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<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">Well Stephen you explained another inte=
resting observation.</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">The only building we could see in NS fr=
om home was the Church at Arisaig</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">and only on winter days before a storm.=
Of course the Gulf would be</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">partially at least covered with ice at =
that time and the brown church could</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">be seen against the snow.</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">Well like a lot of old observations it =
was founded on fact.</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">Thanks for the explaniation.</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">Paul</span>
</div>=20
<blockquote style=3D"position: relative; margin-left: 0px; padding-left: =
10px; border-left: solid 1px blue;" type=3D"cite">
On November 26, 2018 at 1:26 PM Stephen Shaw <srshaw@Dal.Ca> wro=
te:
<br/>
<br/>=20
<p>Hi Paul, </p>=20
<p>It sounds like an optical effect:  see Wikipedia under 'Mira=
ges, Superior Mirage=E2=80=99, which echoes/explains your grandfather=E2=80=
=99s observations.   Extract:</p>=20
<p>"A superior mirage occurs when the air below the line of sight is=
colder than the air above it. This unusual arrangement is called a <a href=
=3D"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperature_inversion"> temperature inver=
sion</a>, since warm air above cold air is the opposite of the normal tempe=
rature gradient of the atmosphere. Passing through the temperature inversio=
n, the light rays are bent down, and so the image appears above the true ob=
ject, hence the name <em>superior</em>. Superior mirages are in general les=
s common than inferior mirages, but, when they do occur, they tend to be mo=
re stable, as cold air has no tendency to move up and warm air has no tende=
ncy to move down.</p>=20
<p>Superior mirages are quite common in <a href=3D"https://en.wikipedia.=
org/wiki/Polar_region"> polar regions</a>, especially over large sheets of =
ice that have a uniform low temperature. Superior mirages also occur at mor=
e moderate latitudes, although in those cases they are weaker and tend to b=
e less smooth and stable. For example, a distant shoreline may appear to <e=
m>tower</em> and look higher (and, thus, perhaps closer) than it really is.=
"</p>=20
<br/>=20
<div>=20
<div>
On Nov 26, 2018, at 10:39 AM,=20
<a href=3D"mailto:rita.paul@ns.sympatico.ca">rita.paul@ns.sympatico.ca=
</a> wrote:
</div>=20
<br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"/>=20
<blockquote type=3D"cite">=20
<div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">Hi All</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">In the old days before blizzards of=
weather forecasts</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">the appearance of the size of the l=
and in the distance</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">was considered a sure weather indic=
ator.</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">"The land is looming up - must =
be a storm coming!" my Grandfather</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">would say.</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">If from home the mountains or hills=
if you wish of Pictou</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">and Antigonish Counties could be ea=
sily seen most days</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">If they appeared low - fine weather=
- if 2 or 3 times normal height</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">a storm was brewing. Today as I dro=
ve along Western Shore the islands</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">of Tancock and Ironbound along with=
the smaller ones all appeared</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">2 to 3 times their usual size. Prob=
ably a storm on the way.</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">Is that a common oldtime weather in=
dicator in other places?</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">Enjoy the storm</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">Paul</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;"> </span>
</div>=20
<div>
 
</div>=20
</div>=20
</blockquote>=20
</div>=20
</blockquote>=20
<div>
<br/> 
</div>
=20
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