The weather has always fascinated us for good reasons. We get to know what we should do judging by just looking at the sky. Even little kids can tell when they play outside.
There are various ways you can judge the weather. Either you can look at the news or use a thermometer. The things you can use to know about the weather can do great DIY projects.You can tell a lot about how the weather will be by checking how the wind is that day.
Have you ever looked at a wind turbine and thought just how fascinating it is? You can achieve great things by using wind.
One of the easiest ways to predict the weather by using the wind is by using a wind vane. It is not very hard to make, and anyone can make it. We will show you the easiest ways you can make a weather vane all by yourself.
Some Things to Know About the Wind
Let’s jump right into the basics of the wind first. People have been using the wind to predict the weather for a long time now. Weather vanes are not anything new, and people have been using it for thousands of years.
You can still see them on people’s rooftops. It is excellent for decoration, and it can tell you about the weather. The wind is not entirely accurate, but most of the time, it is right.
For people in the northern hemisphere, the wind coming from the north would typically mean that the weather is about to cool off. Since they already live near the pole. It is only going to get colder the closer you get to the poles.
So, the same goes for the southern people. If they see the wind coming from the south, that means the weather will get colder. Warm weather will come if southern people get wind from the north, and northern people get wind from the south.
It is pretty simple to judge it like that. If you live near the ocean, the wind coming from the sea will increase the humidity. These are just some basic things about the wind. Thus, a weather vane will be helpful to judge it.
How to Make a Weather Vane – Step by Step Process
Wind vanes are very accurate enough to give you excellent weather predictions. You may need one for various reasons like school projects, decoration, or to tell the weather. Well, don’t worry because it is not hard to make.
You can make it with the stuff just lying around in your house. There are some simple ways to making a weather vane.
Step 01: Using Paper
Firstly, you need paper. You probably have papers everywhere in your house. Thankfully, you don’t always need copper or metal for an accurate wind vane. Papers will do the trick. Follow the easy steps to get your weather vane.
Step 02: Using a Ruler
Start by drawing a triangle on a piece of paper by using a ruler. The triangle should be around 1.6 inches for the base. Now, perpendicularly place your ruler in the midway of the bottom and make a 2 inches long trace.
It should look like an upside-down “T.” Now, draw lines and connect the top side of the “T” with both sides of the triangle. Lastly, cut the triangle out carefully with a scissor.
Step 3: Make the Square
Take a relatively thicker paper and draw a square. Use your ruler to make the square. Each side should be 2.8 inches long. After that, use a pair of scissors and cut the square. Don’t mind the rough edges and keep it as it is.
Step 4: Make Use of Straw
Time to use a straw now. Don’t worry if you have a bending straw. Cut off the bending part, and you will be good to go. Use a ruler and mark 0.40 inches on each side of the straw. Then, get your scissor to cut each end.
It is okay if both ends are not entirely similar. You have to put the papers on each end later on.
Step 5: Shape this Like an Arrow
Now it is time to make an arrow. Put the triangle and the square on each side of the straw. Make sure the pointy end of the triangle is facing the way out. If the papers don’t stick with the straw, use glue before sliding it in and hold it until it dries.
Step 6: Pencil Work
It is time to get your pencil out. Pick a pencil that has an eraser. Hold the pencil and put the middle of the straw on the eraser. Now take a needle or a pin and pierce the straw till the needle goes into the eraser.
Keep pushing the needle till you get a secure fit. Be safe around the needle because you might get hurt.
Step 7: Clay Work
Get some clay and put the sharp end of the pencil inside it. Make sure you have a secure fit. This clay will work as a weight to hold the pencil down. After that, draw all the primary and intermediate directions on a plate.
The first directions are North, South, East, and West. Use abbreviations, so it becomes easy to put it on the plate and understand. Then, it is time for all the intermediate directions like Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest.
Final Step
Put the clay in the middle of the plate. Now, you have finished your weather vane. It is time to test it out. Take your wind vane outside and check if it is working correctly. The arrow should move the way where the wind is blowing.
Some Things to Know About Weather Vanes
Wind vanes are very useful, and you can see its use in a lot of places. The most common places to see it is in your house. People use this to check indoor and outdoor wind conditions.
Back in the day, this one of the main ways people could measure even air pollution. If you have ever been to Venice, you probably have seen the gigantic Archangel Gabriel weather vane.
This wind vane is very big so that people can see it from very far. It was made in 1517 too. People got the idea of producing electricity with wind from wind vanes. Thanks to that, we now get energy from nature without any pollution.
The weather vane is still very important in our time as it was thousands of years ago. You can see more precise and technologically advanced wind vanes these days used by your National Weather Service.
The Benefit of Wind Vane
Why would people use something which is not beneficial for them, right? Well, you are not wrong. Wind vanes are crucial because they tell us if there is a massive storm coming or not.
You can get prepared for a weather condition before it even hits. Wind plays a significant role when the weather is changing. You can tell a lot by keeping the wind patterns in check.
Wind vane comes especially handy when you are dealing with planes. It is very crucial to check the wind before a flight takes off or lands. This technique comes in handy when you’re trying to sail a boat too.
Sailors use weather vanes to find out if a storm is brewing in the sea or not. Likewise, you will be able to save yourself from something wrong in various ways if you check the wind conditions at first.
Final Words
As you already know, weather vanes are very important, but for normal daily usage. You don’t need anything expensive to check the wind. Now, you can easily make a weather vane by following the steps we have shown you. Hopefully, you don’t have to wait around looking at the weather station all day long.
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