Most weathervanes are designed to work in winds up to 60 miles per hour. Quality hand-sculpted weathervanes may handle up to 85 mile per hour winds. Beyond these points it is best to remove the figure and compass. Restore them after the storm or storm season has past. If your weathervane has large horizontal surfaces like wings, be sure that you install a retaining hook to keep it from ‘flying’ away. I recommend inspecting your weathervane periodically to ensure the figure is spinning freely.