A storm of thick black clouds sent out from Mordor by Sauron during the War of the Ring, to dispirit his enemies and aid his night-sighted Orcs. The Storm rose during the night of the 9 March and covered the sky, so that the following morning had no sunrise, and became known as the Dawnless Day. Under the Storm's cover, Mordor's armies marched out of Minas Morgul and crossed the Anduin to lay siege to Minas Tirith.
The Storm lasted for a total of six days, finally lifting as Théoden and his Riders entered the Battle of the Pelennor Fields on the morning of 15 March. This was a decisive factor in the Battle: without the covering darkness, the Orcs were forced to fight in sunlight, and the defenders of Minas Tirith were newly heartened. If the Storm of Mordor had lasted for another day, it is possible that Sauron's victory would have been complete.
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