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---
title: Extreme Weather: Most Dramatic Photos from 2015
description: TIME looks back on this year&#x27;s most extreme weather, from a volcanic eruption in Chile to a sandstorm in Northwest China.
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article:published_time: 2015-12-10T17:03:48.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:00:47.065Z
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og:title: See the 12 Most Dramatic Weather Photos of 2015
og:description: From a volcanic eruption in Chile to a sandstorm in Northwest China
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twitter:description: From a volcanic eruption in Chile to a sandstorm in Northwest China
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta64412b15f667bd7/698874acf887dc8eeae93ac2/most-extreme-weather-2015-01-facebook.jpg?branch=production&width=1116&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# See the 12 Most Dramatic Weather Photos of 2015

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by 

[TIME Photo](https://time.com/author/time-photo/)


## TIME Photo


Dec 10, 2015 5:03 PM UTC

![Eruption of Chilean Calbuco volcano](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1a73781b67d95d99/698874a40a4a225dcb9c768e/most-extreme-weather-2015-01.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

A view of the erupting Chilean Calbuco volcano from Puerto Montt, located in southern Santiago de Chile, Chile on April 22, 2015.

A view of the erupting Chilean Calbuco volcano from Puerto Montt, located in southern Santiago de Chile, Chile on April 22, 2015. Alex Vidal Brecas—EPA

by 

[TIME Photo](https://time.com/author/time-photo/)


## TIME Photo


Dec 10, 2015 5:03 PM UTC

![Eruption of Chilean Calbuco volcano](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1a73781b67d95d99/698874a40a4a225dcb9c768e/most-extreme-weather-2015-01.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

A view of the erupting Chilean Calbuco volcano from Puerto Montt, located in southern Santiago de Chile, Chile on April 22, 2015. Alex Vidal Brecas—EPA

![NEPAL-EVEREST BASE CAMP-AVALANCHE](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt70f367462b60bea4/698874a43c1639fb4445b1d5/most-extreme-weather-2015-02.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

A cloud of snow and debris triggered by an earthquake flies towards Everest Base Camp, moments ahead of flattening part of the camp in the Himalayas on April 25, 2015. Roberto Schmidt—AFP/Getty Images

![APTOPIX Winter Weather Ohio](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt334283659e797715/698874a58e0601faa0463b0e/most-extreme-weather-2015-03.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Ice from Lake Erie forms on a pedestrian walkway with a view of Cleveland, Ohio in the background on Jan. 8, 2015. Tony Dejak—AP

![Sao Paulo Region Suffers From Extreme Drought](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6f66f5181e44cbb2/698874a5196cf44f39039648/most-extreme-weather-2015-04.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

An aerial view of the Atibainha dam, one of the main water reservoirs that supply the State of Sao Paulo, during a drought in Braganca Paulista, Brazil on Feb. 23, 2015. Victor Moriyama—Getty Images

![Los Angeles Times](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8d94096693a61424/698874a65f570fe96bb1ebf2/most-extreme-weather-2015-05.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Lightning strikes near a rainbow over Lake Mead National Recreation Area Lake Mead, Nevada on July 1, 2015. Al J. Schaben—LA Times/Getty Images


![APTOPIX Mideast Dubai Manhattan of Arabia Photo Essay](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte84f64410f2c7a31/698874a63c1639f12145b1d9/most-extreme-weather-2015-06.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

A thick blanket of early morning fog partially shrouds the skyscrapers of the Marina and Jumeirah Lake Towers districts of Dubai on Oct. 5, 2015. Kamran Jebreili—AP

![Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015 - Leg 4](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd0930ccf4677f79f/698874a65f570f69ccb1ebf6/most-extreme-weather-2015-07.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

A storm cloud resembling an atomic bomb is seen during the Leg 4 Volvo Ocean Race from Sanya to Auckland in Sanya, China on Feb. 26, 2015. Francisco Vignale/MAPFRE—Volvo Ocean Race/Getty Image

![An image of the wildfires in the Northwest taken from the International Space Station released on Aug. 17, 2015.](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcfd074f17bca6f59/698874a60a4a226d879c7692/most-extreme-weather-2015-08.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

An image of the wildfires in the Northwest taken from the International Space Station released on Aug. 17, 2015. Kjell Lindgren—NASA


![BESTPIX Arctic Cold Weather Chills New York City](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt66c0c48edd752138/698874a75f570fdb53b1ebfb/most-extreme-weather-2015-09.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Ice floes are viewed along the Hudson River in Manhattan on a frigidly cold day in New York City on Feb. 20, 2015. Spencer Platt—Getty Images

![Sandstorm hits NW China's Xinjiang](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8b27d975efa07717/698874a70b72e3dc406e7354/most-extreme-weather-2015-10.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

A view of residential apartment buildings during a sandstorm in Wujiaqu city, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on April 27, 2015. Xiaochen—Imaginechina

![The Lake Fire burns in the San Bernardino National Forest in Calif. on June 18, 2015.](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt11f1e26ead72bfef/698874a7196cf4c93303964d/most-extreme-weather-2015-11.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

The Lake Fire burns in the San Bernardino National Forest in California on June 18, 2015. Stuart Palley


![CHILE-VOLCANO-CALBUCO](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2d97f8d82a63560c/698874a3cf40a87bcfc41027/most-extreme-weather-2015-12.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Volcanic lightning and lava spews from the Calbuco volcano in Frutillar, southern Chile on April 23, 2015. Martin Bernetti—AFP/Getty Images

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