The weather rock or weather stone is a humorous display that pokes fun at the intricate technology used in modern weather forecasts, as well as the fact that their accuracy is less than perfect. A rock is typically hung from a tripod and accompanied by a sign indicating how to read it. A portable example of such a display, "the famous Maine Weather Stone" of Audubon Camp, Hog Island, was described in late 1981.

Instructions

Some examples of the instructions commonly provided for "reading" a weather rock include:

  • If the rock is wet, it's raining.
  • If the rock is swinging, the wind is blowing.
  • If the rock casts a shadow, the sun is shining.
  • If the rock does not cast a shadow and is not wet, the sky is cloudy.
  • If the rock is difficult to see, it is foggy.
  • If the rock is white, it is snowing.
  • If the rock is coated with ice, there is a frost.
  • If the ice is thick, it's a heavy frost.
  • If the rock is bouncing, there is an earthquake.
  • If the rock is under water, there is a flood.
  • If the rock is warm, it is sunny.
  • If the rock is missing, there is a tornado.
  • If the rock is wet and swinging violently, there is a hurricane.
  • If the rock can be felt but not seen, it is night time.
  • If the rock has white splats on it, watch out for birds.
  • If the rock is levitating, you're stoned.
  • If there are two rocks, you're drunk.

Weather rocks will sometimes include rules for proper maintenance of the system such as, "Please do not disturb the weather rock, it is a finely tuned instrument!"

String variation

In certain circumstances the string may be incorporated into the saying:

  • If the string is on fire then there is a bushfire.
  • If the string is cut a Wendigo has passed by.

Locations

thumb|Milestone Weather Forecasting Stone, [[Newtown St Boswells, Scottish Borders]]

Weather rocks are located all over the world. Some examples include:

  • United States
  • The weather rock at Fort Drum, a US military site in New York.
  • In the Nature Area at Camp Rotary, a Boy Scout summer camp located in Clare, Michigan
  • Camp Wolfeboro, a Boy Scout summer camp in Arnold, California
  • Camp Yawgoog, a Boy Scout summer camp at the Yawgoog Scout Reservation in Rockville, Rhode Island
  • Camp Geronimo, a Boy Scout summer camp in northern Arizona near the Mogollon Rim
  • The Donner's Pass Historic Site, near Lake Tahoe, CA
  • Elliot's Weather Rock in Clearfield, PA.
  • Bloomington Zoo in Central Illinois
  • In Rhododendron, Oregon, near the Zigzag River off Road 10
  • On Spangler Road near Highway 213 in Oregon City, Oregon.
  • Boron, California, in front of Domingo's Mexican and Seafood Restaurant, a famous astronaut hangout near Edwards Air Force Base
  • Seven Ranges Boy Scout Reservation in Kensington, Ohio
  • Firelands Scout Reservation in Wakeman, Ohio
  • Nature Camp in Vesuvius, Virginia
  • Whippi Dip ice cream store, at the Pontaluna road in Spring Lake, MI, near Hoffmaster State Park
  • Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum in Farmington Hills, MI.
  • Lynnhaven Inlet Fishing Pier in Virginia Beach
  • The Kia Kima Scout Reservation in Hardy, Arkansas
  • Casa Sul Lago
  • Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Minnesota
  • Mate Factor Tea Company, Asheville, NC
  • Canada
  • At the Pancake Bay Trading Post, near Pancake Bay Provincial Park, Ontario
  • Australia
  • Outside the McDonald's restaurant in Lithgow, NSW
  • Tenterfield in NSW
  • Ficks crossing near Kingaroy QLD
  • Pannawonica in WA.
  • Netherlands
  • Oostdorp
  • United Kingdom
  • Lobster Pot Tea-room on the island of Berneray in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland
  • Amy's Place on the Isle of Skye in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland
  • Humber Lifeboat Station on Spurn Point in the East Riding of Yorkshire
  • South Africa
  • The Halyards Hotel in Port Alfred
  • Argentina
  • Glaciarium Museum, El Calafate
  • Japan
  • , Shizuoka Prefecture.
  • Rock-Kun, a streaming channel on both YouTube and Twitch.
  • South Korea
  • Jeju Island
  • Ireland
  • Brazen Head Pub, Dublin
  • France
  • Airport Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
  • Turkey
  • Gülyalı, Ordu
  • Uzungöl, Trabzon

See also

  • Nowcasting (meteorology)

References