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Getting Started with SnowObs

SnowObs is a unified, web-based platform designed to streamline weather, snow, and avalanche workflows. It brings forecasting, field data collection, and visualization into a single application to help users focus on the tasks that matter most—making critical decisions and gathering field observations.

Key features

  • Hazard forecasting: Use models like the Conceptual Model for Avalanche Hazard (CMAH) to generate hazard forecasts.
  • Weather & monitoring integration: Standardize and visualize current and historical weather data, integrate monitoring systems, and aggregate avalanche observations on maps.
  • Sharing & scale: Share data with other organizations with a flip of a switch, manage users/data across teams (for larger operations), and export reports.

Admin

  • Add users — Add users to your SnowObs account.

Map setup

  • Map settings — Configure the base map, default map mode (Avalanche, Weather, etc.), and the default center/zoom so your teams start in the right place.
  • Add weather stations — Add and configure weather stations (Synoptic, SNOTEL or custom) so they appear on the map and feed data into DailyObs and forecasts.

DailyObs setup

  • Create ObsLocation’s — Create and manage observation locations (study plots, sites, or checkpoints) used when logging DailyObs entries.
  • AutoStation setup — Map station variables to form fields so station data can automatically populate DailyObs fields (saves time and reduces errors).
  • DailyObs settings — Configure DailyObs settings, forms and groups.
  • Creating a DailyObs — Step-by-step for creating single or multi-form DailyObs records, viewing them in table or calendar view, and exporting results.

Avalanche

  • Avalanche Atlas — Manage avalanche paths: search, create, upload geometry (KML/GeoJSON/Shapefile) or draw paths and show them on the map.
  • Mitigation — Set up mitigation routes, shot placements, team assignments, daily sessions, and signoff for early beta use.

Weather station management (Coming soon!)

  • Weather station management — Guide covers adding stations to your map and the All Stations view for managing tracked variables and station units.