Intense Inversion
A strong inversion set in overnight, and this morning in the chilly -25°F air, (-32°C) a phenomenon known as superior mirage made the road appear to take a sharp upturn on the horizon, where the road is perfectly flat.
In a superior mirage, cold dense air is trapped against the ground by a layer of warm air.
Passing through the temperature inversion, the light rays are bent down, and so the ground appears above the true ground, hence the name superior.
Superior mirages are in general less common than inferior mirages, but, when they do occur, they tend to be more stable, as cold air has no tendency to move up and warm air has no tendency to move down.
As soon as the spring sun shines in this shadowy area and warms the cold lower level, the mirage will disappear.
Intense Inversion
A strong inversion set in overnight, and this morning in the chilly -25°F air, (-32°C) a phenomenon known as superior mirage made the road appear to take a sharp upturn on the horizon, where the road is perfectly flat.
In a superior mirage, cold dense air is trapped against the ground by a layer of warm air.
Passing through the temperature inversion, the light rays are bent down, and so the ground appears above the true ground, hence the name superior.
Superior mirages are in general less common than inferior mirages, but, when they do occur, they tend to be more stable, as cold air has no tendency to move up and warm air has no tendency to move down.
As soon as the spring sun shines in this shadowy area and warms the cold lower level, the mirage will disappear.