From dramatic clouds to majestic rainbows, some of nature’s most impressive moments have been captured by this year’s finalists for the Weather Photographer of the Year 2021 competition. The 21 finalists for the annual award, held by the UK’s Royal Meteorological Society, have been selected from more than 8,900 entries, submitted by more than 3,300 photographers from 114 countries. From 11am on Thursday, the public are invited to vote for their favourite images. Voting closes on September 23, with the winners announced in a ceremony held on October 16. Among the shortlisted entries are a striking image of a rainbow-coloured cloud captured over the Sanding Temple in Tibet, as well as a shot of dramatic fog on an autumn day in the town of Airuno in Italy. Some of the images also capture the effects of extreme weather. One picture, taken in York in the UK, shows the effects of flooding after the River Ouse rose to dangerously high levels. New for this year is also a mobile phone category, which attracted more than 3,250 entries. <b>Scroll through the gallery above to see all 21 of the shortlisted images</b> “This is our sixth year of the competition and it never fails to amaze me the quality and breadth of images that we receive,” said Liz Bentley, chief executive of the Royal Meteorological Society. “Weather and climate is something that we all share, but the drama, as well as the beauty of this force of nature, is something that can be truly unique to specific parts of the world. “It’s a privilege to be able to share in those moments as we look through the entries. Many of the photographers capture it so beautifully that you almost feel as if you were there.” The winners of the main and mobile categories for Weather Photographer of the Year 2021, Young Weather Photographer of the Year 2021, Public Favourite and the runners up from each award will be announced in an online event, WeatherLive: From One Extreme to Another. The event will also explore a range of weather extremes that have occurred over the past year, from extreme heat, wildfires and drought to flooding and storms. The winning images will be made into a calendar, which will go on sale later this year.