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Royal Meteorological Society

@rmets_

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Leading independent expert in weather and climate.
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Dust storms, or haboobs, are the result of a microburst – an intense column of sinking air within a thunderstorm, which as it hits the ground spreads out in all directions and carries dust particles at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. The lofted particles can reach heights of 5000 ft and can extend up to 100 miles wide. As long as there is enough dry, exposed land with loose sediment, dust storms can happen anywhere and are capable of reducing visibility to near zero in a matter of seconds. In Arizona, US, dust storms are most common in the early part of the monsoon and near agricultural areas. This image captures an Arizona dust storm that raged across the state for over 200 miles in 2018, reaching its maximum height and density just in time to be illuminated by a stunning sunset. by @rmets_
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2 days ago
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Carlos arrived in the dark, early morning to watch a big storm form over Barcelona. "As dawn was breaking, I could see a large waterspout sliding down in front of the harbour. From time to time, a flash of lightning illuminated the scene". A waterspout is a rotating column of air that forms over water or moves from land to water. There are two types of waterspouts, fair weather waterspouts and tornadic waterspouts. Fair weather waterspouts are not usually associated with thunderstorms. Less common but more violent tornadic waterspouts, such as this example, form over the water or move from the land to water, with the same characteristics as land tornadoes. They develop from cumulonimbus clouds or thunderstorms. These columns of rotating air extend downwards from the cloud and touch the water surface, often accompanied by strong winds, high seas, large hail and frequent lightning. This image was taken 8 July, 2021 by @rmets_
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9 days ago
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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 aeroplanes’ contribution to global warming beyond the greenhouse gases they emit. by @rmets_
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16 days ago
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Photographer Jamie Russell took advantage of sea and air to capture this image: “Some large showers started developing 20 miles or so to our north-northwest. Realising they could cross The Needles with rainbow potential, we jumped in our rib at Colwell Bay and positioned ourselves with the camera. However, the composition was awkward, and the choppy sea was a challenge, so I sent up the drone, knowing the view would likely be a lot more impressive.” His instinct certainly paid off as he managed to capture two British icons: the white chalk stacks of The Needles and a downpour! To top this image off, the Isle of Wight is perfectly crowned with a rainbow. Although rainbows are a common optical phenomenon, the correct ingredients need to come together to see one. Firstly, the sun must be behind you, and it must be low in the sky. Secondly, an array of airborne water droplets must be ahead of you. When light travels through a water droplet, it slows down and changes direction because a water droplet is denser than air—this is known as refraction. The amount that light is refracted depends on its colour, which is why sunlight (consisting of a mix of all colours) is split into the rainbow spectrum when it is refracted. This spreading of the light into the different colours is called dispersion. When the light reaches the back of the water droplet, it is reflected and passes back through the droplet, again being refracted and further dispersed as it leaves the droplet. As with all optical phenomena, rainbows are completely unique to the observer, so no two people will have ever seen the exact same rainbow (unless someone like Jamie has been on hand to document it!). by @rmets_
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23 days ago
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The quiz is locked, and the answers are in! Quiz answers: 1. What instrument measures air pressure? B) Barometer 2. What two things do you need to form a rainbow? (A) Sunlight and water droplets 3. What is the difference between rain and showers? (C) The type of cloud it falls from Bonus: TRUE or FALSE: Lightning is hotter than the surface of the Sun. (A) TRUE — lightning can reach around 50,000°F / 27,700°C, roughly five times hotter than the Sun’s surface. Our official certificates are being prepared for the top scorers right now. Pressure is in cinemas now. Don't wait.... by @rmets_
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25 days ago
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Meet another expert on this year's judging panel: @dennisoswald Dennis is a storm chaser, meteorologist, and acclaimed photographer with over 25 years of experience. As a meteorologist and geographer, he has been chasing photogenic thunderstorms for over a quarter of a century, preferably in the Great Plains in the U.S. His second passion lies in the vast expanses of the American deserts, with their deafening silence. He has also published several books, did lots of presentations about storm and desert photography on big stages all over Germany. He will be keeping an eye out for technical excellence and dramatic impact. Thank you to everyone who submitted their incredible images to this year’s Weather Photographer of the Year competition. We’ve loved seeing the extraordinary ways you’ve captured the power and beauty of weather around the world. What’s next?: Shortlist announcement and public vote: 22 October 2026 Winners announced: 17 November 2026 #rmets #wpoty2026 by @rmets_
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a month ago
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The image was taken on Diamond Beach, Iceland, which is a strip of black sand providing am increased contrast in colours in this image. The photographer is framed in a natural hole in the ice probably carved by the sea water. Natural ice sculptures on the beach originate from floating icebergs in the Jokulsárlón Glacial Lagoon in Iceland that are carried by the tide onto the black volcanic sands. The glittering ice sculptures are the reason the beach is given its name. by @rmets_
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a month ago
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THE WINNER IS… 🏆⛈️ To mark the opening week of PRESSURE in cinemas, director Anthony Maras has teamed up with the Royal Meteorological Society to crown the single most dramatic storm photo submitted this year. Out of thousands of entries, this spectacular frame perfectly captures the raw atmospheric tension of a world under pressure. Head to the cinemas now to watch Pressure on the screen this weekend: https://www.pressurefilm.co.uk/ #Pressurefilm by @rmets_
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a month ago
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PRESSURE IS NOW IN UK CINEMAS! 🎬🍿 In 1944, RMetS Fellow and past President Group Captain James Stagg faced the ultimate test under pressure to deliver the D-Day forecast. Today, the film lands on the big screen - how does your own meteorological knowledge fare against the forecast that altered human history? Put your atmospheric skills to the test with our Weather and Pressure Quiz! Match the professionals, see through the storm, and you could win an official RMetS certificate to prove your expertise! Question 1: What instrument measures air pressure? A) Anemometer B) Barometer C) Thermometer Question 2: What two things do you need to form a rainbow? A) Sunlight and water droplets B) A full camouflage uniform and direct orders from a general C) High-speed winds and extreme humidity Question 3: What is the difference between rain and showers? A) The type of cloud it falls from B) How heavy the water drops are C) Showers only happen at night Bonus Question: TRUE or FALSE: Lightning is hotter than the surface of the Sun A) TRUE B) FALSE Pressure is in cinemas today! Follow @studiocanaluk and @pressurefilmuk for more. by @rmets_
5
a month ago
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In June 1944, the fate of the free world didn’t just rest on soldiers and strategy-it hung entirely on a weather forecast. What does it take to make the most important weather forecast in human history? Today, the untold true story PRESSURE arrives in UK cinemas, tracking the tense 72 hours before the D-Day landings. Andrew Scott stars as British meteorologist Group Captain James Stagg, who clashed with Allied high command over a looming storm system that threatened to destroy Operation Overlord. We are incredibly proud to note that James Stagg was a distinguished Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society, later serving as our Society President from 1959 to 1961! To celebrate seeing one of our legendary past presidents at the centre of a cinematic feature film, RMetS has been sorting through this year's Weather Photographer of the Year 2026 entries to find real, severe weather images that mirror that same cinematic tension. We are gathering a specialised shortlist of raw storm photographs for director Anthony Maras to judge for a one-off, standalone 'Pressure Award'. Turn your notifications on and follow our channels on Friday 11 September to see which storm chaser caught the eye of Hollywood! Pressure is in cinemas from Wednesday 9 September. Follow @StudiocanalUK and @PressureFilmUK for more. by @rmets_
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a month ago
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Meet another expert on this year's judging panel: Tom Prater As the Visuals Editor at Carbon Brief, Tom is an expert in environmental storytelling and loves compelling visuals that highlight our changing planet. Tom holds a MSc in digital journalism from Goldsmiths, University of London and a BA in art and visual culture from University of the West of England. He has designed and produced data-driven graphics and climate visuals for various thinktanks, research groups and NGOs. Thank you to everyone who submitted their incredible images to this year’s Weather Photographer of the Year competition. We’ve loved seeing the extraordinary ways you’ve captured the power and beauty of weather around the world. What’s next?: Shortlist announcement and public vote: 22 October 2026 Winners announced: 17 November 2026 #rmets #wpoty2026 by @rmets_
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a month ago
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During the late afternoon, following a midwinter's day spent hiking in the mountains under a cloudless sky, Angela spotted these glorious lenticular clouds. They had developed above the mountains, behind the coastal town of Nerja on the Costa del Sol. A lenticular cloud is a lens, or saucer-shaped cloud, which forms when stable air is forced to rise over a hill or mountain. This disturbance in the horizontal airflow can develop waves in the air downstream, similar to the ripples you see as water flows over a rock. These waves generally stay in the same place as the wind blows through them, hence their name 'standing waves'. If the air is sufficiently moist, a lenticular cloud can form in the crest of a wave. Either directly over or just to the lee (sheltered side) of the mountain. As Angela observed, close to sunrise or sunset, the display of these clouds often becomes more spectacular by the minute, with the golden light of the sun illuminating the clouds beneath. by @rmets_
5
a month ago
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