winners of weather photographer of the year 2016 competition

The Royal Meteorological Society and The Royal Photographic Society have announced the winners of the Weather Photographer of the Year 2016 competition. Although the competition is only in its first year, more than 800 photographs depicting weather from around the world were submitted.

First place, over 16s – Ben Cherry, United Kingdom / Sprite Lightning: "The image was taken in Punta Banco, a small village on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

Second place – Camelia Czuchnicki, United Kingdom / Clash of the Storms: "A clash between two storm cells in New Mexico, US in June 2014

Third place – Andrew Bailey, United Kingdom / Freezing Fog and Hoar Frost: "The image was taken at half term (16 February 2016)

Public vote winner – Paul Kingston, United Kingdom / Storms Cumbria

16 and under winner – James Bailey, United Kingdom / Hailstorm and rainbow over the seas of Covehithe

Graham Newman, Australia

Michal Krzysztofowicz, Antarctica

Kevin Pearson, United Kingdom / Misty River DawnKevin Pearson, United Kingdom / Misty River Dawn: "My image was taken in late April 2016 along the bank of the River Brue in Glastonbury, Somerset.

Steve M Smith, United Kingdom / Cloud tunnel, Carneddau, north Wales

Stephen Lansdell, United Kingdom / Mama Factory

Paula Davies, United Kingdom / Jack Frost: "My photograph was taken on a frosty January morning in North Yorkshire, UK

Overall Weather Photographer of the Year 2016 – Tim Moxon, United Kingdom / Tornado on Show: "A classic severe weather setup in the high plains of Colorado near the town of Wray yielded one of the most photogenic tornadoes of the year.

Stephen Burt, United Kingdom / Matterhorn banner cloud: "Orographic cloud winds around and over the unmistakable profile of the Matterhorn in Switzerland

Mat Robinson, United Kingdom / Snowbow

Mat Robinson, United Kingdom / Mamazing: "This image was taken on a journey back to York after a miserable weekend in the midlands

Paul Andrew, United Kingdom / Evening Storm, Mono Lake

Dmitry Demin, Russia / UFO over the Caucasus

Allan Macdougall, United Kingdom / Ice Sculpture on Plynlimon

Mark Boardman, United Kingdom / Hail shower over Jodrell Bank

Camelia Czuchnicki, United Kingdom / The Barber’s Pole

Alan Tough, United Kingdom / Polar Stratospheric Cloud

Tomasz Janicki, United Kingdom, under-16 / First Light: "The picture was taken last winter in Snowdonia, Wales.

END13-SEPTIEMBRE-2016