The WINNERS have been announced from the remarkable images that made the shortlist for the Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year 2025. Run by the Royal Meteorological Society, now in its tenth year, it has become one of the world’s leading showcases of weather and climate photography. From circular rainbows in China to a sea storms battering the British coast, collectively the images capture both the beauty and volatility of our planet.
Using everything from professional cameras, drones and mobile phones, more than 4,000 entries were received from photographers representing a dozen countries. A blistering mix of meteorological drama and quiet observation: bolts of lightening, baffling cloud formations, prickly crystals, rainbows and auroras. Jaw dropping moments that hint at the growing impact of climate change on our daily weather.
Liz Bentley, Chief Executive of the Royal Meteorological Society said, ‘ I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the competition which aims to share a global story of our weather and climate – each image inspires and brings vital stories to the fore.’
Winners share a prize fund worth over £9,000. The overall champion receiving £5,000. The Smartphone category winner takes home £2,500, while the Young Weather Photographer of the Year pockets £750. The Climate Award winner will receive £1,000 and the Public Favourite will also be recognised with a special title.
WINNER
“It was drizzling on Lugu Lake [In China’s Yunnan Province]. I flew my drone to a height of 500 metres, 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,” 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.
Photograph Location: Lugu Lake, Yunnan Province, China – Photographer Based: China – Camera: DJI Mavic 3 camera
RUNNER-UP
“I’ve loved big waves and storms since I was a kid – the power and energy of the sea have always fascinated me. So, when Storm Eunice rolled in, I knew I couldn’t miss the opportunity to witness it firsthand,” says photographer Jadwiga Piasecka.
Photograph Location: Newhaven Lighthouse, UK – Photographer Based: Eastbourne, UK – Camera: Nikon 3500 Tamron 70-300
THIRD PLACE
After spending five hours photographing halos in daylight, Jaroslav Fous patiently waited for the moon to rise over the snowy Ore Mountains near the Neklid ski area in Czechia. As temperatures dropped and diamond dust filled the air, he was rewarded with this lunar display. Moon halos like this are relatively rare because the moon is usually too faint to produce such vivid effects. However, under the right conditions, when millions of tiny hexagonal ice crystals hang suspended in the atmosphere, moonlight scatters and reflects to form striking rings and arcs.
Photograph Location: Czech republic, Krušné hory – Photographer based: Podbořany, Czech republic – Camera: Nikon D500 and fish-eye Samyang 8mm/f3.5
PUBLIC VOTE, WINNER
While driving near Vodňany in South Bohemia, Czechia, photographer Lukáš 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. “I didn’t plan this; it was all of a sudden. But I think that’s the best kind of photograph,” he says.
Photograph Location: Czech Republic – Photographer Based: South Bohemia region, Czechia – Camera: Sony A7RII Canon 70-200 f4
PUBLIC VOTE, RUNNER-UP
Captured in the early winter chill of Arunachal Pradesh, India, this image by Himadri Bhuyan reveals a frozen lake surface etched with delicate, fractal-like ice patterns. “The subzero temperature was hurting my hands and feet,” he recalls, “but the frozen patterns caught my attention, and I had to stop and capture them.” Taken near Pangateng Tso Lake in mid-November, the scene may look serene, but beneath its stillness lies a subtle sign of a changing climate.
Photograph Location: Arunachal Pradesh, India – Photographer Based: Guwahati, Assam, India – Camera: Nikon D750, Lens: 70-200mm f/2.8
PUBLIC VOTE, THIRD PLACE
During a storm on Britain’s east coast, waves crash against the sea defences at Overstrand, Norfolk, sending sea spray high into the air. Photographer Shaun Mills writes: “A photo trip to the Norfolk coast coincided with a storm, and I took the opportunity to capture some incredibly rough seas. The image was taken to isolate the individual spray, giving the impression of a snowstorm.”
Photograph Location: Overstrand, Norfolk, UK – Photographer Based: Mersea Island, UK – Camera: Canon R5 & RF 24-105mm lens
MOBILE CATEGORY, WINNER
This 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’s base.
Photograph Location: InleLake, Myanmar – Photographer Based: Mandalay, Myanmar – Camera: Xiaomi
MOBILE CATEGORY, RUNNER-UP
A dirt track cuts through the countryside in Ožďany, Slovakia, drawing the eye towards a sky heavy with dark, swirling clouds. In the middle of the path, a mountain bike lies still, its rider momentarily grounded by the sight ahead. “I have always been drawn to storms,” says photographer Tamás Kusza. “I love watching the sky darken, the clouds descend, and the majestic power of nature slowly unfold. Whenever I can, I hop on my bike and head for the border, where the sky and the earth meet, and where storms are born.”
Photograph Location: Slovakia – Photographer Based: Slovakia – Camera: Huawei P50 pro
YOUNG CATEGORY, WINNER
Captured from a passenger plane flying between Washington, DC and Orlando, Florida this photo reveals a spectacular view of a thunderstorm cloud glowing pink against a deepening blue sky. “We were flying alongside a lightning storm, which was a pretty cool sight,” says young photographer Adrian Cruz.
The enormous cloud is a cumulonimbus, the towering kind that forms during thunderstorms. These gigantic clouds are created when warm, moist air rises quickly into the sky. As it climbs, the air cools and water vapour condenses into tall clouds. When the updraughts are strong enough, they can punch high into the atmosphere, all the way to the tropopause: the boundary between the lower atmosphere (the troposphere) and the stratosphere. Once it reaches its maximum height, the cloud spreads out, forming the classic anvil shape seen in this photo.
Photograph Location: In-flight from Washington, DC to Orlando, Florida – Photographer Based: Orlando, Florida, USA – Camera: iPhone SE
YOUNG CATEGORY, RUNNER UP
“My Dad and I were paddleboarding on Lake Michigan [USA] when this storm blew in,” says young photographer Ellen Ross. “I quickly grabbed my Dad’s phone and took this photo, because it’s rare to see such an interesting storm. Also because of the small patch of blue sky behind it. I think it shows good days to come.” That small patch of blue caught the eye of the judges too. “The glimpse of blue sky beyond lets you know that the storm won’t last forever,” said judge Dan Green. “I absolutely love this photo — a weather drama unfolding over the lake. The clarity of the storm front is exceptional, with some interesting detail on the edges.”
Photograph Location: Highland Park, IL, USA – Photographer Based: Illinois, USA – Camera: Smartphone camera.
CLIMATE AWARD, WINNER
A spiralling 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. “This 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. “West Texas is known for dust … as shown here!”
Photograph Location: Sudan, Texas, USA – Photographer Based: Fort Collins, Colorado, USA – Camera: Nikon Z7II and Nikkor 14-24
CLIMATE AWARD, RUNNER UP
Two men ride through a road strewn with debris, heading home to what remains after Typhoon Rai (locally named Odette) tore across Siargao Island, Philippines, in December 2021. Photographer Maria del Pilar Trigo Bonnin took the shot from the back of another motorbike as they made their way through the devastation. “I handheld the camera and captured the moment quickly the stillness, the chaos, and the long shadows told the story of what we had just lived through.” Typhoon Rai struck as a Category 5 storm, with winds exceeding 250 km/h. It rapidly intensified over warm ocean waters before landfall, a pattern that is becoming more common with climate change. For many in Siargao, the storm was unlike anything they had seen in decades. Trees were flattened, homes torn apart, and lives upended in a matter of hours.
Photograph Location: Siargao Island – Photographer Based: Manila, Philippines – Camera: Sony A7R4 16-35 GMaster lens
