Portland has a weather machine

(JANUARY 14, 2022) What's the weather today? Many people use their phone to find out. But people in downtown Portland have another way. They can look at a weather machine in Pioneer Courthouse Square.

The weather machine is a piece of art. It was made in 1988. It is 30 feet tall. It plays music at noon every day. Then it raises one of three metal symbols:

• golden sun = clear weather

• blue heron (bird) = cloudy or light rain

• dragon = heavy rain