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Chimes
Fri Jul 22, 2005
Listen in RealAudio 
Wind chimes have become common ornaments around the house and yard. But did you know that wind chimes can be used to forecast the weather? Hi, I'm Bryan Yeaton and this is The Weather Notebook.
Wind chimes are constructed from a variety of materials, wood, glass, ceramics, or metal, giving sounds from the clattering of bamboo to the tinkling of crystal. Wind chimes can even be tuned to produce musical notes.
While wind chimes today are usually hung as decorations to produce interesting background sounds in our homes and gardens, they once were used as "weather forecasting" devices. Here's how. In many areas, certain wind directions are often associated with specific weather conditions. For example, winds blowing off a large body of water may bring cooler temperatures in the summer.
Northeasterly winds along the Atlantic Coast often signify a coming storm or one in progress. And westerly or northwesterly winds may indicate passage of a cold front.
Thus, by properly exposing a set of wind chimes to maximize their activation by a specific wind direction, you can hear the general direction of the wind. With several different sets strategically placed, you can easily distinguish between several different directions. In addition, the rate at which the clapper strikes the chimes can give an estimate of the wind speed.
In the days before weather forecasts were available, weatherwise farmers, sailors and loggers made short-term forecasts with a knowledge of local weather conditions and a few observations such as wind speed and direction.
With a set of wind chimes or two, you may not need to open your eyes in the morning to know what kind of weather is in store.
Thanks to contributing writer, meteorologist Keith Heidorn. Support for The Weather Notebook comes from the National Science Foundation, and Subaru, Driven By What’s Inside. Our show is produced by the Mount Washington Observatory.
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