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 Utah Avalanche Forecast Center, 2242 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84116,
Tel: (801) 524-5304, BTremper@smtpgate.ssmc.noaa.gov
Dan Judd, Judd Communications,Daniel Howlett, Alta Lifts,Randy Trover, Snowbird Ski Area
Mark Moore,Northwest Avalanche Center,Dale Atkins,Colorado Avalanche Information Center,
Kevin Heineken, Aspen Highlands
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Key Words:Westwide, Avalanche,Internet,Computer
ABSTRACT
The Westwide Avalanche Network is an Internet compu-
tersite expressly designed forthe professional avalanche
community.It allows avalancheprofessionals to effectively
share data and communicate with theirpeers on subjects
such asexplosives, avalancheaccidents,mountainweather
and snow stabilityand keep abreast of therapidlychanging
state of the art.By sharing critical information on a timely
basis, avalanche professionals can do their jobs better and
more safely.
The WestwideAvalancheNetwork web site is separated
into three sections with increasing levels of security.The
sectionopen tothegeneral public includes allavailable
publicavalanche advisoriesfromthroughoutthe world,
real-time data from selected automated mountain stations
and general avalanchenews and information.
The Data Exchange section is reserved forprofessional
members of the American Association of Avalanche Pro-
fessionalsandtheCanadianAvalanche Association.It
containsup-to-date weatherdata and summariesofava-
lanche activity fromskiareas, highway control programs
and helicopter skiing operations, SNOTEL data as well as
the news group, "Electronic Patrol Shack."
The final, the Industry Information Exchangeis reserved
fororganizations which are permitted explosives users in
theavalanche industryand activeavalanche forecasting
and control operations.This section will contain detailed
avalanche occurrence information,important updates for
users of explosives,avalaunchers, military weapons,ava-
lanche accidentsat commercial operations and otherim-
portantmounatinweatheror avalanche-relatednewswhich
keeps users abreast ofthe current state ofthe art ofava-
lanche forecasting and control.Users can receive this in-
formation on a timely basis by an electronic mailing list.
INTRODUCTION
Art Judson first started the Westwide AvalancheNetwork
over 25 years ago under the Forest Service and it has acted
asa repositoryofmountainweather and avalanche data
ever since.In 1995 however, the Forest Service decidedto
end funding forthe Westwide, and to turn itovertothe
privatesector.BecauseWestwide enjoyedwidespread
support among the professional avalanche community,a
committee of avalanche professionals from throughout the
country volunteered their time to bring the Westwideinto
the '90s andturnit into an Internetsite.Thenew Westwide
Avalanche Network is a vastly expanded and more useful
real-time system than the original Westwide.
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SERVICES
ThenewWestwide Avalanche Networkisoperationally
separatedinto three sections of increasing security (figure
1):
The Public Section
Thepublic sectionisfree ofcharge and contains allthe
non-sensitive avalanche information of general interest to
the public, including:
*Up-to-date public avalanche advisories fromthrough-
out the U.S., Canada and around the world.
*Updatesofrecentbackcountryavalancheaccidents
including photoswhen available.(Details of avalanche
accidentsat commercial operations will appear only in
the Industry Information Exchangesection.)The public
section will also contain an archive of all backcountry
avalancheaccidentsforthecurrentseasoninthree
different levels ofdetail.It willeventually contain a
complete databaseof all avalancheaccidentsin theU.S.,
both historical and recent, and on-line forms to fill out
fordocumenting avalanche accidents.Finallyitwill
contain updates of the latest International Commission
of Alpine Rescue (IKAR) avalanche accident statistics
worldwide.
*Westwide's exclusive weather page features a guide to
the most useful weather forecasting information avail-
able on the Internet.This includes the most up-to-date
dopplerradar,satelliteimagery,weathermapsand
weather data, plus all the internet tools avalanche pro-
fessionals need to display them.This page is required
reading foranyone gearingup fortheInternetand it
also features great advise and toolseven forthe more
experiencedusers.
*Listsofavalanche classestaught in each differentre-
gion ofthe country and updates of various avalanche
education issues.
*Linkstoonlinedatabases ofavalanche literature,up-
dated each month.
*Links to industry sites such as equipment manufactur-
ers.
*Linkstohomepages forskiareasand helicopterski
companies.
*Links to home pages of regional, national and interna-
tional forecast operations
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