Avalanche Forecasts vs Snow Report & Forecast
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Avalanche Forecasts
Access real-time avalanche danger levels across North America with this app. View color-coded danger levels on a map for your chosen timeframe and explore detailed forecasts from over 20 forecasting centers. Stay informed about conditions wherever your adventures take you.
- Real-time avalanche danger levels
- Map view with color-coded danger levels
- Selectable timeframes (Today, Tomorrow, 2 Days Out)
- Detailed forecasts from over 20 centers
- Support for NWAC, CAIC, UAC, and more
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Get real-time updates on avalanche danger levels with Avalanche Forecasts. Our app makes it easy to see current danger levels at-a-glance for every forecast center in North America. Simply select your desired timeframe (Today/Tomorrow/2 Days Out) and view color-coded danger levels on the map. Click on any region to view the detailed avalanche forecast from the source forecasting center. With support for forecasts from over 20 centers, including NWAC (Northwest US), CAIC (Colorado), UAC (Utah), SAC (Central Sierras), ESAC (Eastern Sierras), MSAC (Mount Shasta), BAC (Bridgeport, CA), BTAC (Jackson Hole), GNFAC (Bozeman), WCMAC (Missoula), FAC (Kalispell/Whitefish), SNFAC (Sun Valley), IPAC (Idaho Panhandle), PAC (McCall), MWAC (Mount Washington), KPAC (Flagstaff), TAC (Taos), WAC (NE Oregon), CNFAIC (Chugach), JAC (Juneau), AAC (Anchorage), HAIC (Haines), VAC (Valdez), Cordova, HPAC (Hatcher Pass), Avalanche Canada, Parks Canada, WhistlerBlackcomb, VIAC (Vancouver Island), and Avalanche Quebec (Chic Chocs) forecasting centers, you can stay informed no matter where you are. For feature suggestions, bug reports, or other feedback, please contact us at project-development@sierraavalanchecenter.org.
Snow Report & Forecast
Access detailed snow and weather forecasts from NOAA and NOHRSC. View hourly and multi-day outlooks, satellite imagery, and weather map overlays. Offers pinpoint forecasts for specific locations.
- 7-day NOAA Point & Zone Snow Forecast
- 3-day NOHRSC Hourly Snowfall Forecast
- GOES Satellite Imagery
- NWS Weather Forecast Discussion Reports
- 16-day NCEP Weather Forecast Models
- NOAA Weather Map Overlays
- iOS 14 Widgets
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Download the most comprehensive Snow Report and Forecast app for iOS. Features Include: + 7-day NOAA Point & Zone Snow Forecast + 3-day NOHRSC Hourly Snowfall Forecast + 3-day WPC Snowfall Forecast + GOES-East & GOES-West Satellite Imagery + NWS Weather Forecast Discussion Reports + 16-day NCEP Weather Forecast Models + 3-month Precipitation & Temperature Outlook + GOES Satellite Imagery iOS 14 Widgets + Daily NCDC U.S. Snowfall Reports + 48h Recent NOAA Snowfall Reports + NOAA Weather Map Overlays 7-DAY NOAA WEATHER FORECAST - Snowfall Summary, Point & Zone Forecast - Snow Accumulation & Probability - Severe Weather Hazards Simply tap any point on the map for a spot specific snow and weather forecast. 3-DAY HOURLY SNOWFALL & WEATHER FORECAST - Hourly Snowfall - Cumulative Snow Depth - Rainfall - Wind Speed - Air Temperature - Relative Humidity Access NOHRSC data from over 20,000 weather stations that report snowfall and cumulative snow depth. GOES SATELLITE IMAGERY Ten (10) Satellite Imagery Filters - Visible (Band 2) - Near IR (Bands 4 & 5) - Infrared (Bands 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14 & 16) NOAA & NCDC DAILY U.S. SNOWFALL REPORTS - NCDC Daily & monthly snowfall totals - NOAA 48-hour recent snowfall reports NOAA WEATHER RADAR Important Note: NOHRSC weather stations are primarily available for the continental USA and Canada. Data is generally not available in Hawaii or Alaska. The 7-day NOAA/NWS Point-Forecast feature is only available for locations in USA territory. If you have questions about data coverage, please email me. — PRO SUBSCRIPTION FEATURES — + 7-day Hourly Weather Forecast + 16-Day Weather Forecast Models + Full Screen, Hi-Res Satellite Imagery + Hi-Res Weather Simulation Models + NOAA Winter Weather Graphics + WPC Precipitation & Temperature Outlook 7-DAY NOAA HOURLY WEATHER FORECAST - Snowfall Accumulation - Probability of Snowfall - Wind Speed, Gust, Direction - Probability of Precipitation - Air Temperature - Cloud Cover - Relative Humidity NOAA WINTER WEATHER GRAPHICS - Expected Snowfall - Percent Chance of X” Snow - Storm Severity Index - Snow Amount - Snow Load - Blowing Snow - Significant Surface Low Track - Day 3 Snowfall Accumulation Probability - Day 4-7 Probability of Exceeding X” Snow - Day 8-14 Snow Hazards Outlook FULL SCREEN, HI-RES SATELLITE IMAGERY 16-DAY WEATHER FORECAST MODELS - Global Forecast System (GFS) - Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) - North American Ensemble (NAEFS) WEATHER SIMULATION FORECAST MODELS + RRFS Ensemble Forecast System (REFS) - Simulated Radar - 1-hour Mean Snow - 3-hour Mean Snow - Mean Snow Total - Probability of Snow - Probability of Snow, > 1” per hour - Probability of Snow, > 1” per 3 hours - Probability of Snow, > 3” per 3 hours - Probability of Sleet - Probability of Freezing Rain + More Weather Models - Hi-Res Rapid Refresh (HRRR) - North American Mesoscale (NAM) - Rapid Refresh Forecast System (RRFS) TERMS & CONDITIONS https://lwbrandsllc.com/snow-report-forecast-terms-conditions/ — * Available for iPad and iPhone with single purchase Regional Coverage Includes: - Continental USA - Hawaii - Alaska - Puerto Rico Enjoy!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Avalanche Forecasts at none against Snow Report & Forecast's 4. Avalanche Forecasts also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and review sentiment (76% vs 67%). Snow Report & Forecast's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (4K vs 403). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Snow Report & Forecast sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Avalanche Forecasts asks for nothing beyond the download.
Avalanche Forecasts holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Snow Report & Forecast has 4K ratings behind it against 403, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Avalanche Forecasts's written reviews are positive against 67% of Snow Report & Forecast's.
Avalanche Forecasts ships an update every 8 months, Snow Report & Forecast every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Avalanche Forecasts | Snow Report & Forecast |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (403 ratings) — better | 4.4 (4K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 75.7% of reviews — better | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 403 | 4K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | #191 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 37 MB | 56 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Sierra Avalanche Center | LW Brands, LLC |
Customer experience
Avalanche Forecasts
Snow Report & Forecast
User reviews
Avalanche Forecasts
From 403 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy-to-use interface and navigation
- 🗺️ Consolidated map view of multiple avalanche regions
- ⚡ Quick access to critical avalanche forecasts
- 🆓 Free app with valuable safety information
- 📱 Simple and intuitive design for on-the-go access
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🐛 Color coding not displaying correctly (especially Washington state)
- 🐛 Offline cache feature not working for certain regions
- 🐛 Regional data not populating even when connected to internet
- 🔄 App not updating forecasts from certain centers (NWAC)
Snow Report & Forecast
From 4K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🌟 Excellent accuracy
- 🔍 Detailed snow forecasts
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💰 Good value for money
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🕰️ Updates during critical times
- 🌍 Limited coverage outside US
- 🔍 Confusing interface navigation
- 🔢 Inconsistent data between locations
Bugs and requests
Avalanche Forecasts
Reported bugs
12 issues- App crashes at startup
- Color coding displays as gray for entire regions
- Offline cache not functioning for NWAC zones
- Mt Hood zone not populating data
- Clicking on regions shows all state forecasts instead of specific region
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- 404 errors when clicking on certain zones
- Event map photos not displaying or appearing extremely small
- Requires phone to be turned sideways to view properly
- Clicking zone options produces no response
- Detailed info screens cannot be scrolled
- App formatting suddenly messes up and jumps around
- App hangs and becomes unresponsive
Requested features
10 requests- iPad Pro screen size optimization
- Trip planning tools
- Slope evaluation features
- Checklists for backcountry planning
- Inclinometer tool
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- Restore weather stations and report pins from old version
- Smaller scale region selection
- Support for additional avalanche centers (e.g., CBAC for Crested Butte)
- Event map photo viewing improvements
- Landscape mode support
Snow Report & Forecast
Reported bugs
3 issues- Keyboard issues on iPad
- Forecast data contradictions
- Frequent update notifications
Requested features
4 requests- Snow depth data integration
- Landscape mode for iPad
- Snow alerts and notifications
- Metric units support
In-app purchases
Avalanche Forecasts
No in-app purchases
Snow Report & Forecast
- Pro Subscription (Monthly)3 Days trial$3.991 Month
- Pro Subscription (Yearly)3 Days trial$9.991 Year
- Tip the Developer$0.99
- Tip the Developer$2.99
Questions
Is Avalanche Forecasts free?
Is Snow Report & Forecast free?
Which has better reviews, Avalanche Forecasts or Snow Report & Forecast?
Do Avalanche Forecasts or Snow Report & Forecast have ads?
Which is updated more often, Avalanche Forecasts or Snow Report & Forecast?
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