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A CGI representation of an antique weather station.

A weather vane, also called a wind vane, is a movable device attached to an elevated object such as a roof for showing the direction of the wind. Very often these are in the shape of cockerels and are called weather cocks. Arrows are also popular, but a multitude of designs have been used.

The weather vane must be balanced so that half its weight is on either side of its axis, but also designed so that the momenta about the axis of the areas exposed to the wind are unequal. This unequal momentum causes the vane to rotate to minimize the force of the wind on its surface. The design of the vane causes the end with the smallest momentum to turn into the wind, pointing to the source of the wind. Because winds are named from their source direction, the pointer enables the viewer to name the wind easily. Most simple weather vanes have directional markers beneath the pointer, aligned with the geographic directions. The pointer must be able to move freely on its axis.

a series of photos showing the installation by paul joffe, using a "jin-pole" of a weather vane atop the 200 foot steeple of celebration church in Kingston, New York. notice the gold leaf stylized smoke which moves the arodynamic center to the rear while the center of gravity remains in the middle of the boat. this off center areodynamic will cause the boat to point into the wind. above the boat which is gilded copper and built by the installer, can be seen a stainless steel lightning rod or "air terminal" this is grounded through a large copper braid and ground terminal and is electrically isolated from the weather vane.

Weather cocks, especially those with fanciful shapes, do not always show the real direction of a very gentle wind. This is because the figures do not achieve the design balance required in a weather vane: an unequal surface area but balanced in weight.

Early weather vanes had very ornamental pointers, but modern wind vanes are usually simple arrows that dispense with the directionals because the instrument is connected to a remote reading station. Also modern wind vanes are mounted with an anemometer, a device that measures wind speed. Co-locating both instruments allows them to use the same axis (a vertical rod). Weather stations of variable quality may be purchased, and these include wind vanes along with several other instruments with dials that can be read comfortably inside a home or office. Combining a propeller for wind speed and a tail for wind direction on the same axis is an aerovane, for accurate, precise measurements from a single instrument.

To obtain an accurate reading, the weather vane must be located well above the ground and away from buildings, trees, and other objects which interfere with the true wind direction. Changing wind direction can be meaningful when coordinated with other apparent sky conditions, enabling the user to make simple short range forecasts.

Another wind direction device is the windsock used at airports to show wind direction and strength. The wind fills the sock and makes it blow away from the prevailing wind. Strong winds make the sock point almost horizontally, while light airs allow the sock to hang limply. Because of its size, the windsock can often be seen from the air as well as the ground. Even the most technologically-advanced airports still use windsocks.

According to the Guinness World Records, the world's largest weather vane is located in Jerez, Spain. A challenger for the title of world's largest weather vane is located in Whitehorse,Yukon. The weather vane is a retired Douglas DC-3 atop a swiveling support. Located beside the YXY airport the weather vane is used mainly by pilots to determine wind direction. This weather vane[1] only requires a 5 km/hour wind to rotate.

Aerovane

Weather cock

Weather vane

The term "weathervane" is also a slang word for a politician who has frequent changes of opinion. The National Assembly of Quebec has banned use of this slang term as a slur after its use by members of the legislature [2] [3]

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• American Folk Art from the Shelburne Museum in Vermont (Catalog of the) Albright-knox Art Gallery,. Buffalo, NY, 1965 pp.20, 23-28
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• Buchert, Ilse., Weathercocks and Weather Creatures: some examples of early American folk art from the collection of the Shelburne Museum. Newport R.I., Third & Elm Press, 1970
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• Coolidge, John T.,Weather Vanities, Milton, MA, 1978
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• Geismar, Tom & Kahn, Harvey, Spiritually Moving: A Collection of American Folk Art Sculpture, New York: Hacker Art Books, 1998
• Kaye, Myrna, Yankee Weather Vanes, New York, Dutton, 1975
• Kennedy Quarterly, Volume XVI, Number 1, 18th and 19th Century Naive Art, New York: Kennedy Galleries, Inc. 1978
• Kenneth Lynch & Sons, Weather Vanes, Canterbury, Conn, Canterbury Pub. Co., c1971, series title: Architectural handbook series
• Klamkin, Charles, Weather Vanes: The History, Design and Manufacture of an American Folk Art, New York, Hawthorn Books, 1973
• Messent, Claude John Wilson, The Weather Vanes of Norfolk & Norwich, Norwich, Fletcher & son, limited, 1937
• Miller, Steve, The Art of the Weather Vane, Schiffer Publishing, Exton Penn.1984
• Mockridge, Patricia, Weather Vanes of Great Britain, London: R. Hale, 1990
• Needham, Albert, English Weather Vanes, These Stories and Legends from Medieval to Modern Times. Haywards Heath, Sussex, C. Clarke, 1953
• Reaveley, Mabel E., Weather Vane Secrets, Westford, MA. 1984
• Whirligigs & Weather Vanes: Contemporary Sculpture Whirligigs & Weather Vanes: Contemporary Sculpture. Eugene OR: Visual Arts Resources 1994

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Weather vane

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