after reading Neferchoirwen's post above, I was reading through ROTK and noticed this, When Eowyn (Dernhelm) was in battle with the the Nazgul.
Quote:
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The outstretched neck she clove asunder, and the hewn head fell like a stone. Backward she sprang as the huge shape crashed to ruin, vast wings outspread, crumpled on the earth; and with its fall the shadow passed away. A light fell about her, and her hair shone in the sunrise.
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By reading this, it leads me to believe that the "shadow" was a part of the weather, but of course it was only there due to the presence of the enemy (or of Sauron's will). Its hard to say, because the shadow would not be there period if there was no evil. Thats why as soon as the beast was killed by Eowyn's stroke, the sun broke through. Which is another signifigance of the weather in which this thread was originated. I think the weather is really just like the forces of good and evil that strive against each other as do the good and evil of middle earth.