A shot of lighting crashing down on El Paso, Texas, has earned a Southern Arizona storm chaser high marks in an international weather photography competition.
Rio Rico photographer Lauren Bailey — better known as Lori Grace Bailey to her followers on social media — is on the shortlist of the U.K.’s Royal Meteorological Society and Accuweather’s 2020 Weather Photographer of the Year contest.
Bailey said she captured the photo, titled “Predawn Thunderstorm over El Paso,” while in southwest Texas on family business last fall. She said she was checking weather radar at about 5 a.m. — “don’t ask me why” — and saw the storm cell “dropping bolts” as it moved up from Mexico.
Bailey said she positioned herself at the top of El Paso’s aptly named Scenic Drive before the sun came up and caught several stunning lightning shots before heading back down the hill in the pouring rain.
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“That’s definitely one of my best,” said Bailey, who just wrapped up her fifth season chasing monsoon storms across Arizona with her cameras.
This is the fifth year of the Weather Photographer of the Year competition. Bailey’s competition included more than 7,700 images by 2,600 photographers from around the world. A five-judge panel picked the top 26 photographs.
Bailey said three other storm chasers she knows — all of them women and two of them also from Arizona — are among this year’s finalists.
“Arizona is represented in the world of photography,” she said. “There are some damn good images. Just to be a finalist in a contest like this is such an honor.”
The overall winners will be decided by online voting, which closed on Friday, Sept. 25. The results will be announced on Oct. 17.
Farewell, monsoon season: Photos of the 2020 season in Tucson
Monsoon
The sun is caught between a monsoon storm cloud and the ridge of Roskruge Mountains west of Tucson, Ariz., September 1, 2020.
Monsoon
A pair of pedestrian dodge traffic, puddles and raindrops as rush across Euclid at 2nd Street during a monsoon rain which finally soaked the majority of the valley, Tucson, Ariz., August 29, 2020.
Monsoon
Passing traffic throws up a wake in the flooded intersection of Euclid and 2nd Street as monsoon finally lets loose some rain over the majority of the valley, Tucson, Ariz., August 29, 2020.
Monsoon
Traffic and a street car pass through the wet and shinny intersection of Congress and Granda as monsoon finally lets loose some rain over the majority of the valley, Tucson, Ariz., August 29, 2020.
Monsoon 2020
A woman walks along Grande Ave with her umbrella as sprinkles of rain drop after a monsoon storm rolled over Tucson on August 27, 2020.
Monsoon
Lightning strikes southeast of downtown as a monsoon storm puts on a light-show but misses with the rain again, Tucson, Ariz., August 22, 2020.
Monsoon
Scattered monsoon thunderstorms move around the valley dropping localized rain, winds and lightning but largely missing Tucson, Ariz., August 20, 2020.
Monsoon
Cloud lightning arcs over the valley as monsoon thunderstorms skirt the majority of Tucson, Ariz., August 20, 2020.
Monsoon
The sun sets on a little monsoon action, mostly contained to the southeast side of the valley, Tucson, Ariz., August 13, 2020.
Monsoon
A monsoon storm confined mostly to the east and southern parts of the valley, gets caught in the dying rays of the day's light, Tucson, Ariz., August 13, 2020.
Monsoon
Lightning strikes as a monsoon cell skirts the ranges to the west of the city shortly after sunset on Aug. 7, 2020. Tucson received 1.62 inches of rain during last year’s monsoon.
Monsoon
A highly localized monsoon cell skirts just to the west of the city with some rain and lightning just after the sun goes down, Tucson, Ariz., August 7, 2020.
Monsoon
A small patch of rain drops on Sombrero Peak northwest of the city as monsoon again flirts with Tucson, Ariz., August 7, 2020.
Monsoon
A rain column from a monsoon storms travels north, just west of the city, Tucson, Ariz., August 7, 2020.
Monsoon
A sundown monsoon storm skirts west of the city, just missing Tucson, Ariz., August 7, 2020.
Monsoon
No rain, just a few scattered monsoon clouds reflected in the windows of the former Hotel Arizona, 181 W. Broadway, before sun set over downtown, Tucson, Ariz., August 6, 2020.
Red sunset
Smoky skies from the Apple Fire in California make for a red tint over the sun, as seen from E. Speedway Blvd., in Tucson, Ariz. on August 2, 2020.
Monsoon
Lightning strikes the Santa Rita Mountains as traffic flows on Houghton Road after a monsoon storm picked up steam after passing through the east side just a bit of rain, Tucson, Ariz., July 31, 2020.
Monsoon
A monsoon storm drives some lighting into the Santa Rita Mountains and beyond just south of Tucson, Ariz., July 31, 2020.
Monsoon
A monsoon storm hits earth with several lighting bolts southwest of the Santa Rita Mountains and Elephant Head after largely by-passing Tucson, Ariz., July 31, 2020.
Monsoon
Several lighting bolts hit ground to the southwest of the Santa Rita Mountains and Elephant Head after a monsoon storm largely by-passed Tucson, Ariz., July 31, 2020.
Monsoon
A highly localized cell of monsoon dumps rain, with a hint of lightning, onto the Rincon Mountains as it sweeps through a small band of the eastern valley, Tucson, Ariz., July 28, 2020.
Monsoon
Monsoon clouds stripe the western just after a highly localized cell dropped rain on parts of Saguaro National Park East, Tucson, Ariz., July 28, 2020.
Monsoon
A half rainbow arcs over Saguaro National Park East as a highly localized cell of monsoon rain sweeps through a small band of the eastern valley, Tucson, Ariz., July 28, 2020.
Monsoon
A highly localized monsoon cell drops rain and rainbows on Saguaro National Park East as it sweeps over a small section of the Rincon Mountains and foothills, Tucson, Ariz., July 28, 2020.
Monsoon
Nighthawks weave through the sunset over the Rillito River, just barely running with the first significant monsoon rainfall of the season, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
Monsoon
A mating pair of Couch's spadefoot toads deal with an interloper in the flowing Alamo Wash near the Rillito River with the first significant rainfall from monsoon, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
Monsoon
A mating pair of Couch's spadefoot toads are among the hundreds out and active in the flowing Alamo Wash near the Rillito River following the first significant rainfall from monsoon, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
Monsoon
A male Couch's spadefoot toad puffs up making a mating call as the first significant monsoon rainfall has the Alamo Wash flowing for a few hours, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
Monsoon
A male Couch's spadefoot toad puffs up making a mating call as the first significant monsoon rainfall gets the wildlife out and active in the Alamo Wash, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
Monsoon
A Couch's spadefoot toad lurks in the waters where the Alamo Wash feeds into the Rillito River with the first significant rainfall from monsoon, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
Monsoon
The Santa Catalinas are reflected in the last yards of the flooded Alamo Wash just before it dumps into the Rillito River during the first significant monsoon rainfall, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
Monsoon
The last trickles of the Alamo Wash dump into the Rillito River with the first significant rainfall from this year's monsoon, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
Monsoon
A Couch's spadefoot toad plies the waters of the Alamo Wash just above the Riillito River following the first significant rainfall from monsoon this year, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
Monsoon 2020
Dennis Ray helps a motorist whose car stalled at Ft. Lowell Road and Oracle Road after a monsoon storm passed over the Tucson area bringing heavy rain and flooding on July 23, 2020.
Monsoon 2020
A woman walks north along Oracle Road as a monsoon storm brings heavy rain and flooding on July 23, 2020. Tucson Police Department officers shut down Oracle Road north of Miracle Mile due to flooding at Oracle Road and Ft. Lowell Road.
Monsoon 2020
A man crosses the street at Ft. Lowell Road and Oracle Road after a monsoon storm passed over the Tucson area bringing heavy rain and flooding on July 23, 2020.
Monsoon 2020
The morning light breaks through rain clouds over the Rincon Mountains seen from Tumamoc Hill, on July 23, 2020.
Monsoon 2020
The shines through rain clouds over Tucson as seen from Tumamoc Hill, on July 23, 2020.
Monsoon 2020
A person carries an umbrella on their way up Tumamoc Hill, on July 23, 2020.
Monsoon 2020
Rain falls on the Santa Catalina Mountains as seen from Tumamoc Hill, on July 23, 2020.
Monsoon 2020
The morning light breaks through rain clouds over the Rincon Mountains seen from Tumamoc Hill, on July 23, 2020.
Monsoon 2020
Walkers shelter underneath their umbrellas as they make their way up Tumamoc Hill, on July 23, 2020.
Monsoon 2020
A truck driving south on Tucson Boulevard near Mitchell Street kicks up water following a monsoon, on July 23, 2020.
Monsoon 2020
Vehicles driving along Tucson Boulevard near Mitchell Street kick up water following a monsoon, on July 23, 2020.
Monsoon 2020
Water flows from a small wash into the Santa Cruz riverbed following monsoon rains near the Starr Pass Boulevard overpass, on July 23, 2020.
Monsoon 2020
People carry umbrellas as they walk along Dodge Boulevard near the intersection of Grant Street, on July 23, 2020.
Monsoon 2020
A double rainbow shows over a neighborhood street in Tucson, Ariz on July 15, 2020.
Monsoon 2020
Tucson sunset behind at Saguaro cactus on July 15, 2020.
Monsoon
An uprooted tree rests against one of the units in Mission Palms Apartments, 951 W. Orange Grove, victim of the first major monsoon storm of the season that rolled through the valley, Tucson, Ariz., July 11, 2020.
Monsoon
Looking for the perfect angle for a photo, Corey McCuin straddles the upper trunk of a tree uprooted the Mission Palms Apartments, 951 W. Orange Grove, in the first major monsoon storm of the season that hit, Tucson, Ariz., July 11, 2020. The tree was one of two that fell in the complex, this one uprooted a couple of steps to a second floor unit and landed in a mostly empty drive.
Monsoon
A rainbow shines in the last of the day's light over Saguaro National Park East first major monsoon storm of the season as it rolls west to wreak a bit of havoc in the valley, Tucson, Ariz., July 11, 2020.
Monsoon
A rainbow glows in the evening light over Saguaro National Park East, the first major monsoon storm of the season, Tucson, Ariz., July 11, 2020. The storm downed trees, power lines and brief heavy rain in the city.
Monsoon
Rainbows pop up over Saguaro National Park East, as the first major monsoon storm of the season begins to roll into the valley, Tucson, Ariz., July 11, 2020.\
Contact reporter Henry Brean at hbrean@tucson.com or 520-573 4283. On Twitter: @RefriedBrean
Henry Brean
Reporter
