The Magnificent Finalists of Weather Photographer of the Year 2025

Sep 19, 2025

Matt Growcoot

A vibrant circular rainbow, known as a glory, appears over a serene blue lake with an island in the center, surrounded by green hills and dramatic, cloudy skies. — Drizzle on Lugu Lake in China’s Yunnan Province forms a circular rainbow. Camera: DJI Mavic 3. | Geshuang Chen

It’s no secret that the British are obsessed with the weather; therefore it should come as no surprise that the country hosts the Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year 2025 Competition.

The finalists have just been unveiled, and the public gets to decide which of the 25 stunning images should be crowned winner.

Strikingly, almost half of the photos were taken on smartphone cameras, proving that weather photography is often about being in the right place at the right time. As the saying goes, ‘the best camera is the one you have with you.’

A frosty stone path winds through grassy hills at sunrise, with a blanket of clouds covering the landscape below and a soft orange glow in the sky. — A frosty, foggy valley in Malvern Hills, England. Camera: iPhone XR. | Simon Brown

A row of white, wave-shaped clouds stretches across a blue sky above a rural landscape with green fields, round hay bales, and a cluster of houses and trees. — 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. Camera: Sony a7r2 Canon 70-200 f4. | Lukas Gallo

A bicycle lies on a dirt path through green fields beneath a dramatic sky filled with dark, swirling storm clouds. The path stretches toward the horizon, drawing the eye into the approaching weather. — A dirt track in the countryside of Slovakia leads to a brooding storm. Camera: Huawei P50 Pro. | Tamas Kusza

A dramatic storm cloud formation looms over a densely packed cityscape, with sunlight breaking through the clouds on the left and dark, heavy clouds dominating the sky. — “In 2019, on the eve of Typhoon Lingling, a supercell storm appeared over the city of Shanghai, China,” says photographer He Wei. “The sky was filled with the immense power of nature, and the human city on the ground remained orderly and calm, with movement and stillness, creating a magnificent sight.” From the rooftop of a 120-metre building, He Wei launched his drone into strong pre-typhoon winds. “I flew the drone to a suitable distance from the storm and took panoramic photos of it,” he explains. The resulting image captures the sheer scale of the supercell as it looms over the city. Camera: DJI Mavic 2 Pro. | He Wei

A double rainbow arcs over a calm lake with an island featuring a church at its center, surrounded by green hills under a cloudy sky. — A double rainbow over Lake Bled in Slovenia. Camera: iPhone 14. | Eloise Matthews

A snow-covered landscape with a single frosted tree in the foreground, a forest of evergreens behind it, mist rising above the trees, and dark mountain peaks silhouetted against a blue sky in the background. — A morning scene in Lapszanka, Poland. Camera: Sony Xperia 5 IV. | Dominika Koszowska

A panoramic view of a city at dusk with glowing city lights below and dramatic, colorful clouds streaking across the sky, creating a vibrant and dynamic atmosphere. — A stunning display of altocumulus stratiformis virga clouds spreading across the sky above Barcelona like a swarm of jellyfish. Altocumulus stratiformis clouds are mid-level clouds that form broad, layered sheets, often signalling stable atmospheric conditions. Camera: Nikon D610. | Alfons Puertas

Snow-covered mountain silhouetted against a colorful sky with iridescent clouds at sunrise or sunset. The horizon glows with shades of orange, pink, and yellow. A small flag is visible near the lower right. — Nacreous or polar stratospheric clouds at Rothera Research Station on Adelaide Island, Antarctica. Camera: Apple iPhone 13 Pro. | Victor Cirstet

Snow-covered mountain under a vibrant night sky with green auroras, a waterfall on the left, and a winding river in the foreground. Dark clouds and distant orange light are visible on the horizon. — Cumulus and altocumulus clouds as well as aurora lights above Iceland’s Kirkjufell Mountain. Camera: Nikon. | Yevhen Samuchenko

A person stands near a seawall, photographing massive waves crashing over it, with mist and spray filling the air. The scene is dramatic, showcasing the power of the ocean. — Storm Eunice batters Eastbourne, UK. Camera: Nikon D3500, Tamron 70-300mm. | Jadwiga Piasecka

A serene winter landscape with snow-covered ground, leafless trees, a building in the distance, and a partly frozen river reflecting the colorful, iridescent clouds and soft sunset sky. — Nacreous clouds, also known as polar stratospheric clouds or mother-of-pearl clouds, reflected in a patch of melted ice on a frozen sea in northern Sweden. Camera: Sony A7IV & Tamron 28-75mm. | Matt Stuttard Parker

A serene polar landscape with floating icebergs on a calm blue sea, snow-covered mountains in the background, and dramatic lenticular clouds in a clear sky. — A lenticular cloud above Adelaide Island, Antarctica. Camera: Apple iPhone 13 Pro. | Victor Cirstet

A bright lightning bolt strikes the center of a city skyline at dusk, illuminating tall buildings and the surrounding urban landscape under a cloudy sky. — Lightning illuminates the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Camera: Canon 5D. | Carlos Castillejo Balsera

Close-up of dark blue ice with sharp, geometric cracks and patterns, highlighted by thin lines of light. The abstract texture creates an intricate, almost metallic appearance. — A frozen lake surface in Arunachal Pradesh, India. Camera: Nikon D750, Lens: 70-200mm f/2.8. | Himadri Bhuyan

Sea foam and waves crash against wooden barriers under a dark, stormy sky, sending white spray and droplets high into the air. The scene appears turbulent and chaotic, capturing the power of nature. — Waves crash against the Norfolk Coast in England sending sea spray into the air. Camera: Canon R5 & RF 24-105mm lens. | Shaun Mills

A large tree stands in a misty field at sunrise or sunset, with golden sunlight streaming through its branches and illuminating the surrounding grass and fog. — The Sun rises over Gwda River, Poland. | Camera: Nikon D810 Nikon AF 70-300mm 4-5.6 G. | Krzysztof Tollas

A winding road with light trails cuts through green hills, leading to a valley filled with dense, low-lying fog at sunrise, with a soft orange and purple sky above. — Dramatic temperature inversions are a regular sight in the Hope Valley area of the UK’s Peak District. Cloud inversions like this form when a layer of cooler air becomes trapped beneath warmer air, often in valleys on calm, clear nights. The moisture condenses into fog or low cloud, creating an otherworldly scene at sunrise, especially when viewed from above. Camera: Sony a7r3, Sony 24-240 mm lens, tripod. | Andy Gray

A fisherman in an orange outfit and conical hat stands on a wooden boat in heavy rain at night, using a traditional fishing net. Fish are visible on the boat deck. — Fishermen work in driving rain in Myanmar. Camera: Xiaomi. | Kyaw Zay Yar Lin

Three fishermen in traditional boats cast nets on a reflective lake at sunrise, with vibrant clouds and colors mirrored on the water's surface, surrounded by greenery and distant mountains. — Golden sunrise over Myanmar’s Inle Lake. Camera: Vivo X70 Pro+. | Aung Chan Thar

A black-and-white photo shows the reflection of a person walking through a puddle, splashing water. The cloudy sky above is also reflected in the puddle, creating a surreal, dreamlike scene. — Heavy rain in Dusseldorf, Germany. Camera: iPhone 14 Pro. | Adam D’Auria

A metal sculpture of a cyclist, covered in frost, stands outdoors on a frosty morning. Trees and bushes in the background are also coated with frost. — Hoar crystals cover a garden decoration in Norfolk, England. Camera: Samsung Galaxy A71. | Chris Lehrbach

A shelter for shopping carts stands partially submerged in floodwater, with several carts around it. Trees and bushes are visible in the background, and the scene is reflected in the water. The image is in black and white. — A flooded supermarket car park in Stafford, England. “This car park floods higher and higher each year.” Camera: Sony A7IV, 70-200 f2.8 GM lens. | Ian Knight

A scenic view of Mount Bromo and Mount Semeru in Indonesia at sunrise, with volcanic smoke rising, dramatic clouds, and mist covering the lower landscape. — Cloud and mist over Indonesia’s Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. Camera: Xiaomi 14T. | Aung Chun Thar

A massive, dark supercell thunderstorm swirls above a flat, barren landscape, with a reddish-brown dust cloud rising from the ground under the storm. The sky appears ominous and dramatic. — A spiralling column of dust and wind dominates the Texas Plains in this striking image, captured near Sudan, Texas, USA. Camera: Nikon Z7 II and Nikkor 14-24. | Jonah Lange

The public vote runs from September 19 to October 16. To vote, head to the shortlist gallery.

The competition is run by the UK’s Royal Meteorological Society and serves as an international platform to raise awareness of environmental issues putting the planet at risk — including heatwaves, extreme flooding, and cyclones — while showcasing the skill of weather photographers.