EVERYWHERE you go, always take the weather with you… These are the stunning images that have made the final of the prestigious Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year 2025 competition.

Celebrating its tenth year, the competition is run by the UK’s Royal Meteorological Society and serves as an international platform to raise awareness of environmental issues putting our planet at risk – including heatwaves, extreme flooding and cyclones – while showcasing the awe-inspiring beauty and power of our weather.

Now, it’s up to the public to decide the winner. From today up until October 16, you can view the work of the 25 finalists – a shortlist whittled down by a judging panel from more than 4,000 entries – and cast your vote. 

The shortlist gallery for the public vote is available on the Royal Meteorological Society’s website and features a wealth of outstanding weather and climate photography.

Professional cameras, mobile phones and drones have captured this year’s shortlisted photographs, taken by both experienced and amateur photographers from 12 different countries.

Highlights include stunning cloud formations, stormy skies, summer scenes and winter frosts, alongside skies being painted by nature’s colours in the form of rainbows and the Aurora Borealis. Many highlight the results of climate change resulting in more unstable and intense weather.

“Over the last ten years the Royal Meteorological Society has been inviting global photographers, from experienced professionals to amateurs with a mobile phone, to capture the weather and climate through their lens,” says the society’s chief executive, Professor Liz Bentley.

“It’s incredible to see the way entrants have documented the beauty of our weather, as well as highlighting the significant impacts of climate change, and increasingly, the effects it has on the weather, including more extreme weather events.

“A huge congratulations to those shortlisted and on behalf of the judges, 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.”

The shortlist gallery also provides insights into the science behind the weather phenomena and the stories behind the images – as well as the photographers’ adventures and the techniques used to capture them.

The overall winner of the competition will receive a prize of £5,000 and the title of ‘Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year 2025’. There’s a £2,500 prize for best smartphone image, and £750 for the best junior photographer.

In addition, there’ll be a £1,000 prize for the image that best conveys the effects of climate change, and a ‘Public Favourite’ award for the people’s choice.

View the shortlist and vote for your favourite