{"id":27018,"date":"2025-09-20T07:21:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-20T07:21:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/27018\/"},"modified":"2025-09-20T07:21:08","modified_gmt":"2025-09-20T07:21:08","slug":"royal-meteorological-societys-weather-contest-announces-shortlist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/27018\/","title":{"rendered":"Royal Meteorological Society’s Weather Contest Announces Shortlist"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2025<\/p>\n

\u201cSky surfing\u201d by Luk\u00e1\u0161 Gallo
\u201cWhile driving near Vod\u0148any in South Bohemia, Czechia, photographer Luk\u00e1\u0161 Gallo noticed some unusual clouds beginning to form. He kept driving, watching the sky evolve, until about 30 minutes later, a stunning set of Kelvin-Helmholtz wave clouds appeared overhead. He quickly pulled over, grabbed his camera, and captured the momentary display from a roadside field. \u201cI didn\u2019t plan this; it was all of a sudden. But I think that\u2019s the best kind of photograph,\u201d he says.
These rare \u2018wave\u2019, or fluctus, clouds are formed when there\u2019s a sharp difference in wind speed or direction between two layers of air, similar to the way wind can whip up waves on the surface of the sea. The result is a spectacular series of cloud curls that look like breaking ocean waves, as well as a clear visual warning of turbulence.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the past 10 years, the UK\u2019s Royal Meteorological Society has been reminding us of the extraordinary beauty of weather with its Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year<\/a> contest. And by looking at this year\u2019s shortlist, 2025 is no exception to the high caliber of submissions the contest has become known for. Whether documenting rare cloud formations or powerful storm waves, the contest brought out the best in photographers.<\/p>\n

From now until October 16, the public will be able to vote for their favorite<\/a> among the 25 shortlisted images. Whether taken on professional cameras, smartphones, or drones, each photo is a slice of what\u2019s happening in a world increasingly marked by extreme weather. Selected from over 4,000 entries, judges recognized these exceptional images not only for their high quality, but also for their ability to teach the public about fascinating weather phenomena.<\/p>\n

Standout images include Luk\u00e1\u0161 Gallo\u2019s photo of fascinating \u201cwave\u201d clouds over a small town in the Czech Republic. Recognizing the moment as he drove, Gallo quickly pulled over to take the shot, demonstrating that a good weather photographer has to be ready to capture the action at any moment.<\/p>\n

Engineer and astronomy photographer Geshuang Chen was flying his drone over a lake in China when he encountered an unexpected moment. The drizzly conditions came together perfectly to create a circular rainbow that only a piece of machinery at that height would be able to see. And to top it off, it lined up a small island right at its center.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we mark 10 years of the competition, the Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year competition celebrates the incredible images that continue to reveal both the power and fragility of our evolving world,\u201d says Marisa Drew, chief sustainability officer at Standard Chartered. \u201cOver the past decade, we\u2019ve seen photographers across generations and geographies capture the impacts of our rapidly changing climate, documenting how dramatically these shifts can affect communities and landscapes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scroll down to see some of our favorites from the shortlist, and don\u2019t forget to cast your vote<\/a> for the Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year. All of the winners, including the public\u2019s favorite, will be announced on October 30, 2025.\n<\/p>\n

The 2025 Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year has announced its shortlist.
\n\"2025<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Gorgeous Ring\u201d by Geshuang Chen.
\u201cIt was drizzling on Lugu Lake [In China\u2019s Yunnan Province]. I flew my drone to a height of 500 meters, passed through the rain curtain, with my lens facing away from the sun, and captured a complete circular rainbow, which was a ring given by the sun to the lake,\u201d says engineer and astronomy photographer Geshuang Chen.
Rainbows are a familiar sight, but full-circle rainbows are much less common. From the ground, the lower half of the circle is usually hidden below the horizon. From high above with the sun behind and rainfall ahead, it’s possible to see the entire circle.
Rainbows form when sunlight enters raindrops and is bent (refracted), then reflected off the inside of the droplet, and bent again as it exits. The result is a spectrum of colors forming a circle around the antisolar point: the spot directly opposite the sun from the viewer\u2019s perspective. Since each observer’s position creates a slightly different angle of light, every rainbow is unique to the person seeing it. That makes this image particularly special: not just a rare view of a complete rainbow, but a moment of perfect alignment, with the small island framed precisely at its center.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"2025<\/p>\n

\u201cGolden Canvas\u201d by Aung Chan Thar
\u201cThis golden sunrise over Myanmar\u2019s Inle Lake was captured by Aung Chan Thar. \u201cI\u2019ve visited Inle Lake many times, but I had never witnessed a morning as breathtaking as this one,\u201d he recalls. \u201cThe sky was filled with stunning cloud formations, perfectly reflected in the still waters, and I was able to capture the moment beautifully with my phone.\u201d
In the center of the lake, three small fishing boats drift together, sending out concentric ripples that gently disturb the glassy surface. Beyond them, the green shoreline gives way to distant hills and hazy mountains, layered one behind the other. Above, altocumulus clouds scatter across the sky: mid-level clouds that often appear as rippled patches or layers. Here, they catch the golden light of sunrise, creating a shifting palette from soft yellows to deep blues.\u201d
\u201cDuring my second visit to Mount Bromo, I waited each morning on the mountain, hoping to witness the perfect view of clouds and mist,\u201d says photographer Aung Chan Thar. \u201cOn the final day of my trip, I was rewarded with a breathtaking morning and captured the scene with my phone.\u201d
In Indonesia\u2019s Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, the iconic peaks of Mount Bromo and Mount Semeru rise dramatically above a swirling sea of mist and layered clouds. A thick, swirling sea of mist hugs the valleys, concealing the landscape below: a plain called the \u201cSea of Sand\u201d. In the distance, towering cumulonimbus clouds dominate the sky, framed by the delicate veils of cirrostratus clouds behind them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"2025<\/p>\n

\u201cThe birth of a new universe\u201d by Yevhen Samuchenko
\u201cBeneath Iceland\u2019s iconic Kirkjufell mountain, this photograph by Yevhen Samuchenko layers land, water, ice and sky in a single shot. On the left, Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall surges through snow and rock; above, the sharp peak of Kirkjufell is framed by soft cumulus and altocumulus clouds. In the distance, a bank of darker nimbostratus hints at oncoming snow, while the aurora borealis shimmers behind them in ethereal blues and greens, with stars glinting through the gaps.
The photograph combines multiple forces of nature at once: the movement of water, the frozen landscape, the cloud-filled sky, and space weather above.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"2025<\/p>\n

\u201cEunice III\u201d by Jadwiga Piasecka
\u201cI\u2019ve loved big waves and storms since I was a kid \u2013 the power and energy of the sea have always fascinated me. So, when Storm Eunice rolled in, I knew I couldn\u2019t miss the opportunity to witness it firsthand,\u201d says photographer Jadwiga Piasecka.
She took this image from a sheltered place out of reach of the storm in Newhaven, on the south coast of the UK, where winds were gusting at over 80 miles per hour. \u201cFrom my vantage point, I watched enormous waves battling against the sea wall, sending dramatic sprays of water high into the air\u2026highlighting just how immense the storm\u2019s fury truly was.\u201d<\/p>\n

Run by the UK\u2019s Royal Meteorological Society, the photo contest is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
\n\"2025<\/p>\n

\u201cIridescent Skies over Rothera Research Station\u201d by Victor Cirstet
\u201cThis stunning photo of nacreous or polar stratospheric clouds was taken by Victor Cirstet at Rothera Research Station on Adelaide Island, Antarctica. Victor shares, \u201cI took this photo on a day off while working as an Antarctic Atmospheric Scientist. I was walking from my accommodation to the communal building for a cup of tea when I noticed this amazing sight. I snapped a few shots and shared them with coworkers before carrying on.\u201d
Nacreous clouds form in the lower stratosphere, typically between 15 and 20 kilometers above the Earth, where temperatures can drop below \u201378\u00b0C. At these extreme altitudes and cold conditions, water vapour deposits directly into tiny ice crystals. These crystals are lifted by strong polar winter winds that push air upwards into the stratosphere, allowing these rare clouds to develop. Their iridescent colors come from the diffraction and interference of sunlight interacting with the microscopic ice crystals, creating shimmering pastel hues of pink, green, blue, and gold against the dark polar sky.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"2025<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Sun Tree in the Field of Dreams\u201d by Krzysztof Tollas
\u201cAs the sun rises over the Gwda River, Poland, a golden glow spills across the mist-covered fields. Photographer Krzysztof Tollas describes this as \u2018a magical moment when a golden ball of light emerges from behind a tree, illuminating the delicate fog in the fields. This extraordinary combination of light and fog creates a mystical atmosphere that is impossible to forget.’
The glowing haze is likely radiation fog, which forms overnight under clear skies and calm conditions. As the land surface rapidly cools, it chills the moist air just above, causing water vapour to condense into tiny droplets suspended near the ground. When the rising sun shines through this shallow fog, its light becomes visible in crepuscular rays: shafts of sunlight that stream through gaps in the grass and vegetation, made visible as they scatter off the water droplets in the mist.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

\u201cWest Texas Special\u201d by Jonah Lange.
\u201cA spiraling column of dust and wind dominates the Texas Plains in this striking image, captured by photographer Jonah Lange on 25 April 2025 near Sudan, Texas, USA. \u2018This tornado picked up tons of dust as it landed. I peered on from the south side as it moved slowly off to the east,’ he says. \u2018West Texas is known for dust \u2026 as shown here!’ The tornado churns with intense energy, its collar cloud clearly visible as it pulls red soil into the air. A smaller satellite vortex dances nearby, while an impressive dark hail core looms behind the spiral. On the day this image was taken, hailstones up to 3 inches (7.6 cm) in diameter were reported.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"2025<\/p>\n

\u201cOther World\u201d by Simon Brown
\u201cSimon Brown was hiking in The Malvern Hills before dawn, hoping to witness an amazing sight. As he ascended, the foggy valley below gave way to clear skies and crisp, frosted ground above: \u201cI pulled out my phone and thought I would take a picture to send to my wife, I framed the composition, keen to include the hoarfrost and the fog below bathed in the golden rays of sunrise, simply perfect.\u201d
Temperature inversions occur when cooler air is trapped near the surface beneath a layer of warmer air above, causing fog and frost to settle in valleys while hilltops remain clear and bright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"2025<\/p>\n

\u201cLenticular Invasion\u201d by Victor Cirstet
\u201cCaptured on the icy coast of Adelaide Island, the image shows Altocumulus lenticularis clouds drifting westward from the Antarctic Peninsula. These smooth, lens-shaped clouds form when moist air flows over mountain ranges, creating standing wave patterns in the atmosphere. As the air rises and cools, clouds condense into dramatic, layered shapes that seem frozen in place. Their smooth, layered appearance can resemble stacked pancakes, flying saucers, or on days like this: a vast alien fleet. The \u2018invasion\u2019 effect is caused by the alignment of multiple lenticular clouds, each shaped by the same atmospheric wave patterns rolling downwind of the Antarctic mountains.\u201d<\/p>\n

From now until October 16, the public is invited to cast their vote for their favorite photograph.
\n\"2025<\/p>\n

\u201cFishing in raining season\u201d by Kyaw Zay Yar Lin
\u201cThis photo captures the urgent feeling of being caught in a sudden downpour. Two fishermen work quickly: one paddling through the dark water, the other bailing it out of the boat. Their bright orange and blue clothes stand out vividly, just like the heavy raindrops streaking across the frame. The motion blur of both the fishermen and the rain make the viewer feel part of the action, caught in the sudden intensity of a tropical storm. Raindrops fall in sheets and splash against the murky lake below as water fills the boat\u2019s base.
The rower uses the Intha people\u2019s distinctive technique, standing at the stern with one leg wrapped around a single oar, enabling smooth, flowing paddling through the lake\u2019s reeds. Though Inle Lake is shallow, less than two meters deep on average, it supports a rich ecosystem and a way of life, both now under threat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"2025<\/p>\n

\u201cVolcanic Majesty\u201d by Aung Chan Thar
\u201cDuring my second visit to Mount Bromo, I waited each morning on the mountain, hoping to witness the perfect view of clouds and mist,\u201d says photographer Aung Chan Thar. \u201cOn the final day of my trip, I was rewarded with a breathtaking morning and captured the scene with my phone.\u201d
In Indonesia\u2019s Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, the iconic peaks of Mount Bromo and Mount Semeru rise dramatically above a swirling sea of mist and layered clouds. A thick, swirling sea of mist hugs the valleys, concealing the landscape below: a plain called the \u201cSea of Sand\u201d. In the distance, towering cumulonimbus clouds dominate the sky, framed by the delicate veils of cirrostratus clouds behind them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"2025<\/p>\n

\u201cAndy Gray\u201d by Winnats Pass Inversion
\u201cDramatic temperature inversions are a regular sight in the Hope Valley area of the UK\u2019s Peak District. On a winter morning at Winnats Pass, photographer Andy Gray set out early to take advantage of the lingering mist. The warm, moist air from the previous day had cooled overnight, creating a thick blanket of fog that settled into the valley.
To capture the contrast between this stillness and the motion of early traffic, Andy used a tripod-mounted camera and a five-second-long exposure. The resulting soft ribbons of light from passing cars cut through the gorge, glowing against the misty landscape. \u201cI arrived early to ensure it was dark enough to include some traffic trails along the road passing through the gorge to contrast with the blanket of mist,\u201d he says.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"2025<\/p>\n

\u201cRainbow Gateway to Bled\u201d by Eloise Matthews
\u201cAt Lake Bled in Slovenia, rain was still falling when Eloise Matthews noticed something remarkable unfolding. In the foreground, the lake\u2019s surface is speckled by falling raindrops; in the distance, the island\u2019s church tower sits perfectly framed by the rainbow\u2019s arc.
\u2018With rain still falling, a magical double rainbow developed across Lake Bled, beautifully spotlighting the island tower which moved in and out of sunlight,\u201d she says. \u201cI had just been on a rainy hike around the lake perimeter and up to a lookout point. I crouched low to the ground to get the perspective of being close to the level of the lake. I wanted to capture the full breadth of the rainbow and also the raindrops impacting the lake.\u2019
Over the course of about five minutes, Matthews watched the scene transform from no rainbow to a single arc, then to a brilliant double rainbow. It lasted around 20 minutes before vanishing in just a few moments as the last of the thunderclouds drifted away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"2025<\/p>\n

\u201cReflections of Pearls\u201d by Matt Stuttard Parker
\u201cIn this stunning image from northern Sweden, photographer Matt Stuttard Parker captures the elusive beauty of nacreous clouds, also known as polar stratospheric clouds or mother-of-pearl clouds, reflected in a patch of melted ice on a frozen sea.
Matt recalls, he was \u2018lying on the frozen sea on the edge of this area of melted ice, I was certain I would be able to get the sky reflected with this cute house! I got a little wet and quite cold, but it was worth it for the shot!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Royal Meteorological Society:\u00a0Website<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a>
\nMy Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by the Royal Meteorological Society.
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\nCloud Rings Around a Volcano Takes Top Prize in \u2018Weather Photographer of the Year\u2019 Contest<\/a>
\nRoyal Meteorological Society Celebrates 10 Years of Incredible Weather Photography [Interview]<\/a>
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