Windsocks are used to tell wind speed and the direction of the wind. Windsocks typically are used at airports to indicate the direction and strength of the wind to pilots and at chemical plants where there is risk of gaseous leakage. They are sometimes located alongside highways at windy locations.

What is the purpose of windsocks?

A windsock, or wind cone, is a conical textile tube that resembles a giant sock. Windsocks can be used as a basic guide to wind direction and speed. At many airports, windsocks are lit at night, either by floodlights on top surrounding it or with one mounted on the pole shining inside it.

Why are they called windsocks?

History. Windsocks originally come from Japan and China. These windsocks were made of paper and silk, and in Japan signified the birth of a child, especially a boy. ... Some believe the wind-sail, used to direct air into a ship's lower apartments, inspired the development of the windsock in the Western world.