Weather Check-In: A Visual Team Mood Barometer
The Weather Check-In template is a quick, intuitive icebreaker that uses weather metaphors to help team members express their current emotional state or reflect on their work experiences. By selecting weather icons that represent their feelings, participants can easily share their perspective in a visual, non-threatening way that opens the door to meaningful conversation.
What Is a Weather Check-In?
A Weather Check-In is a visual mood assessment activity where team members select weather symbols (sunny, cloudy, stormy, etc.) that best represent how they're feeling or how their week has gone. This metaphor-based check-in provides a simple framework for sharing emotions that might otherwise be difficult to articulate, especially in remote or distributed teams.
The weather metaphor works because it's universally understood and offers a range of emotional states:
- Sunny: Positive, optimistic, clear-headed
- Partly Cloudy: Generally good but with some concerns
- Rainy: Challenging or difficult
- Stormy: Turbulent, stressful, or overwhelming
- Lightning: Energetic but potentially volatile
- Windy: Feeling pushed in multiple directions
- Foggy: Unclear, confused, or uncertain
- Rainbow: Emerging from difficulties with hope
Benefits & When to Use
The Weather Check-In is ideal for:
- Starting sprint retrospectives or team meetings
- Gauging team mood before diving into complex discussions
- Creating psychological safety by normalizing emotional expression
- Identifying potential issues that might need addressing
- Building team awareness of individual states and experiences
- Quick temperature checks during project transitions
Teams benefit from this activity because it:
- Takes minimal time (usually 5-10 minutes)
- Requires no preparation from participants
- Creates a low-pressure way to share feelings
- Establishes an emotional baseline for the meeting
- Identifies patterns across the team that might need addressing
How to Run a Weather Check-In Session
Set the stage (1 minute)
- Introduce the activity and explain that everyone will select a weather icon that represents their current feelings or recent experiences.
Ask a framing question (1 minute)
- For reflecting on the past: "Which weather symbol best represents your week?"
- For current state: "What's your weather today?"
- For looking ahead: "What is your personal forecast for next week?"
Give time for selection and reflection (2-3 minutes)
- Have each person select a weather icon
- Ask them to add a sticky note explaining their choice
Facilitate sharing (5-10 minutes)
- Invite each team member to briefly explain their weather choice
- Keep shares concise (30-60 seconds per person)
- Listen without judgment or immediate problem-solving
Acknowledge patterns (1-2 minutes)
- Note any team-wide patterns (everyone feeling stormy might indicate systemic issues)
- Acknowledge that all weather conditions are valid and temporary
Tips for a Successful Weather Check-In
- Start with yourself as the facilitator to model vulnerability and set the tone
- Don't rush the sharing process—give people space to express themselves
- Watch for outliers—if one person selects "stormy" while everyone else is "sunny," they might need additional support
- Use the insights to inform how you facilitate the rest of the meeting
- Keep it optional—some team members might not be comfortable sharing, and that's okay
- Try both approaches: Use this for reflecting on past weeks and for forecasting the week ahead
- Consider following up privately with team members whose weather indicates they might be struggling
By incorporating Weather Check-Ins into your regular meeting rhythm, you'll build a team culture that acknowledges the human side of work and creates space for authentic communication—even in remote environments.
