Incredible pic of lightning striking Blackpool beats snowy scenes and giant waves to win Weather Photographer of the Year
'Electric Blackpool' by Stephen Cheatley will take this year's top prize awarded by the The Royal Meteorological Society and AccuWeather
Dan Hall
AN electrifying photograph of fork lightning striking Blackpool has won the prestigious Weather Photographer of the Year Award.
Stephen Cheatley won the honour with his breathtaking snap titled "Electric Blackpool" showing multiple strikes illuminating the Lancashire skies.
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'Electric Blackpool' by Stephen Cheatley - Winner of Weather Photographer of the Year 2018Credit: Stephen Cheatley
The thunderous victory eclipsed other amazing entries of natural phenomena taken all over the world.
Amazing submissions showed knife-edge ridges on snowy mountain tops in the French Alps and staggering double rainbows arching over Barcelona.
Runners-up also showcased roaring waves off the British coastline as Storm Eleanor battered the UK earlier this year.
And far-flung Iowan fields were photographed being reaped by a tornado and lightning in a powerful storm in the American Midwest.
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‘Descending the Arete du Midi in Fog at Sunrise’ by Dan Matthewman - Winner of the 17 and over categoryCredit: Dan Matthewman
But of all the incredible images, Stephen's Blackpool shot took the top honour.
The prize is given out each year by The Royal Meteorological Society - an organisation dedicated to promoting the understanding and application of meteorology for the benefit of all.
The Society helps people whose work is affected by the weather or climate, from academics to professional meteorologists.
Its membership is made up of scientists, practitioners and a broad range of weather enthusiasts - but its work aims to serve anyone who has a general interest in weather.
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‘The Wrath of Eleanor’ by Bill Brooks - Snapped in Newhaven harbour on 3 January capturing the power of Storm EleanorCredit: Bill Brooks
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‘The Mother of All Storms’ by Marko Korosec - A majestic 'supercell' storm photographed in South Dakota, USACredit: Marko Korosec
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‘Two Times One Train Station’ by Nikolay Schegolev - 2nd Prize Winner, 17 and over categoryCredit: Nikolay Schegolev
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'Gettin’ the Messages’ by Neil Barr - 3rd Prize Winner, 17 and over categoryCredit: Neil Barr
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‘Double Rainbow over Barcelona’ by Carlos Castillejo - Winner, 16 Years and Under CategoryCredit: Carlos Castillejo
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‘Fog Wave’ by Hoang Viet Nguyen Phung - Runner Up, 16 Years and Under categoryCredit: Hoang Viet Nguyen Phung
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‘Ellie Cloud’ by Kathryn Parent - Public Vote WinnerCredit: Kathryn Parent
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'Once in a lifetime' by Tina Wright - After an afternoon of strong storms in the Grand Canyon, the sun broke through at sunset to reveal a spectacular double rainbowCredit: Tina Wright
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‘Ice Photographer’ by Yevhen Samuchenko - The image was taken on Diamond Beach, Iceland, which is a strip of black sand providing an increased contrast in colours in this imageCredit: Yevhen Samuchenko
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'Lucky Strike' by Kevin Juberg- A gorgeous split bolt of lighting after a round of thunderstorms moved through the Grand CanyonCredit: Kevin Juberg
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'The Ridge' by Jason Hudson - Taken on a trip to the Isle of Skye this yearCredit: Jason Hudson
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Journey through the fog' by Rajesh Dhar - A cyclist travelling through a river on a misty morningCredit: Rajesh Dhar
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'Magic' by Kevin Juberg - Taken after heavy rain hit Yosemite National Park last JanuaryCredit: Kevin Juberg
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'The Bolivian Salt Desert’ by Guy Nesher - Rain turn the the white salt into an edgeless mirrorCredit: Guy Nesher
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‘Nacreous Clouds’ by Bartlomiej Jurecki - Also known as 'mother-of-pearl' clouds, nacreous clouds form in the stratosphere at temperatures of around -85CCredit: Bartlomiej Jurecki
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‘Reflection Bow’ by Carlos Castillejo - This image was captured in the Lofoten Islands, NorwayCredit: Carlos Castillejo
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‘After the Rain’ by Julia Trapeznikova - Water droplets hang suspended from the branches of a tree after heavy rainfallCredit: Julia Trapeznikova
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The Birth of a Dust Storm’ by Tina Wright - A gorgeous late season dust storm just south of Phoenix, ArizonaCredit: Sierra BLANCO
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‘Frost on the Beach’ by Ali Lansley - Hoar frost forms on shells and leaves on the shore of Southampton Water, Hythe in HampshireCredit: Ali Lansley
Terrifying moment woman is hit by lightning as she filmed a storm with her mobile phone
‘The Miracle’ by Georgy Akimov - Taken during the sailing competition ‘Giraglia Rolex Cup’, a Mediterranean keelboat regattaCredit: Georgy Akimov
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'Flooding in early spring’ by Victoriia ShpakovskaiaCredit: Victoriia Shpakovskaia
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'Drama on the Plains’ by Jason Hudson - Pictured in the mid-west of America during a storm chasing tourCredit: Jason Hudson
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