Hobbies And Interests
Traditional Method
Placed on top of a pole or a roof, weather vanes traditionally are used to tell you the wind direction. The wind blows the vane and the arrow points in the direction that the wind is coming from with eight primary points of reference including North, Northwest, West, Southwest, South, Southeast, East and Northeast. If the vane is spinning then it indicates a rapidly changing wind pattern.
Compass
A more advanced way to understand a weather vane is with the help of a compass. Align the compass with the direction of the approaching wind. Determine the exact direction in degrees that the wind is blowing. With this information, you can get a better sense of a storm's trajectory, and applied to a weather map, its path and duration.
Barometer
Use a barometer in concert with a weather vane for a more scientific reading. Barometers test for air pressure in the atmosphere. High pressure indicates stable weather while lower pressure indicates a coming storm. As the barometer changes, you can determine whether a storm is approaching or on its way out. The weather vane further helps understand the direction and strength of the wind in the storm.
Weather Log
Use a barometer, weather vane, thermometer and rain-accumulation meter to get a more comprehensive picture of the weather. Each day, or during period of intense weather, fill out a weather log with updated information from each of these sources. Over time you will be able to track the weather readings and the size of a storm. Create graphs of this information to discover the change over time.