1.   By the time John parked in Sloane Crescent the sun had vanished behind lowering cloud, and it was starting to rain.

2.   The lowering clouds hindered their aircraft from bombing and strafing his men and made parachuting supplies to their beleaguered garrison nearly impossible.

3.   ...on a day when the sun is fighting a losing battle against the lowering clouds.

4.   But the silver lining to the lowering clouds may be an unusually bright fall foliage season.