World’s tallest thermometer, an ice hotel and other wild weather monuments

Across the 50 states and around the world, there are a number of zany weather monuments, from the world's tallest thermometer in Baker, California in the Mojave Desert to ice hotels in Sweden near the Arctic Circle.

You can't talk travel without talking about the weather, and even travelers who eschew looking at the weather forecast before their next big trip will soon remember being caught in a gnarly summer thunderstorm. But what about making actual weather monuments part of your next travel story?

Across the 50 states and around the world, there are a number of zany weather monuments, from the world's tallest thermometer in Baker, California, in the Mojave Desert to ice hotels in Sweden near the Arctic Circle. Grab a barometer and your passport, and let's bop around the world.

World's tallest thermometer - Baker, CA

Anyone who's driven from Los Angeles to Las Vegas has passed through the desert town of Baker, California, off Interstate 15. In a town known for several quirky diversions—novelty store Alien Fresh Jerky and the country's strangest-named exit, Zzyzx Road—the World's Tallest Thermometer tops them all. Standing at 134 feet, it marks the highest temperature every recorded on the planet, 134F, in nearby Death Valley on July 10, 1913.

Weighing 76,812 pounds, the structure was built in 1991 and rebuilt a year later after being damaged by high winds. It was restored in 2014 and is capable of displaying piping hot temperatures all the way up to 134F. Like other early weather records, some weather experts have cast doubt on that July 1913 reading, but the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has stood pat pending any future results. If that 134 mark were to be dethroned, a 129.2F reading in Kuwait and in Death Valley would share the honors.

Twister The Movie Museum - Wakita, Oklahoma

Whether you grew up on Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt's "Twister," or the new "Twisters," Hollywood's treatment of the rough and tumble Tornado Alley continues to live on with each generation. In Wakita, Oklahoma, population 304, there's a free museum open from April to August that allows you to celebrate the 1996 blockbuster disaster flick that grossed nearly half a billion dollars.

Twister The Movie Museum contains all kinds of media and memorabilia related to the making of the 1996 movie. Visitors will find the original “Dorothy 1," used by characters Bill and Jo Harding, plus behind-the-scenes videos taken during the filming. There's stuffed cows, t-shirts and even autographed photos and items signed by Paxton himself.

By the way, real weather experts at NOAA consulted on the film and Dorothy (a Wizard of Oz reference) was actually inspired by real-life tornado recording device, Totable Tornado Observatory (TOTO), used during the 1970s and 1980s. Oz strikes again.

Snowflake monument - Sapporo, Japan

While many already know Sapporo because of its beer, the capital of the mountainous northern Japanese island of Hokkaido is also home to the annual Sapporo Snow Festival, with several snow-themed sculptures and a monument in Odori Park dedicated to snowflakes and winter weather. The event was first held back in 1950.

With a humid continental climate like much of the American Midwest, Sapporo is warm enough in the summer, with an average high of nearly 80 in August. But the winter is very different, with cold temperatures and plenty of snowfall. In fact, in January, an average of 29 days record at least 0.2 cm of snowfall! Over 200 inches of snow per year is not unusual in Sapporo.

Because of this environment, Sapporo was actually the first Asian city to host the Winter Olympics in 1972. One reason for Sapporo’s high snowfall? A southerly flow of icy air from eastern Siberia.

1900 storm memorial - Galveston, Texas

The 1900 Storm Memorial sits right at the coast beyond Avenue U in Galveston in remembrance of a major hurricane. Back in September 1900, an estimated Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 145 mph made landfall in the emerging port city. This was an era when storms weren't yet named, but the impact of the storm, from fierce winds to major storm surge, is etched in Texas history. About half of all buildings in the storm were destroyed, and between 6,000 and 12,000 residents perished.

Installed in 2000 along the Galveston Seawall to commemorate the centennial, the 1900 Storm Memorial is a bronze sculpture created by David W. Moore, who grew up in Galveston. Moore didn't learn how to sculpt until the 1960s in his mid-40s after taking an adult sculpting class.

ICEHOTEL – Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

Rebuilt each year from blocks of ice and snow, Sweden’s ICEHOTEL is more than just a place to sleep, it’s an ever-evolving work of art and a celebration of Arctic design. Located in the remote village of Jukkasjärvi, near Kiruna, the hotel is a gateway to winter experiences like dog sledding, ice sculpting and witnessing the northern lights.

In ICEHOTEL, temperatures remain below freezing at all times, even as guests sleep, offering full immersion into Arctic living. In the summer, enjoy the long days, river rafting and guided hikes.

Report a Typo