The Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year shows off the most awesome pictures of weather and climate from all over the world. From epic lightning storms to colourful sunsets, you’ll see it all!
The shortlist has now been chosen and you can vote for your favourite here.
Remember to always ask a parent or guardian before filling in forms online.
Don’t forget, if you entered Young Photographer of the Year, keep a look out at the end of October to see if you’ve been chosen as the winner.
African Dust Over Athens
Photographer: Lesley Hellgeth
Location: Athens, Greece
In April 2023, dust from the Sahara Desert blew all the way to Athens, making the city look like Mars! This happens when winds carry dust across countries. The hot air from the desert made the weather in Greece very warm, and people were told to stay inside. Dust storms like this are becoming more common because of climate change.
An Incredible Experience
Photographer: Dominika Koszowska
Location: Tatra Mountains, Poland
On a hike with her son, Dominika took this amazing picture of a fogbow—a white circle in the sky made from tiny water droplets, like a rainbow but without the colours. There’s also a colourful “glory” inside the fogbow, and the shadow in the centre is her! This rare sight happened because of the fog on one side of the mountain and full sun on the other.
Circular Rainbow
Photographer: Peter Reinold
Location: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, USA
Peter took this picture of a complete circular rainbow from a plane window while landing. Usually, we can only see half of a rainbow because the ground gets in the way, but from up high, you can see the full circle!
Evening Shower Over the Needles
Photographer: Jamie Russell
Location: Isle of Wight, UK
Jamie took this picture of a rain shower and a rainbow over The Needles, a famous spot in the UK. He used a drone to capture this view from the sky. Rainbows happen when the sun is low, and light bends through water droplets, creating the colors we see.
Freezing Cold
Photographer: Adam Łada
Location: Tatra Mountains, Poland
Adam took this picture while climbing in the snowy Tatra Mountains. The black dots are other climbers on the ridge! In March 2024, there was much less snow than usual, and even the oldest locals said they couldn’t remember a winter like this. Climate change is making winters warmer, and snow is melting sooner.
Freezing Mist
Photographer: Mark McColl
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland, UK
In freezing temperatures, Mark captured this picture of mist around the Barnweil Monument using a drone. Mist forms when cold air cools water in the air, turning it into tiny droplets or ice crystals. The shadows of trees in the mist make this photo extra special!
Frozen Shadows
Photographer: Yevhen Samuchenko
Location: Kherson, Ukraine
This photo shows people walking on a frozen sea in Ukraine! Yevhen used a drone to capture this from above. In this area, the sea freezes regularly because of freshwater rivers and cold winds from Siberia.
Half-Life Lake
Photographer: Majid Hojati
Location: Urmia, Iran
Majid took this picture of Lake Urmia, which used to be one of the biggest saltwater lakes in the world. Now, it’s almost dry because of droughts and people using the water. The dry lakebed can cause dust storms, making the area even more dangerous.
Halo in Diamond Dust
Photographer: Shengyu Li
Location: Genhe, China
Shengyu took this picture in one of China’s coldest places, capturing rings of light around the sun, called halos. These halos are formed when sunlight passes through ice crystals in the air, which Shengyu calls “diamond dust.” It looks magical, especially with the bare tree in the center!
Hoarfrost Heaven
Photographer: Andy Gray
Location: Peak District, UK
This beautiful picture shows frost covering the trees and hills in the Peak District. Hoar frost happens when water vapour freezes instantly on cold surfaces, and the sunlight makes everything look magical. Andy said that frost like this is becoming rarer.
Li’taami’kooko (Beautiful Evening in Blackfoot Language)
Photographer: Shawn Sakamoto
Location: Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada
Shawn captured this picture of clouds forming a “Chinook arch” over the mountains. Chinook winds are warm, dry winds that can quickly melt snow and create amazing cloud shapes. The name “Chinook” means “snow eater” in a Native American language.
Lone Tree
Photographer: Dominika Koszowska
Location: Pico Ruivo, Madeira, Portugal
Dominika took this picture of a lonely tree on a hike in Madeira. The tree is a reminder of the fires that swept through the island in 2010. The golden sunlight makes the scene look extra beautiful, as it lights up the clouds and mountains below.
Morning Fog
Photographer: David Hendry
Location: Loch Ard, Scotland, UK
This image captures Loch Ard in the Trossachs National Park, Scotland, during an early morning in October. Photographer David Hendry aimed to showcase the mist rising over the loch as it interacts with the sunlight and autumn colours. The mist is likely evaporation fog, formed by cool air passing over the warmer water surface, contrasting with advection fog caused by warm air moving over a cold surface.
Morning Life
Photographer: Zaw Zaw Wai
Location: Myanmar
A family hangs dyed cotton cloth to dry as the sun rises in Myanmar, symbolising resilience amidst drought conditions. The cracked earth beneath them is a stark reminder of the water-intensive nature of cotton production. With climate change causing increased drought, the future of cotton farming in Myanmar will depend on improved water management.
Nature and Boat
Photographer: Htet Phyo Wai
Location: Bokpyin Township, Andaman Sea, Myanmar
A lone fishing boat floats on the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea as a storm approaches. The striking shelf cloud, a hallmark of strong winds, forms as cooler downdrafts meet warm air. The calm before the storm underscores the fragility of life against nature’s power.
Rain on a Window
Photographer: Graeme Youngson
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
Graeme Youngson captures a woman braving the rain through the misty window of a bus shelter in Aberdeen. The droplets’ spherical shapes demonstrate water’s cohesive and adhesive properties, balancing between forming droplets and spreading on glass.
Resilience in the Rain
Photographer: Aung Chan Thar
Location: Inle Lake, Myanmar
A fisherman on Inle Lake endures a nighttime downpour, practicing the traditional “leg rowing” method. Photographer Aung Chan Thar captures the resilience of the local fishermen, who face decreasing rainfall and worsening storms due to climate change.
River Drying in Drought
Photographer: Md Shafiul Islam
Location: Gaibandha, Bangladesh
The Teesta River, captured by a drone, is drying due to climate change and human interference. The aerial view shows a river resembling a leafless tree, symbolising the harsh impact of drought. Local communities adapt by introducing drought-resistant crops and raising house heights.
Rowing
Photographer: Gerson Turelly
Location: Porto Alegre, Brazil
During the Rio Grande do Sul floods of 2024, a man paddles through a flooded Porto Alegre street to help rescue stranded people. Gerson Turelly’s image highlights the increasing frequency of extreme weather events as climate change exacerbates flooding.
Signs Of A Flood
Photographer: Ian Knight
Location: Staffordshire, UK
Floodwaters have submerged a footpath in Staffordshire after Storm Henk, captured by Ian Knight. The image symbolises the growing frequency of floods in the UK, worsened by climate change, which increases storm intensity and winter rainfall.
Sprites Dancing in the Dark Night
Photographer: Wang Xin
Location: Chongming District, Shanghai, China
Wang Xin captures a rare red sprite lightning above thunderstorms in Shanghai. These elusive upper-atmospheric phenomena, caused by electrical discharge, are likely to increase as stronger storms become more frequent due to climate change.
The Fireline
Photographer: Patrick Ryan
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Patrick Ryan documents wildland firefighters fleeing an out-of-control wildfire in Cape Town. The image highlights the growing risk of wildfires due to rising temperatures and prolonged fire seasons, exacerbated by climate change.
The Ice Storm
Photographer: Andrea Kleene
Location: Meinerzhagen, Germany
Andrea Kleene captures twigs encased in glaze ice after a freezing rain event. While beautiful, glaze can be dangerous, causing power lines to collapse and creating hazardous driving conditions with invisible “black ice” on roads.
The Rays
Photographer: Aung Chan Thar
Location: Kalaw, Myanmar
Golden sunlight pierces the mist on a mountain in Kalaw, Myanmar, creating a stunning contrast between vivid treetops and pastel-hued clouds. The image emphasises the beauty and unpredictability of nature.
Volcanoes
Photographer: Nur Syaireen Natasya Binti Azaharin
Location: Bromo, Indonesia
Captured in East Java, Indonesia, this image shows volcanoes emerging from a basin of clouds. The small fire cloud cloud over Mount Semeru and steam plumes from Mount Bromo reveal the ongoing volcanic activity beneath the serene landscape.
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