Photographing storms
Beforehand: please read this article in full first. We in no way encourage photographing in stormy weather. Photographing or going to see storms causes thousands of deaths, property damage, etc. every year worldwide. Be informed in advance and thoroughly. Wind gusts and excessive rainfall can occur suddenly and very quickly.
If you judge the situation to be sufficiently safe for your specific project, with your specific equipment, skills and expertise for a specific location & time, then go ahead.
Don't take any unknown risk!
General information about Photographing Storms
When the wind starts to get stormy, especially if there is a real storm, you can take spectacular photos on the Opal Coast. And, in principle, the information below can actually be extended to all coasts (and even other locations).
We start here with some concrete locations on the Opal Coast where you can photograph spectacular things. No doubt there will be many more, but these are all places on the Opal Coast where you are sure to see spectacle:
- The beach of Wimereux (dike): splashing water, kite surfers, ...
- Viewpoint "La Pointe aux Oies": village of Ambleteuse with Fort Vauban to be seen over a turbulent bay
- The beach of Audresselles: bunker in turbulent water, foam formation
- The beach of Sangatte: breakwaters of wooden piles, ferry boats in stormy waters
- The Pier of Boulogne-sur-Mer: high splashing water
- The pier of Dunkirk (lighthouse "Feu de Saint-Pol"): high splashing water
- The Pier of Calais: high splashing water
Topics often include:
- Splashing water at piers, lighthouses, rocks, and so on.
- very short or just longer exposed shots of water details, overrolling waves, ...
- Foam heads, foam snowing, spurting foam
- Sports people (kite surfers, for example)
- Hikers, tourists, photographers ... in short, people braving the severe weather.
See photo examples below.
The storm season on the Opal Coast/North Sea coast occurs in autumn and winter, peaking in the months of November through January. To give you an idea: in Boulogne-sur-Mer, an average of about 7 days per year occur with gale force winds ≥ 100 km/h. By comparison, in Boulogne-sur-Mer there is a "strong wind" ≥ 58 km/h on average one day in three. Yes, it is almost always windy there.
From when can we actually talk about "storm"?
Before heading out, you should actually ask yourself the question, "Is there really a storm?". Officially, it is very simple: there is storm from 9 on the so-called "Beaufort Scale". We reproduce this scale below. Check the weather forecast!
Take as an example Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, the day when many of the photos below were taken. On the Cap Gris-Nez wind gusts as high as 116 km/h were then measured. In the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, it was 99 km/h. Know that from 118 km/h we are talking about ... hurricane force winds! On Cap Blanc-Nez, the car door could hardly be pushed open and real danger lurked around the corner.
| Beaufort | Designation | Average wind speed (km/h) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Windless | 0-1 |
| 1-2 | Weak wind | 2-11 |
| 3 | Moderate wind | 12-19 |
| 4 | Moderate wind | 20-28 |
| 5-6 | Fairly strong to strong winds | 29-49 |
| 7-8 | Strong winds to stormy | 50-74 |
| 9 | Storm | 75-88 |
| 10 | Heavy storm | 89-102 |
| 11 | Very severe storm | 103-117 |
| 12 | Hurricane | 118+ |
Did you know... in de nacht van 8 op 9 januari 2026 the grootste storm sinds 40 jaren over “La Manche” raasde? Ze kreeg de naam “Goretti“. Men sprak over een “meteorologische bom“: in 24h tijd daalde de luchtdruk met zo maar eventjes 28 hPa. Vooral over Bretagne en Normandië werden zeer hevige windstoten gemeten. Eén windstoot, omstreeks 23h, bereikte de ongelooflijke snelheid van maar liefst 213 km/h (weerstation van Gatteville-le-Phare, dat is ten Noordoosten van Cotentin). Volgens de meteodienst France Bleu was er in Val de Saire zelfs eentje die alle records brak: 216 km/h (bron).
Op de facebook pagina “La Chaîne Météo” verscheen op 9 januari 2026 vroeg in de ochtend onderstaande kaart met de effectief gemeten snelheden:
Dit is voor ons ontzettend veel. Maar… nog niks in vergelijking met de hevigste windstoot ooit op Aarde gemeten met een windsnelheidsmeter: dat was een windstoot van zo maar eventjes 408 km/u (op 10 april 1996 on Barrow Island, Australië tijdens tropische cycloon “Olivia”). Dit is de snelste, officieel erkende, record-windstoot gemeten door een weerstation.
Tot slot: even vergelijken met de grootste snelheden binnen in een tornado gemeten. Men meet dit niet meer via anemometers (windsnelheidmeters), maar wel via radar (Doppler-effect) en beoordeling van de aangerichte schade.
Fun to know: the scale of Douglas
In addition to the Beaufort scale for wind, there is also the Douglas scale (also called sea state scale ) used to describe wave height at sea. The scale ranges from 0 (calm sea) to 9 (exceptional sea) and gives an impression of the average wave height in meters. In addition to wind speed (Beaufort scale), other factors also determine wave height, such as wind duration, the distance over which the wind blows(fetch) and local conditions. There is, of course, a basic connection somewhere between the two scales. For example, at Beaufort 9 (gale) you would expect typically Douglas 7-8 (waves between 6 and 14 meters).
| Douglas | Description | Average wave height (m) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Wrinkle-free, calm | 0 |
| 1 | Very calm | 0 - 0,1 |
| 2 | Calm | 0,1 - 0,5 |
| 3 | Quite calm | 0,5 - 1,25 |
| 4 | Moderate | 1,25 - 2,5 |
| 5 | Pretty rough | 2,5 - 4 |
| 6 | Raw | 4 - 6 |
| 7 | High | 6 - 9 |
| 8 | Very high | 9 - 14 |
| 9 | Exceptional | 14+ |
What is the best time to go photograph a seaside storm?
Here I immediately think of the following elements that it is best to consider when determining the "best time" to photograph a storm at sea:
- Check the weather forecast: best at the time where the wind gusts are going to be most intense
- Remember your safety: the wind gusts should not get too bad (either you or your photographic equipment will literally fly away!)
- Preferably as much as possible during the day: you will want/need to work at slow shutter speeds and that's when you best have enough light (otherwise: too much noise on your images)
- Preferably at high tide: if there is low tide, the sea may have moved away too much and will not give spectacular effects on piers, jetties, rocks, etc. If you want to know the tide predictions, search on top.vlaanderen via the search button on the relevant coastal town and you will normally (especially on the more recent web pages) get the predictions for today (or in the future) for that location. We give here some concrete examples of pages about attractions in seaside towns on the Opal Coast where these tide forecasts are already listed: Audresselles, Calais, Cap Blanc-Nez, Cap Gris-Nez, Grevelingen, Sangatte, Wimereux. For the sake of completeness, we also list here some Belgian seaside towns: De Panne, Middelkerke, Ostend.
Tips for shooting in storms
Tip 1: hoe dichter je de golven in de verte aan de horizon fotografeert, hoe meer een 3D-effect je krijgt. Fotografeer je van boven naar onder, dan heb je dit effect quasi niet. Beter horizontaal fotograferen dus (als je dit effect wil).
Tip 2: During a storm, you have to deal with (very) high wind speeds. Wind gusts will also play tricks on you. One of the tricks is to take cover somewhere. We already used the following techniques:
1) lie down behind a hill: lie flat on the ground and put your camera on the ground in front of you
2) are you on a dike and there are beach cabins: stand between them, you'll still have some protection from the biggest gusts of wind - portals of apartment buildings can also help
3) look for solid objects like beach poles, for example: you can lean your camera against the pole to give you some stability this way
4) sometimes you can stay in your car, open the window (off wind of course!) and photograph from there.
Tip 3: Use shutter speeds that are as short as possible: if there is motion blur (due to the subject itself or camera movement due to wind), it will still be limited to, say, 1/1000, 1/2000, ... second.
Tip 4:Shooting a storm during the day is best: there is the most light then and it at least gives you the opportunity to reduce the shutter speed. Dark clouds or fall evening are more difficult situations anyway. With storms, it is actually best to have lots of light. But yes, you can't really choose this 😉.
Tip 5: If it is a storm that lasts for hours or even a few days, go look on Facebook groups, for example. There, photo results of others always appear, you can see how the situation occurs in a particular place, and so on. You can also get ideas for your own trip there, of course.
Tip 6: bring appropriate gear. Basically, you are best off with a waterproof camera and lens/lenses, a fleece and above that a windproof, waterproof raincoat, sturdy waterproof shoes. With an umbrella you are mostly ... nothing. Really storm-proof umbrellas we have not come across in all our lives... But anyway, what is not may yet come. And, by the way, who will hold that umbrella for you then 😉
Tip 7: what you will definitely need during a storm is a cloth to regularly clean your filters or lenses with. It is quite possible that you will have to use it after 5 minutes of photography: during a storm at sea, droplets are always splashing around, with or without sand in them, foam is swirling around, and so on. In no time, your lens/filter/camera will be covered in dirt. If you don't have a cleaning cloth with you then, 't yes, you can forget about photography.
Tip 8: Sand is never far away in these storm conditions. Make sure no sand gets on your photographic equipment. Sometimes it may be necessary to put your camera/lens in a plastic bag. Is there sand on your lens: never wipe it off with a cloth: Grains of sand are extremely hard and can scratch your lens. This is why many photographers use a pre-filter. Usually this is a filter that blocks UV/IR radiation. You can then clean this filter without the danger of scratching the actual lens. Suppose sand did get on your lens: let it dry out sufficiently and then you can use a blowing brush to gently blow this sand away. Once the grains are removed, you can then finally wipe the lens surface clean with your cloth.
Tip 9: If you want to be able to shoot as long as possible with a clean lens in storm conditions, it is best to mount a long lens hood on your lens. You usually have such a longer lens hood on telephoto lenses. It will ensure that most of the driving rain cannot reach the lens (the lens itself is in the so-called rain shadow of the hood). So a lens hood does not only serve to keep the Sun out of view... 😉 . You should also take care not to shoot straight into the wind because then your lens will become unusable almost immediately due to flying water droplets or foam.
Warnings for shooting during storms
Caution: a storm is not just something to make fun of. There are serious risks involved in photographing storms. Don't take any unnecessary risks. Both yourself, any fellow travelers and equipment can be damaged or lost permanently. Very dangerous are sudden gusts of wind and excessive water, for example. Keep all of this in mind. A photo is never worth one (seriously) injured person or more.
It is best to go out with at least 2 people. If you do find yourself alone, inform a neighbor of the route you will be taking. You never know. There's a reason why pilots must submit a flight plan before embarking on a flight 😉.
Car doors are a particular concern: they can suddenly open or close in a gust of wind. If a limb is accidentally caught in between them, this can cause very serious fractures or other injuries. Be warned!
Every year, people are killed by severe weather. Be well informed of all the risks of the day: best to check the weather forecast beforehand, see if any "alerts" have been sent out, and so on. Always follow ALL government instructions to the letter.
Disaster tourism in response to severe weather is possible, as long as no emergency service and/or victim(s) are inconvenienced. Should this be the case, leave the place immediately (if you are unable to offer any real help yourself, of course - which may be the case given your background or training) and let the emergency services do their job. Note, and this may seem like a contradiction, but the law does require YOU to help people in need if you can... without risking your own life or the lives of others, of course. Anyway, you always avoid the situation where others should come to YOUR rescue. Are you or others in urgent need: one number is internationally valid: 112.
Interesting reading are the instructions given by the French maritime authorities. You can read this for example in an article in the regional newspaper "La Voix du Nord" of October 20, 2025 (translated from French):
-
The Maritime Prefecture recommends checking the weather forecast, tide coefficients and times before any beach or sea trip and making sure you are familiar with this information. It is not advisable to go alone; hikers should inform their loved ones of their plans in advance, stating the location, departure time and, if possible, return time. It is also important to bring a charged cell phone in a waterproof case to contact the rescue service by calling 196 or via VHF channel 16.
Finally, the Prefecture advises to "stay near a safe harbor and maintain avisual reference point on the shoreline (during rising tides, this can significantly affect perception of the environment)," and to "prefer beaches and coastal areas that are supervised by a beach patrol and respect rules prohibiting swimming, water sports or recreational boating."
-
"The Moments After" - an alternative
If you don't have the time, courage, equipment, etc. to photograph during the storm itself, you always have the option of photographing its effects in the hours and days immediately following the storm. For example, there are beautiful shots of under- or overturned beach cabins, sand heaped up or deposited on dikes, sand structures, ... . In this way you can make something of a storm that has just passed photographically.
Internet information from and about Storms photography
Wikipedia information on:
- Storm – wind (EN - FR - AND)
- Tropische cycloon (EN - FR - AND)
- Schaal van Beaufort (EN - FR -AND)
- Schaal van Douglas (AND)
- Zeetoestand - Zeegang (EN - FR - AND)
Officiële regionale of provinciale overheidsinstanties:
- Franse préfectures: Le Nord - Pas-de-Calais - Somme
- Provinciebesturen Belgium: West Flanders - East Flanders - Antwerp
- Provinciebesturen Nederland: Zeeland
Officiële METEO instanties:
– Frankrijk: Metéo-France
- Belgium: KMI - waarschuwingen
- Netherlands: KNMI - waarschuwingen
Other interessante websites met waarnemingen en voorspellingen wolkenformaties:
- Buienradar : real-time waarnemingen van wolkenformaties for Belgium - Netherlands
- Meteo et Radar: real-time waarnemingen van wolkenformaties for Frankrijk & België
- Keraunos.org: Observatoire français des Tornados et Orages violants: mooie overzichtskaarten met meteodata voor geheel Frankrijk
Voorbeeld van een Keraunos infografiek: hoogst gemeten windstoten tijdens de Goretti storm op 8/9 januari 2026.
HLN-wetenschapsexpert Martijn Peters legt het een en het ander uit over stormen: HLN artikel
Our photos about Photographing Storms
Onze foto’s, video’s, … zijn allen (c) 2004-2026, Top.Vlaanderen, België. Ze mogen niet “zomaar” worden overgenomen of gebruikt. Ze zijn evenwel licentieerbaar. Wil U uw eigen toeristische attractie, B&B, vakantiewoning… laten fotograferen door ons, dat kan ook. Neem hiervoor contact met ons op via ons Contactformulier .
Photos taken on the embankment of Wimereux
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Photos taken at "La Pointe des Oies" (near Wimereux)
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Photos taken at the beach of Audresselles
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Photos taken at the beach of Sangatte
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Photos taken at the pier of Boulogne-sur-Mer
Photos taken at the Dunkirk pier(St. Pol lighthouse)
On 6/8/2023, 2/11/2023 and 4/10/2025 there were very strong winds in the port of Dunkirk. The gusts were considerable but there was no real official "storm". So it was "stormy". I was able to take some nice pictures.
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Disclaimer: All information presented on top.vlaanderen has been compiled with the utmost care. It is also checked regularly. If you have any comments, errors, additional information, etc... please contact us via our contact form. We are not responsible for possible incorrect or incomplete information.
