Sauron, devoted servant of Melkor?

[Eönwë]

Originally Posted by skip spence

The thunderstorms, as I remember it, were an omen sent by the Valar. Another omen was clouds shaped like the eagles of Manwe. These thunderstorms were not intended to destroy the temple (wasn't the temple made of stone anyway?), or Sauron himself, rather to show the Numenorians that the path they were heading into was wrong (compare fex. with the biblical plagues in Egypt). Sauron at this time, with the One ring in his possession, was a powerful elemental force and I don't imagine him being a even a wee bit scared of a little bad weather.

Yes, this was Sauron in his prime (well, not with thousand s of orcs, but in his own power terms definately). Remember, he could still change physical form then. I don't think he was as powerful as a Vala, but he was definately quite high up on the Maia power scale.