Mock Mirage Sunset over the Estuary by Brendan Conway

Mock Mirage Sunset over the Estuary by Brendan Conway

Photo location: Tankerton, Kent, UK

Camera: Nikon COOLPIX P900

During a beautiful, calm evening in Tankerton, Kent, Brendan captured this image of people walking along the famous shingle Street, exposed at low tide, as they were treated to a spectacular mock mirage sunset over the Thames Estuary. He says that "a bonus mirage caused buildings in Southend to appear to levitate".

"I hope that when people look at the photo, they not only enjoy the aesthetic dimension but will also be prompted to think a bit more deeply about the incredible processes that brought it about. It was a memorable and unexpected sunset. Inadvertently, the photograph captured some unusual phenomena and hopefully provided a thought-provoking catalyst for deeper knowledge about the atmosphere".

During a mock mirage sunset, the sun is distorted and appears to be sliced horizontally. This can occur when there are one or more shallow layers in the atmosphere with a temperature difference between each layer, known as temperature inversions. The sunlight is refracted more as it travels through colder layers than warmer ones distorting how an object appears to a viewer.

This photograph also captures an inferior mirage where the distant buildings in Southend appear to be elevated above their normal position. An inferior mirage is also an optical phenomenon due to a temperature inversion.

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More Weather Photographer of the Year 2022 Photos

Divine Power by Fernando Braga
Divine Power by Fernando Braga

When you see photographs like this, it’s easy to understand why our ancestors reckoned thunder and lightning were signs of angry deities. This photo captures bolts of lightning surrounding the world-famous statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photographer Fernando Braga used every opportunity he could get to achieve this result – taking advantage of storm forecasts and capturing a series of long exposures to maximise the chances of capturing lightning framing the statue.



“This night was simply unforgettable for me. Like a dream come true.”



Lightning strikes when electric charge builds up in a storm, creating sudden discharges either between parts of the atmosphere or between the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface. Fernando framed the shot to include ground-based antennas – since lightning often strikes tall electrical conductors like these.



Lightning can cause major destruction – damaging property and triggering fires. And climate change is expected to make lightning more common across the world, by creating a hotter atmosphere that holds more water vapour, and so can produce more frequent and intense thunderstorms.
Dream Ring by Naser Mohammadmoradi
Dream Ring by Naser Mohammadmoradi

This wispy halo-shaped cloud photographed above this tree is a rare noctilucent cloud. These shimmering, cobwebby clouds form much higher up than the weather-producing clouds we’re used to seeing – some 80 kilometres above the Earth’s surface, in a section of the atmosphere called the mesosphere.



They are composed of ice crystals, which research suggests may form on dust from tiny meteorites entering our atmosphere. Because these clouds are so faint, they’re generally only viewable on clear, summer nights, shortly after the sun has set, when the ground and lower atmosphere are enveloped in darkness, but the sun’s rays can still reach these high altitudes.
Snowflake fall by Diana Neves
Snowflake Fall by Diana Neves

Diana Neves captured the fragile beauty of a snowflake while enjoying a walk with her partner in Staffordshire, UK. While each snowflake is unique, this one also holds a special significance for Diana:



“I was recovering from depression at the time, and the snowflake reminded me to look for happiness in everything you see.”



Snowflakes form from smaller ice crystals fusing together within a cloud. This creates a six-sided, hexagonal structure, as this is the most efficient shape the crystals can take.



To get this crystal clear shot of this ice crystal, Diana rested her hand on a tree to stabilize the shot.
Worst Flooding by Azim Khan Ronnie
Worst Flooding by Azim Khan Ronnie

That’s not an island you’re looking at, but the devastation caused by flooding in Bangladesh in 2022. These floods cost dozens their lives and made millions homeless in a heartbeat. Photographer Azim Khan Ronnie was dedicated to documenting the terrible impacts of this flooding, traveling to the district of Kishoreganj and hiring a boat so he could photograph villages struck by the high waters.



“After hearing such terrible news, I went to Kishoreganj district… this time the flood took a terrible form”



Flooding like this takes place when rains and meltwater exceed the capacity of rivers to cope. And a number of factors can make flooding worse – such as encroachment on rivers and the destruction of natural lands. But climate change can intensify downpours since a hotter atmosphere holds more moisture, so when it rains – it pours. And meltwater from glaciers can raise the waters even higher for countries like Bangladesh.



On top of the threats of floods like these, Bangladesh is also at immense risk of flooding due to rising seas, since vast chunks of the country are only a couple of meters above sea level.
Ethel Alice by Shaun Mills
Ethel Alice by Shaun Mills

This photo captures two stunning sights: the remnants of the double rainbow; and the historic 1897 fishing vessel, Ethel Alice. Photographer Shaun Mills, who captured the shot shortly after a storm had passed, says that the double rainbow had been even more striking moments earlier.



Rainbows form because droplets of water in the atmosphere reflect and scatter the different wavelengths of light at different angles, meaning different colours appear in different regions of the sky to an onlooker. The second, fainter rainbow of a double rainbow is caused by two reflections within each droplet. But a rainbow has to be particularly intense for this second bow to be visible – as it is here.
Once Upon a December Evening by Caitlin Jones-Fullerton
Once Upon a December Evening by Caitlin Jones-Fullerton

Caitlin Jones-Fullerton captured these crisp conditions on a December evening in the Northern Clwydian Hills of North Wales. She’d been cooped up at work, but on her way home, spotted the beautiful landscape:


“The scene is picturesque, eerie, and magical all at the same time.”



This photo captures a plethora of atmospheric phenomena, beyond the beautiful snow cover. The mist is a suspension of water droplets in the atmosphere – effectively a ground-level cloud. Adding to the photo’s dreamy atmosphere are the last remnants of a sunset. Sunsets get their warm hues since the sun’s rays travel far through the atmosphere, and Rayleigh scattering deflects away the bluer frequencies.



Winter wonderland scenes like this one could become a thing of the past in the UK as burning fossil fuels continue to heat the planet. This will make days with freezing temperatures all the rarer… as well as “picturesque, eerie, and magical”!
Forest Fire Boundary by Tran Tuan
Forest Fire Boundary by Tran Tuan

This scorching snap captures the devastation that forest fires cause to the natural world. Photographer Tran Tuan used a drone to reveal a forest split in two: one side ablaze, the other still lush with life… for now.



Tran took this photo in the Bac Giang province of Vietnam, but forest fires like this one are devastating every corner of the globe (except for Antarctica). While wildfires are often sparked by human activity or lightning strikes, climate change is pouring fuel on the fire, by creating hotter – and in many regions – drier conditions, and more combustible material. This has been linked with fires that can burn longer and spread further.



“Through the photo, I also want to convey to everyone the message of forest protection, the message of climate change.”



Such blazes can have dire impacts on the natural and human worlds. For example, they can destroy habitats and farmland alike, and create hazardous air pollution. But with better forest management, as well as more education on the sources of fires, the world can make progress to better protect our forests – and ourselves.
The Rising Taj by Sunil Choudhary
The Rising Taj by Sunil Choudhary

In this ethereal photo, the romantic colours of dawn bathe the world’s most famous monument to love – the Taj Mahal – seen through the morning mist.



Photographer Sunil Choudhary woke up early and walked more than 4 kilometres to catch a view of the Taj Mahal, which was built in memory of Shah Jahan’s wife, who died in childbirth in 1631.



“The light rays coming out of the tree compelled me to catch the moment. I was spellbound by the dreamy view of the Taj Mahal.”



The beautiful early-morning colours in this photo are caused by “Rayleigh scattering” – the sun’s rays travel a long distance through the atmosphere when the sun is still close to (or beneath) the horizon, and the bluer wavelengths get scattered away, leaving warmer hues.



Mist – as seen here – is actually a ground-level cloud. Mist is more common in the morning, as temperatures drop below the dew point overnight, allowing droplets of water to form. After the sun rises, temperatures can rise again, leading the droplets to evaporate and the mist to disappear. So it’s lucky Sunil got to the Taj Mahal at the right time!
Chugwater tornado by Cristiano Xavier
Chugwater Tornado by Cristiano Xavier

This photo captures the immense power of a massive whirling tornado. Cristiano Xavier followed a large storm in southern Wyoming as it grew, hoping it might give him a chance to get a shot of a tornado like this one. In the foreground, you can see a farmhouse – dwarfed by the scale of the “twister”.



Tornadoes are typically created by large storms – known as supercells. Variation in wind speeds can cause rotation in the air, which the storm can pull into a vertical vortex. If this vortex or funnel cloud reaches the ground, then that’s a tornado, and the intense winds can suck up debris and cause serious damage.



“Luckily, this tornado stayed over the crops and didn't destroy any buildings.”



Since tornadoes are caused by large storms, it’s not unusual for them to be accompanied by lightning – as Cristiano was able to capture in this shot.



While climate change might have an influence on tornadoes, such as shifting the location where they occur, the science isn’t yet settled on whether it could make them more common and dangerous, or potentially even reduce their risks.
Nacreous Cloud (and contrail) by Colin Heggie
Nacreous Cloud (and contrail) by Colin Heggie

In this photo, Colin Heggie captured the multicoloured dreaminess of a nacreous or polar stratospheric cloud, contrasted with a sunset-lit flight’s contrail cloud. Nacreous clouds form in the stratosphere – some 10 kilometres above the Earth’s surface – where it’s extremely dry compared to the lower troposphere. This means clouds rarely form at these high altitudes, but when they do appear, their scattering of light can create these striking rainbow colours.



These clouds only form in extreme cold, when temperatures in the stratosphere drop below -78°C. This makes sightings of these clouds outside the polar regions, such as this cloud that appeared in Scotland, all the rarer. An opportunity Colin was keen not to miss when he spotted the cloud from his home:

“I didn’t want to risk leaving the house for another location as I wasn’t sure how long the cloud would be visible.”



Colin framed the cloud with a plane flying by, leaving a condensation trail of cirrus cloud in its wake, providing a sense of scale in the photo. Persistent contrail clouds can trap heat in the atmosphere, increasing airplanes’ contribution to global warming beyond the greenhouse gases they emit.
A Perfect Cloud by Francisco Negroni
A Perfect Cloud by Francisco Negroni

Nope. That’s not a photo of Mount Doom. This is a gigantic lenticular cloud surrounding the crater of the Villarrica volcano, while the lava illuminates the cloud from within. Francisco Negroni camped out at the volcano—one of Chile's most active—for ten days to capture this special moment, during a period of intense volcanic activity.



“I think it is one of my most beautiful photographs.”



Lenticular clouds form when air flowing over the ground encounters an obstacle—like a volcano. This causes the air to rise and cool, which can allow moisture to condense and form clouds. For these particularly striking lenticular clouds to form, the atmosphere needs to be stable, which means that the air forced up over the high ground readily sinks back down again beyond, sometimes causing continuous rise and fall downstream or ripples in the air. Due to their unusual shape, they’re often compared to flying saucers—and we think this photo is a great example of why.



To capture this shot, Francisco exposed his camera for over four minutes to gather enough light. And this lengthy snap also captured the rotation of the Earth: the stars are stretched out into streaks, since their position in the sky shifts during the course of the exposure.



Photo location: Pucón, Chile 

Photographer based: Chile 

Camera: Nikon D610, 105mm 2.8  
Waterlogged by Sudipta Chatterjee
Waterlogged by Sudipta Chatterjee

In this photo, Sudipta Chatterjee reminds us of the impacts that extreme weather events can have on humans and animals alike. In June 2021, an extreme high tide caused the Hooghly River to overflow its banks, flooding the streets of Kolkata, India.



“I felt the need to portray the helpless situation of such animals and the locals.”



As the burning of fossil fuels continues to heat the planet, the melting of ice on land and the thermal expansion of the oceans cause sea levels to rise across the globe. This means that high tides will continue to get higher and higher, making scenes like these more and more common. Bad news for street dogs like this one, which Sudipta captured as it searched for new shelter.
Fire on Man-Made Jungle by Mahmudul Hasan
Fire on Man-Made Jungle by Mahmudul Hasan

This photo blurs the lines between the human and natural worlds, as a fire blazes through a human-made jungle. Photographer Mahmudul Hasan captured the image in Bangladesh:



“It serves as a powerful reminder to implement sustainable practices and safety measures to prevent further destruction and ensure a harmonious coexistence between nature and urban development.”



Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, and a heating planet is exacerbating wildfires the world over. Wildfires might not be triggered by climate change, but rising temperatures and – in some regions – increased drought can create more combustible materials, adding fuel to the fire. This can lead to blazes that spread further and last longer.



Better forest management and more education around the triggers of fires can help protect jungles – and birds – like these, as the world continues to heat.
Flight in the Storm by Daniela Solera Meneses
Flight in the Storm by Daniela Solera Meneses

In this photo, Daniela Solera Meneses captures the urgency during a downpour in San José, Costa Rica. As the world heats due to climate change, the atmosphere can hold more water. So, when it rains, it pours.



Daniela wanted to capture our cities’ battle to cope with extreme weather and took this photo as waters from heavy rainfall overflowed across the street. Across the world, cities are being forced to prepare not only for today’s weather but also for the weather we might face in the future, as human actions continue to change our climate.



As Daniela puts it, “we have work to do in areas such as prioritising urban resilience and disaster risk reduction strategies.”
Cloud Sea Over Mountain by Kyaw Kyaw Winn
Cloud Sea Over Mountain by Kyaw Kyaw Winn

This magical photo captures a sea of clouds during the monsoon season in Myanmar. Photographer Kyaw Kyaw Winn started trekking early, to reach his vantage point before sunrise and get this shot:



“I love to capture the wonder of nature and beauty of scenery.”



“Cloud seas” like these can form when humid air is forced upwards by the topography of the landscape, leading to water vapour condensing into the water droplets of the cloud. The cloud is contained by the rim of the mountains, although if you look closely you can see some of the cloud spilling over the ridge. Viewed from above, it’s easy to see why a cloud sea is an apt name.
Fichtelberg Mountain by Christoph Schaarschmidt
Fichtelberg Mountain by Christoph Schaarschmidt

"Incredible ice sculptures' – that’s how photographer Christoph Schaarschmidt described his otherworldly view on Fichtelberg Mountain in Germany.



A number of factors conspired together to sculpt this scene: strong winds; over a metre of snow; and temperatures far below zero. The icy buildup in the landscape is actually a combination of snow and rime – ice that forms when supercooled water droplets in a fog freeze onto a surface.



Also essential to this landscape was the clear view – unusual on this mountain, which is often covered in thick fog – and the Fichtelberg meteorological station, which sits at an altitude of 1214 metres and has been measuring the weather since 1916.



Finally - and crucially - there was Christoph’s perseverance in capturing the photo in the first place:



“It was not easy to photograph this landscape because it was about -14 degrees that evening, with strong winds.”
Polar Stratospheric Cloud by Tania Engbo Dyck-Madsen
Polar Stratospheric Cloud by Tania Engbo Dyck-Madsen

This trippy photo reveals the vibrant beauty of the extremely rare polar stratospheric clouds, also known as nacreous or mother-of-pearl clouds. Photographer Tania Engbo Dyck-Madsen didn’t think she’d ever get a chance to capture an image like this after she missed her chance two days earlier. But luckily, another of these ethereal clouds appeared during her trip to Norway, and this time she had her camera gear at the ready.



“This beautiful, but rare cloud appeared in the sky while I was on holiday in Norway, and luckily, I had my camera and tripod with me, so I could capture this amazing scene.”



Most of our weather occurs in the lowest level of the atmosphere, called the troposphere. Just above that lies the stratosphere, beginning some 10 kilometres above the Earth’s surface. Since the stratosphere is extremely dry compared to the lower troposphere, clouds rarely form at these altitudes. But when they do, they can look magnificent – as Tania’s photo illustrates.



Particles in the clouds scatter light, causing interference patterns, and leading to the colourful fringes shown in this photo.
Snow Covered beach huts by Owen Humphreys
Snow Covered Beach Huts by Owen Humphreys

This is a sunny seaside snap – but not like you’d expect! Photographer Owen Humphreys set out to capture the contrast between the colourful beach huts of Blyth in Northumberland, England, and the blanket of white snow. Getting a shot like this isn’t easy since this coastal spot doesn’t often receive snow like this.



“This is a picture I’ve been trying to capture for a while now… where all the elements came together with the sun on the beach huts and snow.”



This photo took a lot of dedication for Owen to capture, but it would likely be even harder in the future. In fact, climate change might all but eliminate snow from the UK as the country continues to heat up – even if we’re able to limit global warming in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. A chilling thought indeed!
Braving the Storm by Les Irwig
Braving the Storm by Les Irwig

Would you surf a scene like this? Photographer Les Irwig captured a surfer’s contemplation of brooding weather conditions on one of Australia’s beaches in Sydney.



“One wonders what was on his mind as he stands in readiness.”



The early morning light of the sunrise illuminates heavy convective clouds, as they rain off in the distance. Sunrises have such warm hues, since the sun’s rays travel a long distance through the atmosphere, and the bluer frequencies of light get scattered away en route through “Rayleigh scattering”.



Convective clouds form as warm, moist air rises in the lower atmosphere. And they’re not just dramatic to look at. These clouds are associated with heavy downpours and lightning. Perhaps that explains why the surfer seems so pensive!



Photo location: Sydney, Australia 

Photographer based: Sydney, Australia

Camera: Samsung S23  
Country Supercell by Sara Bruce
Country Supercell by Sara Bruce

Photographer Sara Bruce captured this dramatic image of a supercell in Missouri in the USA. For Sara, capturing this moment had profound significance as it came just three days after the death of her grandparents:


“I don’t think anyone really could truly understand how happy and [in] awe I was at that moment, seeing something so dangerous and beautiful at the same time…”


Supercells aren’t just dramatic to look at – they can also cause devastation. These storm clouds are formed by convection – where hot, moist air rises in the atmosphere – and can produce a host of intense conditions, such as hail, strong winds, thunder, and lightning, heavy downpours, and tornadoes.
Frozen silence by Alan Percy
Frozen Silence by Alan Percy

This beautiful blanket of frost was captured by photographer Alan Percy in Norfolk in the UK. Alan captured this serene shot at one of his all-time favourite spots:



“I love a foggy and frosty morning… this was a perfect morning for the subject.”



Hoar frost forms when water vapour in the air comes into contact with solid objects that are below zero degrees Celsius. Rather than the water vapour first condensing onto the object and then freezing, this allows the water vapour to freeze directly onto the object, producing ice crystals and beautiful frosty effects like these. Hoar frost is distinctive due to its feathery structure, and the freezing process is so quick that it traps air, giving a white or silver opaque appearance.



As burning fossil fuels continues to heat the planet, days with surface temperatures below zero will become rarer and rarer in the UK, making shots like this all the rarer too.
Red Sprite Lightning over the Ama Drime Snow Mountain by Zhengjie Wu
Red Sprite Lightning over the Ama Drime Snow Mountain by Zhengjie Wu

This is an elegant example of red sprite lightning, captured by photographer Zhengjie Wu. Zhengjie was camping at an altitude of 4800 metres by Zongzuo Lake in China, when a blizzard struck. After the snow passed, thunderstorms continued in the distance, and Zhenjie seized the opportunity to take photos, capturing these elusive sprites in action.

“I was very lucky.”

SPRITE stands for Stratospheric Perturbations Resulting from Intense Thunderstorm Electrification. Like the lightning we’re all more familiar with, red sprites involve electrical discharges from thunderclouds… but the similarities end there.

The discharges flow tens of kilometres upwards from storm clouds, through a region of the atmosphere known as the mesosphere. Though there’s still much to learn about this pretty phenomenon, scientists think it may be a process that balances out the discharge of regular lightning.

Since red sprites only last a fraction of a second, they can be hard to observe… and to photograph, making Zhengjie Wu’s capture all the more unusual.
A Noctilucent Paisley Pattern by Gary Chittick
A Noctilucent Paisley Pattern by Gary Chittick

This photo captures the mind-bogglingly distant pattern of noctilucent, or "night-shining" clouds. These clouds form far above the weather-producing clouds that we’re used to seeing—some 80 kilometres above Earth’s surface in a region of the atmosphere named the "mesosphere."

The photographer, Gary Chittick, is a keen noctilucent cloud watcher and managed to capture this shot, framing these ethereal clouds along with his hometown of Paisley, as well as several more down-to-earth clouds.

"I was delighted to see them forming and brightening as I got to my location."

We can see why – noctilucent clouds aren’t just far out in their distance but also in their formation. They’re composed of ice crystals, which may form on dust from meteorites. They can generally only be observed in twilight when most of the sky is shrouded in darkness, but the sun’s rays can still reach the upper atmosphere to illuminate them from below. This meant that Gary had to stay up late to get this unique shot!

Photo location: Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland 

Photographer based: Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland 

Camera: OPPO Find X5 Pro
Sharing a Broken Spectre by Matthew Price
Sharing a Broken Spectre by Matthew Price

This playful self-portrait captures the rainbow bullseye pattern surrounding a Brocken spectre. Matthew Price was walking with his wife on Herick Hill in Wales when they spotted the Brocken spectre that their shadows were creating in the fog:



“I thought flying the drone may create a different perspective.”



Brocken spectres are caused by the shadow of the observer projected onto the mist, often creating the illusion of huge, distant, ghostly figures. In this photo, the spectre is surrounded by a rainbow-coloured glory as different frequencies of light are reflected back to the camera at different angles by the water droplets in the mist. And given these vibrant colours, we can see why Matthew and his wife seem so happy to have spotted one.
Lenticular sundown reflections by Kathleen Macleod
Lenticular Sundown Reflections by Kathleen Macleod

These flying saucers aren’t alien visitors. They’re lenticular clouds, which form when air flowing over the ground encounters an obstacle, such as a mountain. This causes the air to rise and cool, which can allow moisture to condense and form these clouds. For lenticular clouds to form, the atmosphere needs to be stable, which means that the air forced up readily sinks back down again and can continuously rise and fall downstream like ripples in the air, which you can see here.



Photographer Kathleen Macleod captured this photo in Inverness in the Scottish Highlands, where there are plenty of peaks on which these clouds can form:

“We are lucky to get amazing lenticular clouds with our topography.”



The scene is made all the more special by the beautiful sunset. Sunsets have warm hues of light since the sun’s rays travel far through the atmosphere, and the bluer frequencies of light get scattered away through Rayleigh scattering.