Photography planning guide
Marine and Seascape Weather
Plan seascapes with wave height, swell, period, direction, wind, visibility, and coastal safety context.
Planning goal
Interpret waves through local coastline exposure and safe shooting positions.
Start with the combined condition
First-pass shortlistBest first seascape check
Coastal Drama Score
proCoastal Drama Score combines waves, swell, wind, sea spray, cloud structure, visibility, and light into one seascape planning score. Use it first to spot promising coastal hours, then check the ingredient fields for safety and composition details.
Open the Coastal Drama Score guide
What it combines
Use the score to shortlist hours, then check the ingredient fields for the reason behind the result.
Combined wind wave and swell height (significant wave height)
Height of primary swell waves (organized long-period waves)
Height of wind-driven waves (locally generated)
Time interval between consecutive wind wave crests
Direction of primary wave component (meteorological convention)
Wind speed at 10 meters above ground
Maximum wind gust speed
Wind direction in degrees (0° = North)
Overall cloud coverage across all altitudes
Horizontal visibility distance
Signals worth waiting for
- Swell or waves large enough for the composition without exceeding safe access
- Wave period long enough to create organized sets rather than only chop
- Wave direction that reaches your chosen coastline or headland
- Wind direction that supports texture without blowing spray directly into the lens
- Tide, escape route, and local hazard checks made outside the forecast score
Example alert rules
- Coastal drama score high + gusts below your limit
- Swell height elevated + visibility good
- Wave direction aligned with coastline + rain probability low
Supporting weather fields
16 weather fieldsSignificant Wave Height
proCombined wind wave and swell height (significant wave height)
Primary Swell Height
proHeight of primary swell waves (organized long-period waves)
Wind Wave Height
proHeight of wind-driven waves (locally generated)
Wind Wave Period
proTime interval between consecutive wind wave crests
Primary Wave Direction
proDirection of primary wave component (meteorological convention)
Wind Speed
freeWind speed at 10 meters above ground
Aerosol Optical Depth (550nm)
proTotal aerosol optical depth at 550nm. Lower values indicate clearer skies and more vivid colours.
Ångström Exponent
proÅngström exponent (α) computed from AOD at 550nm and 865nm. Indicates aerosol particle size: higher values = smaller particles (pollution, smoke), lower values = larger particles (dust, sea salt).
Dust AOD (550nm)
proDust component of aerosol optical depth. High dust reduces air clarity and can create warm-toned haze.
Sea Salt AOD (550nm)
proSea salt component of aerosol optical depth. Indicates marine aerosols from ocean spray, common in coastal areas.
Smoke AOD (550nm)
proSmoke component of aerosol optical depth (black carbon + organic matter). Indicates wildfire smoke or urban pollution affecting air quality and visibility.
Total Cloud Coverage
freeOverall cloud coverage across all altitudes
Visibility
freeHorizontal visibility distance
Wind Direction
freeWind direction in degrees (0° = North)
Wind Gusts
freeMaximum wind gust speed
Wind Wave Direction
proDirection wind waves are coming from (meteorological convention)
Useful combinations
These are starting points for photographer-first alerts. Adjust thresholds for your location, season, subject, and safety margin.
Swell height + swell period
Height says how much energy is available; period helps show whether waves arrive as clean sets or messy chop.
Wave direction + coastline
A forecast wave can miss a sheltered cove completely or hit an exposed headland harder than expected.
Wind speed + sea spray
Wind adds texture and spray but can also make long exposures, lens care, and footing much harder.
Related alert templates
Use templates when you want a ready-made rule, then tune it for how strict you want the alert to be.
Create alerts for this shooting goal
Open the individual field guides above to see practical values, mistakes, limitations, and PhotoWeather rule examples.
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