M a n a g e m e n t

a n d

A n a l y s i s

o f

S n o w,

A v a l a n c h e

a n d

C l i m a t e

D a t a

WHO CANPARTICIPATE?

AlthoughtheWestwide Avalanche Networkisdesigned
foravalancheprofessionalsasanindustryinformation
exchange, it contains many products forthe general pub-
lic.The Westwideweb site is segmented into three groups
of increasing security.
In the first group, the general public can access public
avalanche advisoriesfromboththe U.S.and around the
world,listsofavalancheclasses,someavalanchenews
groups, some automated mountain weather data, andother
non-sensitive data.
The second Data Exchange section is open to approved
professional members of the American Association of Ava-
lanche Professionals orthe Canadian Avalanche Associa-
tion.
The final level isdesigned as an industry information
exchange, reserved only foroperations which are permit-
ted explosives users in the avalanche industry and active
members of avalancheforecasting and control operations.

HOW TOSUBMIT DATA

5)If the subscriberalready keeps theirdata on their own
database or spreadsheetprogram, they can export a file
in a specific format.

6)Those without computers or an Internet connectioncan
continue to fill out the "greenand blue"sheetsand mail
them.Theinformationwillbekeypunched intothe
Westwide database each month.

A free upgradeof Snowlink will be available for registered
Snowlink users and is available on the Westwideweb site.
The othertwo dedicated programs are free of charge and
are also available for download on the Westwideweb site.
Those who wish to export data from their own database or
spreadsheetprograms can contacttheWestwidecommittee
forcopyoftheexportdatafilestandards.Afterthe
subscriberstores a data file on their local hard drive,they
simply log onto the WestwideAvalancheNetwork web site
and go to the data exchange section,type in the name of
the file on their localharddrive(or store thefile in a default
directory) and click the button to "send data."

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Participantscan submit weather andavalanchedatain one_{TheWestwide Avalanche Networkcommitteewishesto}
of six ways:_{thank the sponsors which have donated both start-up and}
1)Fill out a form on the web page^{operational funds toward the project.We wish tothank}
2)UsethelatestversionofSnowlinktosubmitdata.^{The Forest Service National Avalanche Center, the Ameri-}
Snowlink is a commercial database program available^{can Association of Avalanche Professionals,the ISSW 94}
from Judd Communications in Salt Lake City,UT.^{committee,the Quinney Foundation, the Center forSnow}
3)Use a free DOS program written by Kevin Heineken^{Science at Alta and Judd Communications.}

4)Use a free Windows program written by Randy Trover

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