Wetterfrosch

From Wetter (“weather”) +‎ Frosch (“frog”). Some frogs climb up vegetation in warm weather, so it was erroneously believed that the same behaviour could also predict warmth.

• IPA^(key): /ˈvɛtərˌfrɔʃ/, [ˈvɛ.tɐˌfʁɔʃ], [ˈʋ-]

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Wetterfrosch m (strong, genitive Wetterfrosches or Wetterfroschs, plural Wetterfrösche)

1. A frog kept in a jar with a small ladder; when the frog climbed up the ladder, this was seen as an indication of warmer weather in the following days.
2. (figurative, humorous) A meterologist, weatherman.

• The custom was common until the first half of the 20th century and, though no longer practiced, is still generally known in the German-speaking world.