50 of The Most Terrifying Weather Photos Ever Taken

We hear about weather disasters all over the news, but not many have experienced them firsthand. It's one thing to hear about them, and another to witness firsthand the destruction a hurricane or massive earthquake can cause. One simple weather disaster can cause one to lose it all, so next time you hear about one of these, instead of going about your day, really dive deep into the story to see if there is any way you can offer any assistance. If you need more convincing about how terrifying weather can be, check out this gallery to see some photos of treacherous weather conditions. 

Marsden is a big village in Kirklees, a Metropolitan Borough in West Yorkshire, England. The village became prominent in the 19th century, thanks to the widespread production of woolen cloth, but like other cities and villages in first-world countries across the globe, the wildlife and lush plantations all paint a picture of severe climate change. 

Visitors to Dorset’s Jurassic coast bore witness to an unusual occurrence in May 2021 as extremely high winds were recorded along with high tides. These two conditions would eventually combine to cause spume that would then blow through and across the holiday resort. 

Captured in late 2018, this is one of those weather pictures you’d love to see but would hate to be surrounded by. This picture was taken out in the Adriatic Sea during a massive thunderstorm. 

In this remarkable picture, a parked car outside a couple of houses in England’s western region is submerged by floodwaters after the entire country recorded heavy rains during Storm Christoph. 

The Acropolis, one of the most famous tourist attractions in all of Greece, was covered in snow for the first time ever after an unusual snowstorm. The high city as it's called is a complete monument from the ancient Greek kingdom, and since the place was built in 3300 BC, the kind of weather captured in this picture had never been recorded there. 

In May 2021, the Palisades wildfire flared up and burned out of control after growing to 750 acres. There was a large plume of smoke in the sky that was clearly visible for many miles, and as a result, some residents of the east Topanga Community Center and Viewridge Road had to be evacuated from the rugged terrain homes in Topanga Canyon. 

In May 2022, a gigantic brush fire swept across the Jurupa Valley, prompting a decisive response from firefighters. The Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center was also evacuated as a result of the inferno that erupted just before 1 p.m. 

This is a stunning aerial image that shows different clusters of fires that ravaged across the state of Oregon. At one point, as many as two dozen wildfires burned across the area, and the whole inferno was observed from satellites while the fires grew and destroyed everything in their path. 

The flames from a raging fire that burned in Schinos, a village close to Corinth, Greece necessitated the intervention of volunteers and firefighters alike that combined to fight the fire in May 2021. As you can see from the picture below, the scene looked like it came straight out of an action movie. 

This one’s an unusual sight indeed but one that scientists have been actively unraveling since Mark Duffy, a storm photographer, captured it. According to Duffy, the energy simply emerged from nothing in the western region of Moose Jaw. 

Germany and Belgium recorded some of the deadliest floods recorded in Europe in decades as at least 106 people died in Germany, and about a thousand went missing. Thousands of residents in the Euskirchen district were evacuated as there was a threat that a dam could break and cause even more devastation. 

The disaster signs were everywhere in this Belgian city affected by flooding as we see some cars completely underwater and a boat that has seen better days. Houses were flattened and entire regions were destroyed in one of the worst flooding disasters ever recorded in Western Europe.

Moscow, Russia became the home of unusual sights as everything was soaked in water in a bid to combat tarmac overheating. Giant orange trucks went about blasting the roads and vehicles with high-pressure water every single day at one point, and these trucks did more than just clean the roads. 

In May 2022, Bangladesh was hit by a wave of climate disasters that drove children away from classrooms and to work. In this picture, we see a flooded waterlogged street and cycle rickshaw drivers conveying residents across the flooded street after a particularly heavy downpour in Dhaka. 

Not all incredible weather moments occur in remote jungles or around the ocean, some occur in big cities like Dubai. This incredible moment was captured as the Burj Khalifa got struck by lightning during a huge thunderstorm.

Courtesy of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, we get to see the Bootleg fire as it burned through South-East Oregon. The fire was fueled by strong winds that appeared to grow stronger as time passed, and dry conditions that kept it raging for longer than expected. 

Cyclone Tauktae bore down on the shoreline in Mumbai, India as waves crashed and the cyclone loomed in the distance. A wall and footpath were both damaged by the cyclone close to the Gateway of India but thankfully no damage was recorded to the main structure. 

In the aftermath of an unfortunate landslide in Shizuoka, Japan, law enforcement officers and emergency workers were deployed to rescue victims. Here, we see a police officer and what appears to be a search-and-rescue dog examining the area around the landslide. 

After days of heavy downpours, Southwestern France was hit by heavy floods, and flood alerts were issued in different regions, including eastern Paris. Saintes recorded the worst flooding of all, as river Charente reached a record 6.20 meters and several streets were flooded by waist-deep water. 

This stunning picture of a storm was taken in Wanette, Oklahoma. What makes this storm so surreal is the stunning colors that surround it, there’s blue that was created by light that passed through the hail, causing them to smash into one another in the clouds. 

In June 2021, a rare tornado wreaked havoc in the Czech Republic, sweeping through multiple villages and killing and injuring several residents. The storm blew off roofs, overturned cars, and uprooted trees as it blew through the districts of Breclav and Hodonin. 

Rotating Supercell Storms aren’t an awfully common weather condition so not a lot of people know about them, but thanks to this picture taken by Derek Burdeny, we see that they’re quite real. These kinds of storms often take on a very unique shape, and they’re called motherships by members of the storm community. 

In January 2019, a gigantic monster dust storm hit central New South Wales and the entire region became engulfed in it. The photo indicates the region became something like a scene from an apocalyptic movie, except this wasn’t fiction in any way. 

This picture right here is regarded as the most iconic image captured during the devastating wildfires that spread destruction across Australia in 2013. We see a mother and her grandchildren trying to stay safe in the water. 

In August 2022, the worst heatwave on record was recorded in China. There was a drought, temperatures soared to unprecedented levels, and there were power shortages and crop failures. 

In the summer of 2022, Pakistan experienced a wave of devastating flooding that submerged countless animals, homes, and regions. It was believed that at least 30 million people were affected by the catastrophic floods, and another 1,700 or so Pakistanis died as a result but those were not the only problems the floods brought. 

The inherent danger of chasing down a tornado wasn’t enough to dissuade Brandon Goforth from chasing down this tornado and catching up with it south of Campo, Colorado. He finally caught up with it on May 31, 2010, a remarkable day in the history of storm chasing. 

Here’s another supercell storm picture, however, this one took place on a cornfield not far from Sterling, Colorado. You can see the storm pulling in clouds from all directions, so although storm chasers love storms like this, it is best to stay a good distance away from them. 

Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in September 2017, while sweeping through the northern Caribbean. An estimated 3,000 people were killed by the devastating hurricane, and the damage it caused is estimated at $90bn. 

Wildfires raged nonstop across the Mediterranean in the summer of 2021. This is an iconic picture of an older woman that was bathed in the orange glaze of the fires, the picture has become a famous symbol of the destruction caused by the wildfires. 

The Amazon rainforest has been gradually deforested over the years, and we know all about it thanks to climate activists that have made it the symbol of the destructive nature of humans. In this remarkable picture, we see an aerial view of a razed forest in the Amazon in 2019. 

The wildfire that ravaged Pampilhosa da Serra, Portugal in August 2005 was a devastating disaster that non-residents of the city can only appreciate thanks to pictures like this one. There was enough smoke in the area to completely cover up the sky. 

Famous poet, Joseph Brodsky once quipped that Venice was eternity itself, and while that might be true on most days, it wasn’t in November 2019. The floating city was hit by the most devastating flood in over 50 years in November 2019 and as a result, large chunks of the city were submerged. 

In February 2022, record-shattering droughts were recorded across the globe, and as a result, lots of long-buried and forgotten places and objects were unearthed. In the case of this picture, we see the unearthing of the Spanish Stonehenge, 19th-century battleships, and Second World War memorabilia. 

New Year celebrations don’t necessarily go along with climate activism on most days, but the two did on New Year’s day in 2018. Climate change and air pollution are two closely linked phenomena as both are mostly caused by burnt fossil fuels, and smog mostly forms during hot weather. 

We wouldn't blame you if you thought this photo was fake or edited, but this is a real photo of how terrifying weather can look. Marc Adamus has been fascinated by weather all his life so it’s only right that he gets all the credit for capturing this incredible moment in Nebraska. 

Here we have Volcan de Colima which is an active volcano located in the Mexican state of Colima. It is also the second Volcano on our list that was hit by a thunderstorm as it was erupting and was captured at the perfect time when the lightning was mixing with the ash. 

Though this may look like a scene from a video game, this picture was actually taken of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 2010. The volcano is located in Iceland and in 2010 it erupted covering the sky in a field of ash that delayed travel all over Europe. 

In March 2021, Sydney, Australia experienced heavy rainfall that led to New South Wales being flooded, as shown in the picture below. Australia experienced 5 months of bad weather conditions associated with La Niña, which was a storm that developed in the second half of 2020.

Although they say everything is nicer in Canada, this fire was anything but nice. This fire took place in British Columbia, the westernmost province of Canada, and was named The Sparks Lake wildfire. 

Sandstorms are a common occurrence in Beijing, China, particularly in the spring. The storms are caused by strong winds that pick up sand and dust from the Gobi Desert and deposit it in the city. The sandstorms can cause poor visibility, respiratory problems, and damage to buildings and infrastructure. 

A flash flood occurred in the Dutch city of Roermond on November 15, 2021. Heavy rain caused the Roer River to overflow, resulting in severe flooding in the city center. Several buildings were damaged and several people were injured. Emergency services were dispatched to assist with evacuations and provide aid to affected individuals. 

You would think the picture below was taken by a robot on the surface of Mars. Although that wouldn't be a bad guess, this picture actually shows Oran, Algeria engulfed by a terrifying sandstorm.

Here we see the terrifying devastation that was caused by Cyclone Eloise. Cyclone Eloise formed in the Mozambique Channel in January 2021. It made landfall in the northern part of Mozambique, near the city of Pemba, causing heavy rainfall, strong winds, and flooding. 

The man responsible for capturing this moment is Roger Hill, the Guinness Book of World Records holder for the most tornados witnessed. Hill has both witnessed and captured over 650 tornados, and he has likewise seen thousands of thunderstorms and lightning strikes. 

Here we see the destruction caused by a flood in Erftstadt, Germany. The city was hit by thunderstorms that caused houses to become submerged and ultimately collapse. 

In May 2021, a severe cyclone made landfall in India destroying many parts including Kolkata, West Bengal, and Orissa. The cyclone that was named Cyclone Yaas killed over 150 people as it brought with it ferocious winds and heavy rains that caused waves that damaged and swamped towns. 

Tornadoes are one of the deadliest weather conditions a town can face, and when the village of Hrusky in the Czech Republic faced one they found out why. Here we see the destruction a tornado caused as it left a trail of devastation as it traveled through the village. 

As the Bootleg fire spread and engulfed over 80,000 acres of Oregon territory, the sky wasn’t left out as smoke from the gigantic flames filled the sky. Thanks to the US Forest Service, we see the amount of smoke that rose to the sky while the raging fire burned below.