.5s
21:00
2% 0% 100% 0.82m 113° 0.04 7.3° 100% 283° 1.8m/s 1.9m 8.4s
22:00
1% 0% 41% 0.83m 118° 0.04 -2.2° 41% 18° 0.36m/s 1.7m 8.3s
23:00
0% 5% 23% 0.84m 123° 0.05 -11° 23% 344° 1.5m/s 1.6m 8.2s
Thu, Jul 9 Sunrise 06:36 Sunset 21:49
24:00
0% 2% 91% 0.88m 125° 0.05 -18° 91% 144° 0.51m/s 1.6m 8.1s
01:00
34% 2% 0% 0.92m 127° 0.05 -22° 34% 172° 1m/s 1.6m 8s
02:00
50% 2% 0% 0.96m 129° 0.04 -24° 50% 223° 1.2m/s 1.6m 7.8s
03:00
0% 1% 4% 0.91m 130° 0.04 -23° 4% 168° 1.1m/s 1.5m 7.8s
04:00
0% 0% 12% 0.85m 132° 0.04 -20° 12% 161° 1.1m/s 1.4m 7.7s
05:00
0% 0% 70% 0.8m 134° 0.05 -14° 70% 149° 0.97m/s 1.3m 7.6s
06:00
0% 0% 82% 0.78m 138° 0.05 -6.2° 82% 143° 1m/s 0.94m 7.5s
07:00
1% 0% 5% 0.77m 141° 0.05 3.1° 5% 171° 1.3m/s 0.53m 7.5s
08:00
11% 0% 4% 0.75m 145° 0.05 13° 11% 194° 0.7m/s 0.13m 7.4s
09:00
29% 0% 44% 0.75m 153° 0.05 23° 44% 342° 0.44m/s 0.15m 7.8s
10:00
2% 0% 12% 0.75m 161° 0.04 34° 12% 1.3m/s 0.17m 8.1s
11:00
0% 0% 0% 0.75m 169° 0.04 45° 0% 1.9m/s 0.19m 8.4s
12:00
0% 0% 0% 0.78m 172° 0.04 55° 0% 2.5m/s 0.2m 8.6s
13:00
0% 0% 0% 0.8m 175° 0.04 64° 0% 2.8m/s 0.22m 8.8s
14:00
0% 0% 0% 0.83m 178° 0.03 69° 0% 3m/s 0.23m 9.1s
15:00
0% 0% 0% 0.82m 177° 0.03 67° 0% 2.8m/s 0.27m 8.9s
16:00
0% 0% 0% 0.82m 176° 0.03 60° 1% 2.9m/s 0.32m 8.8s
17:00
5% 2% 0% 0.81m 176° 0.03 50° 7% 357° 2.8m/s 0.36m 8.7s
18:00
5% 2% 3% 0.8m 175° 0.03 39° 6% 349° 2.5m/s 0.34m 8.6s
19:00
4% 2% 5% 0.79m 175° 0.04 28° 7% 354° 1.7m/s 0.33m 8.4s
20:00
0% 2% 4% 0.78m 174° 0.04 17° 6% 23° 1.2m/s 0.31m 8.4s
21:00
0% 1% 12% 0.77m 173° 0.04 7.2° 13% 335° 1.1m/s 0.28m 8.3s
22:00
0% 0% 42% 0.75m 173° 0.05 -2.3° 42% 294° 1.1m/s 0.25m 8.2s
23:00
0% 8% 94% 0.74m 172° 0.05 -11° 94% 242° 1.2m/s 0.22m 8.2s
Fri, Jul 10 Sunrise 06:36 Sunset 21:49
24:00
0% 4% 100% 0.74m 170° 0.04 -18° 100% 239° 1.4m/s 0.21m 8.1s
01:00
6% 2% 96% 0.73m 168° 0.04 -22° 96% 294° 1.8m/s 0.19m 8.1s
02:00
12% 4% 87% 0.73m 166° 0.04 -24° 87% 129° 0.98m/s 0.18m 8s
03:00
16% 0% 5% 0.83m 162° - -24° 17% 160° 2m/s 0.33m 7.9s
04:00
1% 0% 0% 0.81m 162° - -20° 1% 175° 2m/s 0.35m 7.8s
05:00
26% 0% 1% 0.8m 161° - -14° 26% 168° 2.3m/s 0.38m 7.8s
06:00
29% 0% 2% 0.78m 161° - -6.3° 29% 174° 1.8m/s 0.45m 7.8s
07:00
98% 0% 3% 0.77m 160° - 98% 194° 1.2m/s 0.53m 7.8s
08:00
100% 0% 6% 0.75m 159° - 13° 100% 229° 0.87m/s 0.6m 7.8s
09:00
30% 0% 5% 0.74m 158° - 23° 30% 288° 0.57m/s 0.63m 7.8s
10:00
5% 0% 13% 0.72m 157° - 34° 13% 339° 1.5m/s 0.67m 7.8s
11:00
58% 0% 36% 0.71m 156° - 45° 78% 348° 1.7m/s 0.7m 7.8s
12:00
16% 2% 8% 0.71m 155° - 55° 20% 342° 2m/s 0.7m 7.7s
13:00
6% 2% 94% 0.7m 154° - 64° 94% 350° 2.4m/s 0.7m 7.7s
14:00
59% 2% 100% 0.7m 152° - 69° 100% 2.3m/s 0.7m 7.7s
15:00
93% 2% 77% 0.69m 152° - 67° 98% 355° 2.7m/s 0.5m 7.7s
16:00
2% 2% 21% 0.67m 151° - 59° 23% 2.9m/s 0.3m 7.6s
17:00
86% 0% 50% 0.66m 151° - 50° 87% 57° 3.4m/s 0.1m 7.6s
18:00
100% 0% 34% 0.66m 151° - 39° 100% 73° 1.8m/s 0.12m 7.5s
19:00
42% 0% 34% 0.65m 150° - 28° 65% 259° 0.48m/s 0.14m 7.5s
20:00
3% 0% 16% 0.65m 150° - 17° 16% 311° 0.85m/s 0.16m 7.4s
21:00
35% 0% 19% 0.68m 151° - 7.2° 44% 268° 1.4m/s 0.21m 7.4s
22:00
68% 0% 22% 0.71m 151° - -2.4° 72% 225° 2m/s 0.27m 7.4s
23:00
100% 0% 25% 0.74m 152° - -11° 100% 182° 2.6m/s 0.32m 7.3s
Sat, Jul 11 Sunrise 06:37 Sunset 21:48
24:00
68% 0% 16% 0.74m 152° - -18° 68% 149° 2.9m/s 0.37m 7.3s
01:00
36% 0% 8% 0.74m 153° - -22° 36% 116° 3.3m/s 0.42m 7.2s
02:00
5% 0% 0% 0.74m 153° - -24° 5% 83° 3.6m/s 0.47m 7.1s
03:00
4% 0% 0% 0.85m 154° - -24° 4% 80° 3.7m/s 0.52m 7s
04:00
4% 0% 0% 0.96m 154° - -20° 4% 77° 3.8m/s 0.57m 6.9s
05:00
3% 0% 0% 1.1m 154° - -14° 3% 74° 3.9m/s 0.62m 6.8s
06:00
2% 0% 0% 1.1m 156° - -6.4° 2% 62° 4.1m/s 0.64m 6.9s
07:00
1% 0% 0% 1.2m 157° - 2.9° 1% 50° 4.3m/s 0.65m 7s
08:00
0% 0% 0% 1.3m 158° - 13° 0% 39° 4.6m/s 0.67m 7s
09:00
0% 0% 0% 1.4m 160° - 23° 0% 39° 5.3m/s 0.65m 7.2s
10:00
0% 0% 0% 1.5m 161° - 34° 0% 39° 6m/s 0.64m 7.3s
11:00
0% 0% 0% 1.5m 163° - 45° 0% 39° 6.8m/s 0.62m 7.4s
12:00
33% 0% 0% 1.6m 164° - 55° 33% 48° 6.6m/s 0.5m 7.6s
13:00
67% 0% 0% 1.6m 165° - 64° 67% 57° 6.4m/s 0.38m 7.7s
14:00
100% 0% 0% 1.6m 167° - 69° 100% 66° 6.2m/s 0.26m 7.9s
15:00
77% 0% 2% 1.6m 168° - 67° 77% 85° 4.5m/s 0.26m 7.9s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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