Rain, hail or shine! Weather Photographer of the Year finalists are revealed

Published: 20:58 EDT, 26 October 2026 | Updated: 21:02 EDT, 26 October 2026 Breathtaking images of a double rainbow, lightning strikes and a swirling supercell thunderstorm are among the strong contenders for the Weather Photographer of the Year 2026 competition. Judges have whittled the shortlist to 30 images, which are now in the running to take the coveted title.Talented photographers of all ages from all around the world have entered their best shot capturing weather and climate in their most vivid forms. According to the Royal Meteorological Society, which hosts the competition, the winner of The Weather Photographer of the Year will be handed a £1,500 cash prize for the best overall photograph 'showcasing the beauty and power of weather'.Among the entries is Laura Hedien's dramatic shot of a vast, swirling supercell dominating the Great Plains of Oklahoma, USA. During late spring and early summer, warm, moist air flowing north from the Gulf of Mexico can meet cooler, drier air moving south from Canada or east from the Rocky Mountains. This collision of contrasting air masses fuels severe thunderstorms, large hail, and tornadoes across the region - and when these storms form in areas of strong vertical wind shear, they can develop into 'supercells'. Mat Robinson's image of a spectacular double rainbow taken while out for a walk in the Lake District is also in the running. An Oklahoma Light Show: Laura Hedien's dramatic shot of a vast, swirling supercell dominating the Great Plains of Oklahoma, USA Triple Strike NYC: Dan Martland's image of three lightning strikes hitting the skyscrapers of New York City is another strong contender Lake District Rainbow: Mat Robinson's image of a spectacular double rainbow taken while out for a walk in the Lake District is also in the running. A Supercell in the Sandhills of Nebraska: Laura Hedien took this dramatic image of a storm Heaven From Earth: Taken in Taungoo, Myanmar, by Satt Pai Htun Mount ShastaTop Hat at Sunset: The 14,000-foot volcano is a well-known spot for these striking cloud formations, captured by Lisa K Kuhn Midnight Sunbeam over Reine: Taken in Norway's Lofoten archipelago by Vit Javorik Misty Sunrise Over the Long Coc Tea Hills: Taken in Vietnam by Mahmudul HasanMeanwhile Dan Martland's image of three lightning strikes hitting the skyscrapers of New York City is another strong contender.Taken from Bayonne, New Jersey, looking towards the Big Apple, Dan managed to capture the very moment the lightning zigzagged downwards from the cloud.He said: 'I was watching the cells build using RadarScope and I actually thought it was going to miss New York City on this occasion.'But this bolt came out of nowhere. My trusty light trigger managed to fire my camera which was framed up and pointing in the right direction.'The public are now being invited to vote for their favourite image from the shortlist.