“Blizzard” by Rudolf Sulgan. Overall winner.
“Global warming is the primary cause of the current sea-level rise. As a result, hundreds of millions of people living in coastal areas will become increasingly vulnerable to flooding. Higher sea levels would force them to abandon their homes and relocate. To combat this change in global temperature rise, we can reduce emissions and ensure communities have the resources they need to withstand the effects of climate change. Today’s choices will determine how high sea levels rise, how fast it occurs, and how much time we have to protect our communities. I made this image in 2018, during a strong blizzard as El Nino’s periodic warming of water often disrupts normal weather patterns. My main concern and inspiration are that my images hopefully do a small part in combating climate change.”

Over 7,700 images were entered into the Royal Meteorological Society‘s Weather Photographer of the Year competition. Photographers from across the globe submitted their best imagery capturing the beauty of weather. From incredible cloud formations to ice and snow, the winning photos are a celebration of what nature creates.

Photographer Rudolf Sulgan took home the title of Weather Photographer of the Year for his photograph of people walking across the Brooklyn Bridge in the midst of a blizzard. For Sulgan, the photo is a reminder of our changing climate. The competitions judges were wowed by the composition of the powerful images. “The weather affects all of our lives and this picture captures that perfectly,” said Liz Bentley, Chief Executive of the Royal Meteorological Society (RMetS) and panel judge. “Brooklyn Bridge provides an iconic backdrop, but it is the combined effect of snow, wind and freezing temperatures on the people trying to cross the bridge that tells the whole story—it sends a shiver down my spine.”[…]

More: Weather Photographer of the Year Winners Celebrate Nature’s Beauty