Know what’s behind the forecast.
stormstoke displays Open-Meteo model forecasts at ski-area locations. Recent snowfall is also a model estimate. Neither number is a measurement of snow on a particular run or a guarantee of ski conditions.
Where the weather comes from
Our scheduled service requests snowfall, temperature and wind from the Open-Meteo Forecast API for resort coordinates. The feed contains up to 7 forecast days; the default resort view, regional rankings and public comparisons use 5 days beginning on the forecast’s first local day. Recent snowfall covers the preceding 5 days.
Refreshes are scheduled four times daily, at 02:15, 10:15, 16:15 and 22:15 UTC. The displayed update time is when stormstoke collected the feed, rather than the issue time of every underlying weather model. Upstream models have their own update schedules.
Days and date ranges follow each resort’s local time zone. Tables identify the period being compared. Snowfall is stored in centimetres; inches are calculated by dividing by 2.54. Display rounding can make daily values differ slightly from a rounded total.
Which part of the mountain does it describe?
When base and summit elevations are available, we request an elevation two thirds of the way from the base to the summit: base + ⅔ × (summit − base). Otherwise, the forecast uses the provider’s default elevation at the resort coordinate. Each forecast shows the elevation returned by the provider when available.
This is a single representative point. It cannot resolve every slope, exposure or elevation across a resort. Compare the stated elevation alongside the snowfall amount, especially when conditions differ between the valley and the upper mountain.
How regional snow rankings work
For each state or province, we add the next 5 daily snowfall values for each ski area with a complete, usable forecast. We order those totals from largest to smallest and show the covered dates, forecast elevation and data coverage. Equal totals share a rank. Rankings include the directory’s small hills and private ski areas; they do not imply public access or current operations.
Missing or invalid forecasts are excluded and counted, never changed into zero snowfall. A real zero means the model predicts no new snow in that period. An out-of-date forecast period is excluded from a current ranking. Once a feed is more than 18 hours old, the page labels it as an older forecast and does not present a current winner. An invalid update time or unavailable feed produces an unavailable message.
The largest forecast total is a planning signal. Check resort reports, operating status, access and local conditions before choosing where to go. Public comparisons use the same rules and show both resorts even when one forecast is unavailable.
Recent snow, mountain facts and webcams are different evidence
Recent snow on stormstoke is a modeled estimate, not a resort snow-stake measurement. Base depth, open lifts and open trails are different quantities and are not inferred from forecast snowfall. Missing values remain unavailable.
Webcams come from the resort or the identified camera provider. A successfully loaded image does not establish when it was captured. Mountain photographs are labelled separately and do not show current conditions.
How we document resort information
Each resort page lists the sources and review date for published mountain details. The directory begins with OpenSkiMap and includes cross-checks and operator references. Some facts come from secondary directories or older publications; the source notes identify those limitations. Lift and trail totals describe the mountain’s inventory, not what is open today.
The geographic data retains attribution to OpenStreetMap contributors and Skimap.org. Open-Meteo weather data is attributed under CC BY 4.0. Photos and logos have their own credits.
What to check before a trip
Use the links on each resort page to confirm operating dates, tickets, restrictions and the official snow report. Use the responsible road agency for travel conditions and the relevant avalanche authority when planning terrain where avalanche information is needed. stormstoke is a planning tool, not a safety assessment.
Questions or corrections? Contact stormstoke. To learn how to read the numbers together, visit the snow-planning guides.