OpenSnow: Snow Forecast Reviews

by Justin1182

First off, I live in Summit County, CO so when Joel misses a forecast; it’s immediately obvious. I get it, meteorology is filled uncertainly but Joel Gratz always errors on the side of extreme optimism in terms of snow accumulation. This season, I started comparing Joel’s forecast to NOAA based on weather stations at the appropriate elevations near the ski areas (as opposed to the nearby towns). NOAA’s (free) forecasts have been more accurate in terms of both snowfall and storm timing for nearly every storm this season in both Summit and Eagle County. If you don’t mind paying for consistently overly optimistic forecasting, this app is great. It’s very convenient and the graphics are super straightforward. However, if you want accurate forecasts, there are numerous apps and websites that are free. Again, just make sure you are selecting actual weather stations and not just searching for the nearest town which may be 1,000 ft lower elevation.

by BugOut04

The continued money grab by OpenSnow is disheartening, especially when it’s no where near worth the price. You can get the exact same information for free elsewhere so their asking you to pay for their narrative, which really doesn’t tell you anything different than any other free sites. It used to be fun app to look at but you could never take it to seriously as the forecasts aren’t any more accurate than Weather Underground. They continue to take things away from the free version, like a slow trickle until theres nothing left. It’s they way they’ve gone about it that’s a complete slap in the face. If they were providing bomb proof info or things you can’t find elsewhere, ok, but they’re not. $5, $10 ok, I’d entertain it. You can get the same 1 to 5 day snow forecasts from the individual mountain web pages. Thanks this app for taking something that used to be your labor of love and turning it into a money grab.

by ARadDad4

I’ve used OpenSnow religiously the last 4-5 years and OpenSnow has managed to go downhill from the start. First and foremost the most consistent and detailed forecaster on this site is Evan Thayer. They frequently have one forecaster for large areas (Bob Ambrose AB/MT) and in turn lose out massively on consistency of forecasts, in addition to quality. Open Snow introduced a semi paywall 2 years ago which has led to its demise. First, they capped the quantity of forecasts you could read at 7 per week. This was announced pre-season and I was disappointed; yet understanding as they had brought on Evan and his forecasts are awesome! Several weeks later (I believe) they were lowering the quantity of forecasts you could read to 5 (which I think was further reduced to just 4) on the basis that their customers were reducing consumption of forecasts to stay under their premium pay wall. Now, I wake up today to find that Open Snow has decided to eliminate access to all forecasts other than a 3 sentence “summary” which they’ve instructed their forecasters to leave void of any useful information. This company has certainly fallen in line with the rest of the snow sports industry to gauge their supporters for as much $$$ as they can. Right on OS!

by GBNYC

Overall, I really like OpenSnow . It provides good, up to date information on the current conditions at ski spots and accurate weather forecasts, even pretty far in advance. However, for me the favoriting system works terribly. In OpenSnow, you can favorite certain mountains as well as certain weather reports by area. I mainly ski in Vermont, so I favorited all the major Vermont mountains and the weather report for the northeast. However, every time I open OpenSnow it seems that it has deleted my favorites and replaced them with seemingly random mountains and reports. For example, today when I opened OpenSnow , the favorited reports where for Colorado and Utah, and the favorited mountains were Telluride, Snowbird, Copper, and a few other. The first few times it was no big deal, but at this point it’s getting really annoying.

by Prowe214

This was my favorite app for comparing conditions at resorts to see where I should plan may weekend. But recently they overhauled the interface and it makes it MUCH more difficult to compare snowfall, weather, etc. You used to be able to see this in one easy view, but now you have to slide through individual cards for each mountain, and each card has minimal information (two days of forecast vs five in the old UI, why was this change considered a good idea)

The UI is also inconsistent with the metrics you get in the free tier - in some places you can see 5 days of weather, and in other areas only 2 (further than that is blocked for free users in both cases). I’m fine with freemium, devs need to make money, but make it consistent.

Bring back the single overview of five day snow forecasts of all of your favorites and it’ll drastically improve my opinion of this new version.

by Stanleyguysski

I do a lot of weather forecasting and weather evaluation for my job in aviation. And see plenty of really bad forecasting (for political reasons or ineptitude). When it comes to accurately forecasting snow events, I have a lot of respect for the product the folks at this app put out!
We don’t get to plan many ski trips due to living in Texas and school schedules. So when it comes to making the best choice for an honest and accurate forecast and condition update there is nothing better than this app. I’ve told several people to not bother with a certain major Weather NetWork on cable or in many cases their own local news networks... if you want to plan a powder vacation with your hard earned $$$s, this is the place! Nice job guys!!

by Daleweirdbeard

this app is a dynamic app for researching weather and localized snow conditions in ski and snow sport areas. The map feature with radar overlay is my go to for visualizing real time precipitation, especially snowfall in the mountains, given some dedicated radar apps do not even portray snow precip. Setting my favorite snow stake and mountain webcams to get real time and review of conditions is also a fantastic feature. Navigation into the plethora of info OpenSnow has to offer is easy, and you can even save trail maps for offline use when data service fails. I enjoy and always seek the best media and apps for weather, radar, maps, webcams, and skiing. Considering these interests and time spent searching for quality options to immerse myself in them, I feel it can’t get much better than the this app app!

by TahoeGator21

There is no app I trust more for snow forecasts. Whether I’m on the West Coast, East Coast, or in between, the forecast is as accurate as I’ve seen. They hit all the features I want: quick prediction of snowfall at any resort or region worldwide, past snowfall, detailed written forecasts and predictions, and much more. OpenSnow is very easy to use and allows me to easily access several resorts and regions. The forecasters write very good content, and I’ve been following Bryan Allegretto in Tahoe for years and he is so on point. He gives a quick synopsis, but I love his detailed forecast where I’ve learned a lot about weather and patterns.

Bottom Line: If you want to know about snow forecasts, then you need OpenSnow.

by SNAPDRAG0N

I’ve been looking for a truly great snow report app. And I think this is it. I went back and forth on whether I should pay, but I’m glad I upgraded to the full access. OpenSnow has it all: detailed meteorologist forecasts, at-a-glance snow reports and forecasts, webcams, and pass comparisons. I put a pretty high premium on whether to pay the extra when there are so many good, free services ... but this service is great and worth paying for.

UPDATE: after a couple months using OpenSnow , I am sold. Yes, the premium features aren’t free, but there is a huge amount of work that’s gone into OpenSnow . For something I use almost every day, it’s worth it and I’m very impressed. Definitely the best ski conditions app out there.

by Aasatt

By far the most reliable app for planning trip to the snow. The way data is represented is every clear and easy to read. Very easy to get into a habit of checking OpenSnow daily during the snow season. I can keep an eye on the weather and conditions for various resorts that I plan to visit during the season. Pretty good job with the webcams also.

Daily Snows are awesome for the weather nerd in me to really understand what is going on in the forecast and help me learn what to look for in making my own decisions in the future. The level of detail is amazing and you can feel the effort that the human forecasters put into their reports. It’s like having an expert snow forecaster as your best friend. A+ forecasting crew!

Well worth the cost to upgrade to All-Access especially when you can split it with a few friends as they offer a group membership! Based on the info this app provided I was able to get an epic strike mission on a storm last season which made the cost of membership well worth it.

Looking forward to many more great things to come from this app!

by Nicknameareannoying

Living in the mountains is frustrating when it comes to trying to predict the weather. Every other app is constantly wrong. And not just a little wrong, but majorly wrong. And I get it...mountain regions are tricky and not many of us live here so why bother trying to get too specific? One mountain can be sunny and one mountain over can be blowing snow and they’re only a mile apart. Somehow, the this app team has managed to pay enough attention to the models and have enough experience interpreting them to give us a (more often than not) accurate picture of what will be happening. It’s the only weather report I trust and I don’t start my day without checking it first!

by Mcvayc01

This is without a doubt the most favorite app on my phone!! If you love staying up to date on current and future snow conditions OpenSnow is for you. I use the current conditions and webcams to plan the night before which local resort I’m headed to in the morning. I use the extended forecast to help plan days off from work in hopes of catching a powder day.

The free option is great for demoing OpenSnow and for the casual skier / snowboarder. The all-access version is a must have if you go to multiple mountains like throughout the season. It even has access to places like non-ski destinations like Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s worth every penny!!! (Edited - my 8 month old daughter prematurely hit send on the first version - sorry for the typos)

by Wheather Geek

I’ve been a weather geek since childhood. It started while watching forecaster Mark Eubank give his nightly weather forecast on KSL news in Utah who had a passion for weather and always strived to make his forecast interesting by teaching something about climate/weather. Now living on the Western Slope of Colorado I have renewed weather excitement after I found OpenSnow a few years ago. Joel and his team have that same passion and gift to educate and excite as the aforementioned legendary Meteorologist. I now look forward with anticipation to the start of winter, not just because I’m dreaming of powder face shots, but also because I get to read the detailed forecasts and explanations from this team of exceptional forecasters. Get OpenSnow, you will not be disappointed! It is by far the best weather app I know of.

by Allthesenamesarealreadytaken

Top notch daily weather reporting and analysis makes this a must have tool for anyone who needs more info than a sunny/cloudy/snowy icon in a basic weather app. Founding meteorologist Joel provides unmatched weather/snow reporting for the Colorado Rocky Mountains which is the content I access, although there are many other local experts providing snow updates for other regions. I have a snow plow business in the Colorado mountains and OpenSnow is my main source for information about incoming weather that will affect our area. If you’re an out of town tourist trying to figure out what our weather will look like during your vacation then use the resource the locals use, welcome to Colorado, and remember to stay in the right lane except to pass!! Thanks again Joel -Scott

by Bwa236

This resource (and the website) is a must-have. All-access is very much worth it alone, but you get OpenSummit subscription with it. I read the snow and weather forecast every day Joel and the others prep. Going to an unfamiliar area, like Colorado->Tahoe? Pull up this app and realize why their can have rain at the lake and snow on the summits.

Also, their accountability for forecast accuracy stands out. They discuss their prediction vs. reality (retroactively) and it's very informative for understanding mountain weather generally. They will explain when and why their forecasts were wrong -- show me another major weather forecasting website/service that does that! I backcountry ski often, and hike/climb high peaks often in the summer, and OpenSummit's peak-specific forecasts are a crucial tool in assessing mountain weather (along with other resources to confirm, of course). Cross-reference resources.

by Hopefulmachines

I love OpenSnow! I use it daily to plan my snowboarding trips throughout the season. It's more accurate than generalised weather apps and when combined with the reports from my local mountains I always know exactly what to expect for the day, from road conditions to primary and secondary snow surfaces, avalanche conditions and the amount of lifts/mountain areas open. It's well worth the all-access subscription especially as someone with a season pass - and even more essential when you've got a job you can't just take off from whenever you want, so planning is key!

Other snowboarders and skiers always ask what app I'm using when I pull it up or post a screenshot, then immediately go download it themselves - it's a step up from everything else out there for sure!

by Ipodusr101

First, I’d like to say that I do not pay for a subscription. It is my opinion that my use case is too intermittent to warrant it. Having said that, I wholeheartedly support their decision to make their service subscription-based. We are all too conditioned to get everything free from companies serving up our data and our time to feed us advertising we don’t want. Their daily snow reports are extremely detailed and accurate. But like what others have said, I don’t have the time or inclination to chase storms, so I will go regardless. The information they provide for free is enough for me to plan my gear for the weather that I’m expecting, which is all I really need. Good job guys, and I hope I will be able to chase powder again soon!

by Jesse McCain

As a downhill skier, OpenSnow is a must-have. Other weather apps forecasts for “downtown”, but you need a different forecast for the resorts & mountains. For example, storms often have rain “in town” where other apps forecast but snow on the mountain at the summit (& hopefully the base too). It also includes winds with warnings when there may be lift holds, etc. This provides that info which is critical to planning your trip.

The meteorologists that write the Daily Snows (text forecast/outlooks) are great: they provide the info skiers need and teach you about how they forecast it too. Each has their own personality which is fun to get to see as you read them. This lets you get a sense of the long range forecast & confidence of the forecast. Highly recommend for any skier!

by SparkyJay

After using the this app app for a few years I can’t imagine planning a ski day without it. It is far more useful then the governments weather service or weather dot com since local forecasters are used. And this team is extremely dedicated to providing users with the best available information.

The “keep me honest” feature by Brian Allegreto in the Tahoe version pretty much proves to me how good this is. These forecasts are unusually accurate. Using OpenSnow has allowed me to catch the first day after the storm time after time. Finding bluebird days are no challenge at all.

And all of this can be had for a very low cost. For the dedicated skier this is a true no brainer. I can’t imagine just what I would do without it!

by Noahsmitty

I’ve been using this app every day of each winter the past 3 years. It is extremely interesting being able to read the forecasts and learn about weather patterns, while also having an accurate all-in-one source to predict snow conditions. I have all-access too and if you ski a lot and enjoy looking at maps and whatnot it’s definitely worth it. The forecasters are all fantastic, and the comprehensive daily snows are easy to understand yet also informative. Not to mention the UI is excellent, I’ve never really experienced a bug. Overall if you’re a huge skier/snowboarder or you enjoy the outdoors and weather, you should 100% download OpenSnow and think about getting all-access too.

by Tkdmac Tkdmac

It's really cool that there are hundreds of different areas listed alphabetically but usually I'm interested in resorts in a general region (e.g. Colorado, Vermont, etc.). There is no way to get a sense of what's going on in a general part of the country or world. Hey I get it that conditions may differ for Vail and Beaver Creek but not that much. If I'm looking for a place to go (East, Rockies, California, BC) it would be convenient to narrow it down to that region rather than having to scroll through a long alphabetical list. Just sayin.

Update: looks like the newer version will address my concerns. Thanks for the prompt response. This should make OpenSnow much better. Accordingly would provisionally upgrade my rating to 5 star.

by Sunga79

I have been using OpenSnow for some time, and I like all of the detailed information that is provided by OpenSnow . I also like getting the forecasts so I know when the powder days are coming and where it is going to be the deepest. Like the new layout, one thing I think is missing on the conditions page is the annual snowfall total for the resort so far. Thanks for the great work!!

by BKWagner1

OpenSnow is not only easy to use, but the information it provides is about as accurate as you can get when trying to predict weather that is consistently unpredictable. I really like how they go into details and explain their predictions. You get a sense that these guys are very serious and take on our ability to chase the snow as a personal mission. You only need one source for snow forecasting and that source should be the this app app on your phone!

by Slowjams

If you ski or ride in Tahoe, you may have already heard of Bryan Allegretto. He is the snow whisperer around here and his (almost) daily detailed snow report throughout the season will turn you into an amateur meteorologist. The only people who don't use this app are those who don't know about this app. Now you know, enjoy!

(I can only speak to the Tahoe reporting, but my impression is that the entire US-CA West is well represented here. I dunno about the east, but I guess if you ski in the East you should be more concerned about moving west)

by Movewelltahoe

I live near Lake Tahoe and ski many times a week during ski season. I use OpenSnow daily during the ski season to help me determine where I’m going to go and what my day is going to be like.
I’ve been paying the premium fee for OpenSnow for several years and plan to continue.
The free version is great to get a sense of what OpenSnow offers. But if you end up using it a lot I suggest you pay for the premium version. Not only do you get more, but you help support the work of all the meteorologists.

by Tahoe Jenna

If there’s one app that I check every day in the winter, it’s this app. They recently updated the UI which makes it super simple to compare mountains, conditions, and forecasts helping me decide when to head out on the slopes. The daily snow report for Lake Tahoe is extremely accurate and BA has taught me so much about weather and mountain storms just by reading it. With easy access to webcams and forecasts 10 days out, there’s no other app I need to use. This is my winter bible! Keep up the good work. $20 is nothing compared to the value I get.

by Nickname3569385

While the change was big and initially I was put off by it (old app was great too), once I set up my favorites/cams/passes and played around with it for a couple weeks, I can see why they did it: The tools provided and information they allow you to quickly assess are incredibly powerful. I especially like having my cams available on the first screen and the on-the-fly custom sorting of forecasts and conditions. Once you get used to it, you can get all the info you could get in the last one plus more very quickly.

by Carter Bollaert

I have had OpenSnow for around 2 years now and I must say, I have not found a more useful app/website than this app. It is super easy to figure out who’s getting the most snow and where I should go the next morning. Everything is compact and easy to use which is really nice when you’re looking at webcams and snow reports for 12 different resorts. The $19 one year pass is really nice if you’re kinda crazy like me and want to know the little details about everything snow related. Thank you to all the people who update and keep OpenSnow running, it really helps a lot. :)

by Crblu629

Learned to ski last year and this app was an essential part of my learners toolkit by not only giving me a super accurate and reliable forecast, but also guiding me through the weather with a careful hand to help me understand how quickly weather can change on the summit and what road conditions would be like. Sure, the snow forecast is awesome but the real value is in the written weather updates that are daily, if not multiple times throughout the day, that give you real guidance on how the weather is changing and what to expect on the mountains. I am an all-access (paid) member and it was an easy choice for me

by Bluegopher

I use OpenSnow daily during ski season. 10 day forecasts, webcams, snow reports, automated email alerts are just some of the useful features I take advantage of. There are many more. It’s also very quick and intuitive to use after just a couple minutes of getting familiar with the features. I’m within 2 hours of 8 ski resorts in Colorado so making the decision on which one to hit is so much simpler by using this app! Highly recommended.