Workers harvest soybeans at a farm in Tangara da Serra, Mato Grosso state in western Brazil, March 5. (Paulo Whitaker, Reuters)

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is enshrouded in a fog of dust Sept. 23 in Sydney, Australia. Severe wind storms in the west of New South Wales blew a dust cloud that engulfed Sydney and surrounding areas. (Matt Blyth, Getty Images)

A cone of moisture surrounds part of the Ares I-X rocket during lift-off Oct. 28 on a sub-orbital test flight from the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39-B in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (Chris O'Meara, AP)

You cannot sit down with nature and negotiate terms. Lets have a little less dust storm here and you can indulge in your rain storm there... throw in a couple of thunderbolts as well. It just doesn't work that way. The weather has its way of humbling mankind, silencing his ego and bringing him to his knees in respect and awe. The beauty transcends the impact, and its overwhelming power and dominance is forgiven when we look at it through images that capture this essence. This was what we had in mind when we compiled the best of Weather 2009 images:


Lightning illuminates the sky during a thunderstorm over the Swiss Federal Palace in Bern, Switzerland, July 17. (Michael Buholzer, Reuters)

A huge sandstorm engulfs the Saudi capital of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 10. The storm, which was still raging hours after it started, disrupted flights at the city's King Khalid International airport, with weather authorities announcing that visibility would drop to zero. (Jad Saab, AP)



A boy covers his head with a cooking pot as he makes his way through a sand storm at the Chota Lahore refugee camp at Swabi in northwest Pakistan, June 3. The Pakistani armed forces had secured control over several key towns during the month-old campaign in the volatile northwestern region, but the fighting has uprooted some 3 million people, forcing them into refugee camps, and triggered suspected reprisal attacks elsewhere in the country. (Emilio Morenatti, AP)



The Sydney Opera House is shrouded in a cloud of orange dust Sept. 23, in Sydney, Australia. Severe wind storms in the west of New South Wales drove a dust cloud across the area, which engulfed Sydney and surrounding areas. (Brendon Thorne, Getty Images)



The early morning sun bursts through the trees as cooler temperatures bring on the autumn season at Dunham Massey on Oct. 12, Altrincham, England. (Christopher Furlong, Getty Images)



Early morning fog surrounds the Marchlins castle in Igis, in the Rhine valley, Switzerland, Oct. 30. (Arno Balzarini, AP)



A deer bellows as it forages for food in the early morning sun Oct. 12, Altrincham, England. Shortening daylight hours and cooler weather brings on the rutting season for Red and Fallow deer herds in Britain. (Christopher Furlong, Getty Images)



Max, a Chesapeake Bay dog, leaps in the air March 11, biting at flying snow thrown from a snow blower operated by his owner, Tom Leiferman in Jamestown, N.D. (The Jamestown Sun, AP)



A car stands in the midst of a snow-covered landscape, Oct. 18, in Rehtobel, Switzerland. During the weekend the snow line came down to an altitude of 1,900 feet. (Ennio Leanza, AP)



The sun rises in Mackerel Cove on Bailey Island near Harpswell, Maine, Jan. 29 where fishermen's skiffs wait out the winter on the shore. The region received several inches of snow followed by a coating of freezing rain. (Robert F. Bukaty, AP)



Fog surrounds the landscape around the town of Kerns in central Switzerland, Jan. 13. (Urs Flueeler, AP)



Waves batter the harbor wall on Nov. 22, in Porthcawl, Wales. As fresh gale force winds and heavy rain sweeps across the UK, a major rescue operation is continuing after severe weather conditions caused flooding cutting off villages and towns in England's Lake District. (Matt Cardy, Getty Images)



Muslim pilgrims run for cover as heavy rain streams down a road in the holy city of Mecca on Nov. 25. An estimated 2.5 million Muslims converged on Mecca for the annual hajj pilgrimage, as workers toiled round the clock to complete construction projects designed to avoid deadly stampedes. (Mahmud Hams, AFP / Getty Images)



At least 14 people were killed as heavy overnight rains flooded parts of Turkey's biggest city Istanbul on Sept. 9, stranding motorists, flooding arterial roads and damaging homes. (Stringer, AFP / Getty Images)



People await rescue on the roof of a house in the flooded northern Philippines town of Pangasinan, Oct. 9. The death toll from two weeks of unprecedented storms across the northern Philippines soared past 540 after landslides consumed homes and neck-deep floods inundated towns. Meanwhile, the downstream farming plains of central Luzon were inundated with waters that reached the height of two storeys after dams in the mountains could not hold the phenomenal amount of water that has fallen on the region. (Philippine Coastguard, AFP / Getty Images)



A Filipino boy is brought to safety using an inflated tyre in flood-waters brought by Tropical Storm Ketsana in the Quezon City suburban of Manila on Sept. 26. At least nine people were reported dead or missing in massive floods in the Philippine capital as a tropical storm lashed the eastern side of the country, radio reports said. (Jay Directo, AFP / Getty Images)



Eduardo Meraz, 25, swims amidst crashing waves in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Sept. 1. The center of the hurricane, which weakened to a still threatening Category 3, was on course to pass west of Los Cabos, close enough to punish the beaches and fishing villages of the area. (Guillermo Arias, AP)



A boy cools himself in a fountain in Cordoba, southern Spain, Aug. 5. (Manu Fernandez, AP)

Gerald Durrell Award for Endangered Wildlife - Winner
The look of a jaguar
By Tom Schandy
In a small, protected area of swamp-forest in the western area of the Pantanal wetland, in Mato Grosso, Brazil, jaguars still roam free from human harassment. They're notoriously difficult to see, and pawprints are as lucky as most people get. Along the riverbanks, though, it's possible to spot them. When Tom took a boat down the Rio Paraguay, he saw four jaguars in three days. This male had picked a slightly concealed spot where he could watch for prey such as capybara. Tom observed him for an hour. 'He was totally calm, even though he was aware of us.' At sunset, the jaguar rose, yawned and scent-marked. Then he faded back into the dense forest.
Equipment : Canon EOS-ID Mark III; 500mm f4 lens; 1/250 sec at f4; ISO 400; Beanbag
Image Credit : Tom Schandy, Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009



Animal Behaviour: All Other Animals - Winner
Raindrop refresher
By András Mészáros
After a summer shower, András headed off to his local forest to take photographs. He specializes in pictures taken around his home near Lake Velence in Hungary - in particular, close-ups. In a sunny glade, he noticed lots of red ants running up and down a flowering common mallow, feeding on the sugar secretions of aphids sucking from the buds. Here, one of the ants sips from a raindrop balanced on a mallow petal. 'The beauty of macro-photography,' says András, 'is the worlds it reveals - all the activity going on in miniature that you otherwise would never see.'
Equipment : Canon EOS-5D; Canon EF 50mm f1.8 lens reversed; 2 sets of extension tubes; Canon EF 1.4x teleconverter; 1/200 sec at f9; ISO 200; Gitzo 143 tripod; Manfrotto 469 Ball Head; Canon 420EX flash; Beanbag
Image Credit : András Mészáros, Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009



Nature in Black and White - Winner
Starling wave
By Danny Green
Starling populations in the UK swell in December and January as birds from the Continent head for milder wintering areas. Huge flocks roost in many spots throughout the country, and as Danny has been working on a long-term project to photograph these impressive roosts, he has visited most of them. 'This gathering,' says Danny, 'was by far the most impressive I have ever seen.' The location was Gretna Green, Scotland. The stage was set: a perfect evening, hundreds upon thousands of starlings. And then the main character appeared, off stage-left - a peregrine falcon, which sent ripples of pulsating panic throughout the entire flock. 'I used a slow shutter-speed,' says Danny, 'so I could accentuate this lovely sweeping movement as the birds exploded over farmland and trees to escape the hunting peregrine.'
Equipment : Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II; Canon 70-200mm lens; 1/3 sec at f2.8; ISO 400.
Image Credit : Danny Green, Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009



15-17 years old - Winner
Clash of the yellowhammers
By Fergus Gill
The planning for this picture started in the summer, when Fergus collected sheaves of oats from a local farmer specifically as winter food for the yellowhammers. One evening in February, hearing that snow was forecast for the next morning, Fergus set up his hide in the garden, hung out feeders and carefully positioned a sheaf of oats. 'I woke early and got into the hide to wait. After a few hours, the garden was full of birds. At one point I counted 32 yellowhammers feeding on the ground.' After another couple of hours, more snow fell and the yellowhammers began jumping up and feeding on the sheaf. 'Every so often I would see a fight between two males over ownership of the oats,' says Fergus, 'but the spats were incredibly fast.' This, however, was the event he decided to concentrate on. Two days later, Fergus got his shot, capturing both the clash and the composition he'd planned.
Equipment : Nikon D300; Nikon 200-400mm f4 lens at 220mm; 1/1000 sec at f5.6; ISO 500
Image Credit : Fergus Gill, Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009

On Nov. 9, 1989, the fall of the Berlin Wall was international news. It signified the reuniting of a city and the beginning collapse of the Iron Curtain that had hidden Eastern Europe from the rest of the world for decades. On the 20th Anniversary of the fall of the Wall, Berlin and other cities around the world are celebrating and remembering.


People used umbrellas as protection from the rain as they view the individually painted dominos along the former route of the wall in Berlin on Nov. 9. The display is part of the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Some 1,000 giant dominos, many of them decorated by schoolchildren, will be toppled during the official ceremony in Berlin to commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall. (Michael Gottschalk, AFP / Getty Images)

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Former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev (L), German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C) and former Polish President Lech Walesa autograph a photo of people crossing the border at the Bornholmer crossing in 1989 during a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the reunification of Germany, on Nov. 9. (Leon Neal, AFP / Getty Images)



A visitor photographs over the edge of a still-existing section of the Berlin Wall into the so-called "death strip," where East German border guards had the order to shoot anyone attempting to flee into West Berlin, at the Bernauer Strasse memorial on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall on Nov. 9 in Berlin, Germany. (Sean Gallup, Getty Images)



The illuminated Brandenburg Gate is seen in Berlin, Germany, on Nov. 9, 2009, during the commemorations of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on Nov.9, 1989. (Gero Breloer, AP)



U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, right, poses with students from the east German city of Oranienburg, next to one of 1,000 large plastic-foam dominoes, prior to commemorations of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, in Berlin, Germany, on Nov. 9. East Germany's fortified border crumbled on the evening of Nov. 9, 1989, after 28 years holding in the country's citizens, a pivotal moment in the collapse of communism in Europe that followed a confused announcement by a senior official. The Brandenburg Gate is seen in the background. (Michael Sohn, AP)



A spectator at the Bornholmer crossing wipes away a tear during a ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall in Berlin, Germany on Nov. 9. (Leon Neal, AFP / Getty Images)



A visitor lights a candle in a still-existing section of the Berlin Wall at the Bernauer Strasse memorial on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall on Nov. 9 in Berlin, Germany. (Massimo Di Nonno, Getty Images)



A woman places a rose into part of the former Berlin wall, on Nov. 9, 2009, following a commemoration ceremony for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. (Fabian Bimmer, AP)



People are seen through an 11.5 feet high wall made out of ice, part of an art installation entitled 'Work In Progress' representing the Berlin Wall, near the German Embassy in central London, on Nov. 9, 2009. (Lefteris Pitarakis, AP)



Polish, German and other nationals pull down a replica of the Berlin Wall in central Warsaw, Poland, as a part of celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, on Nov. 9. (Wojtek Radwanski, AFP / Getty Images)



A man gestures next to graffiti on a wall representing the Berlin Wall on Nov. 9, in Sofia, Bulgaria as part of the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the demise of European communism. (Dimitar Dilkoff, AFP / Getty Images)



East Berliners get helping hands from West Berliners as they climb the Berlin Wall which has divided the city since the end of World War II, near the Brandenburger Tor (Branderburg Gate), in the early morning of Nov. 10, 1989. The citizens facing the West celebrate the opening of the order that was announced by the East German Communist government hours before. (Jockel Finck, AP)

The New York Yankees won their 27th World Series Championship on Nov. 4 by defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 at Yankee Stadium. Check out some of the great images from Game 6!


The New York Yankees celebrate after winning Game 6 of the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Nov. 4 in New York. The Yankees won 7-3. (Elise Amendola, AP)

The New York Yankees celebrate after the ninth inning of Game 6 of the Major League Baseball World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Nov. 4 in New York. (Elise Amendola, AP)



Philadelphia Phillies watch during the ninth inning of Game 6 of the Major League Baseball World Series against the New York Yankees on Nov. 4 in New York. The defending World Series Champions came up short and lost the series to the Yankees 2-4. (David J. Phillip, AP)



New York Yankees' Derek Jeter, left, and Mariano Rivera look at the championship trophy after winning the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Jeter and Rivera have both spent their entire careers playing for the New York Yankees and have won 5 championships with the team. (David J. Phillip, AP)



People watch a live TV broadcast at Yamada Denki discount store showing New York Yankees' MVP Hideki Matsui at bat during the Major League Baseball World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies in Tokyo, Japan, on Nov. 5. Matsui became the first Japanese-born player to be named World Series Most Valuable Player after hitting a record six RBIs in the deciding game to lead the Yankees over the Phillies 7-3. (Koji Sasahara, AP)



Philadelphia Phillies' Shane Victorino, left, and Jayson Werth can't come up with a double hit by New York Yankees' Hideki Matsui during the fifth inning of Game 6 of the World Series on Nov. 4. (Kathy Willens, AP)



New York Yankees' Mark Teixeira reaches for the ball to complete a double play as Philadelphia Phillies' Jimmy Rollins approaches first base during the fifth inning of Game 6 on Nov. 4. (Eric Gay, AP)

Australia's worst dust storm in 70 years blanketed the heavily populated east coast Sept. 23 in a cloud of red Outback grit, nearly closed the country's largest airport and left millions of people coughing and sputtering in the streets. It also served as a backdrop for some amazing photos ...


Traffic makes its way over the Cahill Expressway near Sydney in the midst of a dust storm Sept. 23 that dumped thousands of tons of dust on the most populated city in Australia. "It did feel like Armageddon because when I was in the kitchen looking out the skylight, there was this red glow coming through," Sydney resident Karen told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio. (Greg Wood, AFP / Getty Images)

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The Sydney Harbor Bridge fades into the reddish-orange background as the dust storm sweeps through. It was the biggest dust storm to hit Sydney in the past 70 years. (Cameron Spencer, Getty Images)



The famed outline of the Sydney Opera House in Australia is barely visible through a cloud of dust that engulfed the city and surrounding areas Sept. 23.


The Sydney Opera House is just a faint outline as seen from across the harbor. (Matt Blyth, Getty Images)



Sydney's cars and buildings turned orange as strong winds blew desert dust across the city, snarling commuter and air transportation and prompting a warning for children and the elderly to stay indoors. This photo shows the Bradfield Freeway. (Brendon Thorne, Getty Images)



A woman wears a mask in Sydney's central business district, Sept. 23. (Brendon Thorne, Getty Images)



The wind, which blew in from the Australian outback, was caused when the powerful winds of an inland storm picked up topsoil from land parched after years of harsh drought, carrying it to the large cities on the coast. (Stuart Hannagan, Getty Images)



Although dust storms are common in inland Australia, they rarely make it out to the coast. The Sydney Opera House appears at left from a photo shot beneath the Sydney Harbor Bridge. (Matt Blyth, Getty Images)



A woman takes a photograph as the Sydney Opera House is shrouded in an eerie blanket of dust. (Greg Wood, AFP / Getty Images)



Winds bringing in the swirling dust bend palm trees under the Sydney Harbor Bridge. (Matt Blyth, Getty Images)



A man walks his dog through Observatory Hill near Sydney. (Greg Wood, AFP / Getty Images)



Australian weather officials warned that another dust storm could materialize over the next few days. An El Nino phenomenon is also developing in the Pacific, which could mean even more dryness for Australia's eastern states. The North Sydney Olympic Pool sits unused next to the Sydney Harbor Bridge. (Brendon Thorne, Getty Images)



Research on dust storms is thin when compared with some other areas of climate-change research, although studies suggest increased frequency of storms in the past few years. (Stuart Hannagan, Getty Images)



A woman walks her dog under the Sydney Harbor Bridge. (Stuart Hannagan, Getty Images)



A television crew films from Observatory Hill near Sydney. (Greg Wood, AFP / Getty Images)



Sydney city office buildings are shrouded in a yellowish blanket of dust. (Greg Wood, AFP / Getty Images)



The Sydney Opera House. (Brendon Thorne, Getty Images)



A dog trots past the Sydney Harbor Bridge. (Cameron Spencer, Getty Images)



Jeffrey's Street Wharf is devoid of people during the Sept. 23 storm. (Cameron Spencer, Getty Images)



A cyclist rides under the Sydney Harbor Bridge. (Stuart Hannagan, Getty Images)



A man wears a scarf as a mask in downtown Sydney trying to protect himself from the fine granules of dirt and sand that blew through the city Sept. 23. (Brendon Thorne, Getty Images)

Soldiers from the U.S. Army Old Guard place flags at grave stones at Arlington National Cemetery May 21 in Arlington, Va., in preparation for Memorial Day weekend. It took 1,300 soldiers, sailors and Marines about three hours to place a flag at each of the more than 300,000 gravestones.