Comparison

Avalanche Forecasts vs Global Avy

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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.

About

Global Avy

Features
Read full description

Stay safe in the backcountry with timely avalanche forecasts from multiple countries in one app. Global Avy aggregates forecasts from U.S. avalanche centers, Avalanche Canada, and Varsom (Norway) — with push notifications that tell you the moment a new forecast drops. KEY FEATURES Multi-Location Support • Save unlimited forecast locations across providers • Custom location names for easy identification • Interactive map picker for precise location selection • Hierarchical region browser for quick preset selection • Automatic zone detection using provider forecast boundaries Push Notifications • Alerts within ~15 minutes of a new forecast publishing • Per-location notifications for the areas you care about • Pre-fetches the full forecast so it's ready offline • Customizable notification preferences per location Comprehensive Forecast Data • Current avalanche danger ratings (Above Treeline, Near Treeline, Below Treeline) • Multi-day danger outlooks with elevation band breakdowns • Detailed avalanche problem discussions and summaries • Bottom line recommendations from forecasters • Forecast valid dates and expiry times • Media attachments (photos, diagrams) Integrated Weather • National Weather Service forecasts for US locations • Temperature, wind, precipitation forecasts • Zone-specific weather discussions • Combined view of avalanche and weather conditions Built for Offline Use • Aggressive caching for backcountry areas with no cell service • View cached forecasts at the trailhead or on the skin track • Automatic refresh when connection is available • Stale data is better than no data for safety-critical decisions Special Product Alerts • Avalanche Advisories, Watches, and Warnings (SPAWs) • Dedicated alert banners for exceptional avalanche conditions • Works even when the full forecast fetch fails (degraded-mode fallback) PROVIDERS • U.S. avalanche centers via the avalanche.org Forecast Center aggregator • Avalanche Canada • Varsom (Norway) • More coming — request a provider at github.com/TimZander/GlobalAvy/issues PRIVACY • No account required • No ads • Anonymous usage analytics are opt-out • Coarse-grid location used for push delivery; never linked to your identity • Crash reports are opt-out

Screenshots

Avalanche Forecasts4 screens
Global Avy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Global Avy at monthly against Avalanche Forecasts's every 8 months. Global Avy also leads on iOS requirement (12.2 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Avalanche Forecasts ships an update every 8 months, Global Avy monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Avalanche Forecasts versus Global Avy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAvalanche ForecastsGlobal Avy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (403 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews75.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings403 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.612.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB145 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSierra Avalanche CenterTimothy Zander

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
Show 7 more
  • 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
Show 5 more
  • 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

Global Avy

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Avalanche Forecasts

No in-app purchases

None

Global Avy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Avalanche Forecasts free?
Avalanche Forecasts is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Global Avy free?
Global Avy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Avalanche Forecasts or Global Avy have ads?
Neither Avalanche Forecasts nor Global Avy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Avalanche Forecasts or Global Avy?
Avalanche Forecasts ships an update every 8 months, and Global Avy monthly. Most recently, Avalanche Forecasts was updated on October 9, 2026 and Global Avy on September 30, 2026.

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