If there’s one truism about modern life, it’s that we spend too much time looking at our phones — and not enough looking up to the sky.
A beautiful work of art, however, can help reignite that sense of wonder. That’s what you may discover by viewing the shortlisted images from a photography competition capturing that ever-present, but easily overlooked, part of our lives: the weather.
The image above, taken in Myanmar’s Inle Lake with a phone camera, is a perfect example. “I had never witnessed a morning as breathtaking as this one,” said photographer Aung Chan Thar.
The Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year 2025 competition, run by the U.K.’s Royal Meteorological Society, enters its 10th year to raise awareness of environmental issues putting our planet at risk. But it’s also a showcase of the natural world that we too often ignore.
The judges of this competition received 4,000 “amazing entries,” which they whittled down to 25 stunning photographs of the natural world. The public can visit the competition website from now until October 16 to cast a vote for their favorite photo.
Cash prizes will be given to five winners in an October 30 announcement once all the votes have been counted.
The competition is run by the U.K.’s Royal Meteorological Society and serves as an international platform to raise awareness of environmental issues putting our planet at risk, from heatwaves and light pollution to extreme flooding and cyclones. But it’s also a showcase of the natural world that we too often ignore.
Visit the competition website from now until October 16 to cast a vote for your favorite photo. Cash prizes will be given to five winners in an October 30 announcement once all the votes have been counted.
‘Jellyfish Invasion in the Sky’
This image of the night sky over Barcelona, Spain, is titled “Jellyfish Invasion in the Sky.” It shows an array of altocumulus stratiformis virga clouds “spreading across the sky like a swarm of jellyfish,” said the Royal Meteorological Society, which offers detailed descriptions of the weather phenomena captured by its shortlist of winning images.
“The ‘virga’ in this scene refers to precipitation (typically ice crystals or water droplets) that falls from the cloud base but evaporates or sublimates before reaching the ground,” the society said. “The virga appears as elegant, tapering streaks or wisps descending from the cloud layer, resembling trailing tentacles of jellyfish drifting through the sky.
“This effect is caused by the precipitation falling into a dry air layer beneath the cloud base. As the raindrops or ice crystals fall, they encounter warmer, drier air, causing them to evaporate or sublimate mid-descent. This evaporation cools the air locally, which can sometimes generate subtle turbulence visible as curling or twisting patterns within the virga trails.”
‘The Birth of a New Universe’
Iceland seems to have an endless variety of stunning landscapes, as Ukrainian photographer Yevhen Samuchenko shows in this gorgeous image. Much more than another mountain photo (in this case, of Kirkjufell Peak), Samuchenko captured layers of land, water, ice, and sky — all in a single shot.
From the cumulus and altocumulus clouds surrounding the mountain to accumulating snow on sharp rocks to a flowing waterfall and even the aurora borealis — this one seems to have it all.
“There’s a real elemental quality to this picture,” said judge Peter Gibbs. “All phases of the water cycle are on display, plus space weather in the form of the aurora.”
‘Fishing in Raining Season’
There’s clearly something special about Myanmar’s Inle Lake, as this shortlisted photo was also taken there, albeit in a very different moment.
It’s this writer’s personal favorite of the competition’s 25 images, illustrating a depth of motion to heavy rain that’s so difficult to capture (especially without ruining your gear in the process).
“The rower uses the Intha people’s distinctive technique, standing at the stern with one leg wrapped around a single oar, enabling smooth, flowing paddling through the lake’s reeds. Though Inle Lake is shallow, less than two metres deep on average, it supports a rich ecosystem and a way of life, both now under threat,” according to the society’s description. “Myanmar’s monsoon climate brings heavy seasonal rains, and fishing remains a vital livelihood, even during storms like this.”
‘Sky Surfing’
Did you know that there’s a “wave cloud” category? Many people who see this image on social media will likely dismiss it as AI, but in reality, these strange formations are known as Kelvin-Helmholtz wave clouds.
Photographer Lukáš Gallo snapped this image while driving near Vodňany in South Bohemia, Czechia. He noticed some unusual clouds beginning to form while driving, pulled over, and was ready for this momentary display a half hour later. “I didn’t plan this; it was all of a sudden. But I think that’s the best kind of photograph,” Gallo said.
These rare ‘wave,’ or fluctus, clouds are formed when there’s 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 Kelvin-Helmholtz wave clouds are clearly the stars of the show, one of the best examples I’ve seen,” judge Peter Gibbs wrote of the photo. “These clouds are usually so fleeting.”
Looking for more? Head over to the Weather Photographer of the Year voting page and cast your lot for your favorite!
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