In response to thousands of entries from 119 different countries, judges from the Royal Meteorological Society (RMS) have announced the 2022 winners of its annual Weather Photographer of the Year competition, and the images are nothing short of breathtaking.
The Winner: ‘Storm Eunice’
British photographer Christopher Ison earned the top spot in the competition with his dynamic photo, “Storm Eunice.” The image depicts raging waves at high tide against the stoic structure of a lighthouse, taken during the first-ever red storm warning in Newhaven, on the south coast of England, in 2021.
Second Place: ‘Frozen’
Second place was awarded to Zhenhuan Zhou, 55, from Toronto, Canada, for his mystical photo of an icicle-drenched Niagara Falls in Ontario, titled “Frozen.”
Third Place: ‘Ghost Under the Cliff’
Third place went to 68-year-old Emili Vilamala Benito from Barcelona, Spain, for “Ghost Under the Cliff”—a rendering of a gigantic optical phenomenon that can appear when the shadow of the observer is cast downward onto morning fog off the cliff of Tavertet, Barcelona.Benito said, “In this geographical area, you can see these phenomena due to morning fog, and when it fades, it is possible to see this spectacular optical phenomenon.”
The competition also welcomed submissions for the sub-categories “Young Photographer,” “Mobile Phone,” and “Public Favorite.”
Young Weather Photographer of the Year 2022 went to U.S. photographer Eris Pil, from Pennsylvania. Just 17 years old and using a Google Pixel 3 phone, Eris submitted her photo, “Mammatus Sunset,” showing the sky softly illuminated by bulbous, backlit clouds in a rare phenomenon that is notoriously difficult to capture.
Pil said: “I love mammatus clouds; this was my first time ever witnessing them. I hope I have the opportunity to see them again, and I’m excited to share what they look like with others.”
In the Mobile Phone category, Aung Chan Thar from Myanmar took the top spot with “Sunset,” an opportunistic shot capturing a moment of ethereal beauty as the setting sun illuminates the metallic gold of a nearby pagoda.
Aung said: “That evening the clouds were overcast and it was raining, so I could not see the sun. Fortunately, just before sunset, the sun rose through the clouds and mist, creating a beautiful evening. Due to the sun, the pagoda became brighter and I captured this moment.”
The 22 shortlisted finalists of the overall competition were also put to a public vote, and almost 5,500 voters responded.
“Departing Storm Over Bembridge Lifeboat Station” by storm-chaser Jamie Russell from the Isle of Wight, the United Kingdom, was named Public Favorite for its striking depiction of a double rainbow against a moody sky, and the lesser-noted feature of the color reversal in the lighter, pastel “shadow” rainbow.
Jamie’s winning photo almost eluded him. He said: “I had been chasing showers and storms from west to east across the island in an attempt to capture some of the incredible rainbows. I reached Bembridge as the final shower departed, and in a panic waded in to waist-deep water, fully dressed, just to compose this scene!”
