LONDON, Sept. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The public vote for the Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year 2024 is now open. From 19 September to 17 October, individuals can vote for their favourite image from a shortlist showcasing 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 the environmental issues putting our planet at risk—including heatwaves, cyclones, and extreme flooding—while also depicting the awe-inspiring beauty and power of the weather.

With the introduction of the Standard Chartered Climate Award in 2024, the competition attracted thousands of entries from photographers of all ages and skill levels worldwide. Many participants were eager to document the human impacts of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and wildfires.

The shortlist gallery for the public vote is available on the Royal Meteorological Society's website, featuring 25 outstanding weather and climate photographs.

Highlights include a Saharan dust storm; an 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.

Competition Timeline

Public Vote Open: 19 September (07:00 BST) – 17 October (23:59 BST)

Winners' Announcement: 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: 

"In 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."

Read Notes to Editors

Download high-res or low-res images, captions and image copyright attribution here.