Avalanche Forecasts vs Global Avy
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.
Global Avy
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
| Parameter | Avalanche Forecasts | Global Avy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (403 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 75.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 403 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 12.2 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 37 MB | 145 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sierra Avalanche Center | Timothy 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
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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
Global Avy
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Avalanche Forecasts
No in-app purchases
Global Avy
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Avalanche Forecasts free?
Is Global Avy free?
Do Avalanche Forecasts or Global Avy have ads?
Which is updated more often, Avalanche Forecasts or Global Avy?
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