Weathervanes

Traditional Weathervanes

Weathervane

The vast variety of weathervanes lends itself to any level of individual architectural expression. From common barnyard themes to spaceshuttles mounted by naked ladies, there is little that cannot be found either readymade or custom constructed.

A weather vane (also, wind vane) is a rotating device attached usually to the top of a structure and which shows the direction of the wind. Far more than simply a measure of wind direction though, the weathervane has become an icon of solid and comfortable rusticity.

To fuction properly, the weather vane must have equal weight about its central rotation point in order to turn freely -- yet, the surface area of the front and back of the figure must be unequal, with the rear catching the wind and thus turning the vane into the wind. Beyond these simple charactersics, any shape or characterization may be used, common themes being roosters, carriages, horses, kangaroos, and enigmatic farming implements.

The traditional weathervane includes also directionals indicating North, South, East, and West orientation. This aspect is probably as important as the wind direction for the disoriented wayfarer. Modern weathervanes typically omit the directional indications as they convey direction electronically. These tend to lack all aesthetic value, however, and are outside the scope of this study.

From the Wikipedia: 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.