Weather vane

A weather vane is a device with a freely rotating pointer used to indicate the direction of the wind.^[1] Weather vanes served as simple devices for showing the direction of the wind and its speed for centuries.^[2] They were a critical tool for agriculture, travel and shipping. They serve a largely decorative function today.^[2] They have been replaced by specialized weather instruments.

To work correctly a weather vane should be at the highest point of a building.^[2] It needs to be as far away as possible from other things that might interrupt the wind.^[2] The simplest form is a horizontal arrow or other form freely rotating on a vertical rod. When the wind blows, the arrow shows the direction and speed.^[2] The earliest known weather was made by the astronomer Andronicus in 48 BC.^[3] It sat on top of the Tower of the Winds in Athens.^[3] It was between 4 feet (1.2 m) and 8 feet (2.4 m) long and was the shape of a head and torso of a man with the tail of a fish.^[3]

The word 'vane' comes from the Old English fana banner. This is related to the Old High German fano (cloth); from the Latin pannus (cloth or rag).^[4]

Related pages[change | change source]

• Windsock
• Apparent wind indicator
• List of weather instruments
• Old Father Time, a famous weather vane at Lord's Cricket Ground, London
• Weather radar
• Weather station
• Weather balloon

Gallery[change | change source]

• 
  A moose shaped weather vane
• 
  A mermaid weathervane
• 
  A Douglas DC-3 converted to a weather vane
• 
  A rooster weather vane (also called a weathercock)
• 
  farmer plowing weather vane
• 
  A whale weather vane
• 
  Clock tower in Belgium with weather vanes

References[change | change source]

Other websites[change | change source]

• Weather vanes - making all kinds - BBC - 27th March 2016; YouTube