Cast your vote for the most striking weather and climate photography

The public vote for the Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year 2024 is now open. From 19 September to 17 October, individuals can cast their vote for their favourite image from the competition, which showcases the world’s most striking weather and climate photography.

Now in its ninth year, the competition, organised by the UK’s Royal Meteorological Society, serves as an international platform to raise awareness of environmental issues that put earth at risk—including heatwaves, cyclones, and extreme flooding – while also depicting the beauty and power of the weather.

With the introduction of the Standard Chartered Climate Award in 2024, this year’s competition attracted thousands of entries from photographers of all ages and skill levels worldwide. Participants were eager to document the impacts of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and wildfires, that communities face.

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.

Highlights from the 2024 competition include a Saharan dust storm; a stunning ice halo; rare red sprite lightning; and sublime landscapes blanketed in hoarfrost. 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.

View the shortlist and vote for your favourite. The winner will be announced 30 October 2024.

Professor Liz Bentley, chief executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, commented: “In my nine years judging this competition, I always see something new and astonishing.

“This year’s entrants have highlighted those regions of the world facing the worst impacts of climate change, but they also bring home the message that climate change is affecting the weather patterns of the more temperate climates and the most comfortable of societies too. We need to galvanise and act now to make change happen.”

Marisa Drew, chief sustainability officer at Standard Chartered, commented:  “Congratulations to those shortlisted in this year’s Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year competition. Being the second year of our sponsorship, I am once again struck by the photography surfaced in the shortlist, which showcases the impacts of our changing climate on communities and our natural environment.

“With winners announced next month, I look forward to seeing which photograph wins our new Climate Award, introduced this year to bring greater awareness to the importance of climate mitigation and adaptation. Good luck to everyone on the shortlist.”

Image credit: Evening Shower Over the Needles. Photographer: Jamie Russell. Photo location: The Needles, Isle of Wight, UK.