Stunning pictures of lightning, floods and a snow-covered Yak

We all love to talk about it in the Britain, but these pictures show that the weather holds a fascination around the globe.

From forks of lightning in Poland and New Mexico to flooded fields in Portugal, a snow-covered yak in Nepal and a monsoon in Bangladesh, these pictures all made the final cut in the Society of International Nature and Wildlife Photographers' Weather competition.

Winner was Andrzej Bochenski from Poland for his dramatic lightning shot on Puck Bay on the Baltic Sea.

The winner of the Society of International Nature and Wildlife Photographers' Weather competition was Andrzej Bochenski from Poland for his dramatic lightning shot on Puck Bay on the Baltic Sea

Another lightning shot bagged second place for Craig Bill, 44, from Texas.Craig said of the picture, taken in Jal, New Mexico: 'The shot I call Thunder Heart came as a blinding flash so bright and powerful, I never saw it directly'

Third place was awarded to Filipa Scarpa from Portugal with her picture of looming storm clouds

Mr Bochenski said: 'It was terrible storm with a lot of thunder but without rain.

'I used a tripod, on a 30 seconds exposure to get this one.'

Another lightning shot bagged second place for Craig Bill, 44, from Texas.

Craig said of the picture, taken in Jal, New Mexico: 'The shot I call Thunder Heart came as a blinding flash so bright and powerful, I never saw it directly.

'This low hanging cloud was threatening me with random powerful bolts.

The scene from the base of Mount Everest in Nepal was captured by 40-year-old Australian Jason Freeman. He said: 'The shot was taken close to a tiny settlement called Gorak Shep 5,300m above sea level. This is the last vestige of civilisation before Everest Base Camp and a popular stop for trekkers'

Jerry Boyden caught this sunset whilst waiting for his wife in Clearwater, Florida. He said: 'I was trying to get a few sunset photos in before I had to pick my wife up from work. This was the last photo I got to take before I had to run'

'I hooked up a control device that trips the shutter when a bright flash hits, but you have to be able to anticipate where the next bolt is coming from and have the camera ready.'

In third was Filipa Scarpa from Portugal with her picture of looming storm clouds.

Filipa, 54, from Lisbon, said: 'The picture was taken in Sintra, in Lisbon, as the Hercules storm rolled in.'

And a picture of a house standing in a flooded field after the storm also got her a highly commended place.

She said: 'This was taken in Santarem, where there was then a huge flood as a consequence of the Hercules storm. As a result, many houses became isolated because of water flooding from the Tagus river.'

Photographer Greg Kacin, 35, a musician, said of his highly commended image: 'The church is called Saint Thomas, Sveti Tomaž, and it stands in small village near town of Žiri.'It's a peaceful place and I go there a lot. I took this picture in January on the first day of winter snow'

Retired Ron, 63, said of the highly commended image: 'This shot of Big Ben from Westminster bridge was taken during one of two days that we had snow in January last year.'

Craig Bill was also highly commended for another lightning picture also taken in Jal, New Mexico.

He said: 'This storm was not all that big, but it made up for it in intense electrical energy and light that was just incredible.

'This image comprises of five different lightning bursts layered over each other.

'After about an hour, the storm lost its gusto and disintegrated while others in the distance gained strength.'

The UK was not left out, with this atmospheric picture of London landmark Big Ben in a snow storm by Ron Tear, from Loughton in Essex.

Retired Ron, 63, said of the highly commended image: 'This shot of Big Ben from Westminster bridge was taken during one of two days that we had snow in January last year.'

Craig Bill was also highly commended for another lightning picture also taken in Jal, New Mexico.He said: 'This storm was not all that big, but it made up for it in intense electrical energy and light that was just incredible'

Highly Commended Philip Bird, from East Grinstead in West Sussex photographed a Grand Teton mountain range in Wyoming when a snowstorm came over

This photo was highly commended in the competition and taken by Nadi Nitul in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh

And snow was the theme for another highly commended picture as a yak gets a dusting as it waits between jobs.

The scene from the base of Mount Everest in Nepal was captured by 40 year old Australian Jason Freeman.

He said: 'The shot was taken close to a tiny settlement called Gorak Shep 5,300m above sea level. This is the last vestige of civilisation before Everest Base Camp and a popular stop for trekkers.

'As the climbing season was just beginning, the yak had a rare 'day off' and was waiting for the next pack-carrying job to arrive.

'I was able to get to within two metres for this shot with before the yak snorted and became defensive. I took that as my cue to head home and left him to his blanket of spring snow.'

Also getting a coating of snow was this church nestled between two trees at the top of a hill in Slovenia.

Photographer Greg Kacin, 35, a musician, said of his highly commended image: 'The church is called Saint Thomas, Sveti Tomaž, and it stands in small village near town of Žiri.

'It's a peaceful place and I go there a lot. I took this picture in January on the first day of winter snow.'

Philip Bird, from East Grinstead in West Sussex was highly commended for his amazing shot of a snowstorm coming in that he took in America.

Philip, 64, a retired bank manager, said: 'I was taking some landscape shots at the base of the Grand Teton mountain range in Wyoming when a snowstorm came over the crest of the mountains and poured down to the plain where I was standing. A few minutes later I couldn't see a thing.'

Leaving the cold behind are the last two pictures that were both highly commended.

Jerry Boyden caught this sunset whilst waiting for his wife in Clearwater, Florida.

He said: 'I was trying to get a few sunset photos in before I had to pick my wife up from work. This was the last photo I got to take before I had to run.'

And lastly Nadi Nitul's picture taken at the height of the monsoon shows a street in her native Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh got her a highly commended.