Stunning visuals featuring a double rainbow, intense lightning bolts, and a churning supercell thunderstorm are leading the charge as top entries in the 2026 Weather Photographer of the Year contest.
The panel of judges has narrowed down the selection to 30 standout images, now vying for the prestigious award.
Exceptional photographers from every corner of the globe and across all age groups have submitted their most striking captures of weather phenomena and climate dynamics, rendered in vivid detail.
As stated by the Royal Meteorological Society, which organizes the event, the recipient of The Weather Photographer of the Year will receive a £1,500 prize for the outstanding image that best illustrates ‘the beauty and power of weather’.
Included in the submissions is Laura Hedien’s powerful photograph of a massive, rotating supercell towering over the Great Plains.Oklahoma, USA.
In late spring and early summer, warm, humid air surging northward from the Gulf of MexicoMexicocan collide with colder, drier air descending from the northCanadaor moving eastward from the Rocky Mountains.
The clash between opposing air masses drives intense thunderstorms, massive hail, and tornadoes throughout the area—and when these storms emerge in regions with significant vertical wind shear, they can evolve into powerful supercells.
Mat Robinson’s photograph of a stunning double rainbow, captured during a stroll through the Lake District, is also among the finalists.
In addition, Dan Martland’s striking image showing three lightning bolts striking the New York City skyline stands out as a top entry.
Shot from Bayonne, New Jersey, with a view toward Manhattan, Dan successfully recorded the precise instant the lightning forked downward from the storm cloud.
He commented: ‘I was tracking the storm development using RadarScope and honestly believed it would pass over New York without hitting it this time.’
‘But then, out of nowhere, a bolt struck. My reliable light trigger activated the camera, which was already positioned and ready to capture the scene.’
The public are now being encouraged to cast their vote for their preferred photograph from the shortlist.
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