# Weather rock

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

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
* 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
** The Kiseki Museum of World Stones [ja], Shizuoka Prefecture.
** Rock-Kun, a streaming channel on both YouTube and Twitch.
* Ireland
** Brazen Head Pub, Dublin
* France
** Airport Le Touquet-Paris-Plage