This morning I saw the best examples of thermal layering (mirages) ever, but I was transporting Julia to school and didn't have my camera. I took the following photo last year:


So far I've found the best place to see, and photograph, these is on Avenue A between the Freeway and 60th West between sunrise and about an hour later. They occur mostly in the fall and on days when there are no clouds and little or no wind during the night and early morning. This time of year that's most mornings.

These are caused by cold air laying near the ground with a layer of warm air above. When you look along the edge of the layer the temperature difference causes the light to be bent and reflected giving strange images. Avenue A seems to be at just the right elevation above Lancaster to see these. I've seen disconnected roofs of buildings and even upside down trucks driving along. Wierd, but fascinating.