MISSOULA — A big winter storm can either make or break your outdoor plans.
That's why a Missoula man made a website, pulling data like snow depth and forecasts from weather organizations and government agencies.
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"Even if it's Monday, I'm thinking about what I'm doing on the weekends," OutsideDB website creator Eric Tangedahl said,
Tangedahl has spent his life in front of a screen working in information technology.
"I want to learn about new technologies and figure out how they work," Tangedahl noted.
Three years ago, Tangedahl decided to combine his passion for winter outdoor activities with his tech knowledge to create OutsideDB.
"I think it just gives an opportunity to visualize the data in a way that you can make decisions outdoors for fun and safety," Tangedahl explained.
He wanted to make it easy for recreationists in Montana and Idaho to access the latest snow data without spending hours searching online.
"I'm looking at several different sites, and I didn't want to look at five or six or seven different sites," Tangedahl said.
While he's not a professional affiliated with the National Weather Service, he monitors their data and highlights it and more on his website.
"There's three different data sources National Weather Service, NOAA, NRCS," Tangedahl shared. "Basically weather data, snow data, and now I've added in kind of some maps in that that show snow probability."
Say you're looking to ski in the Rattlesnake, OutsideDB shows Stuart Mountain's SNOTEL, or mountain data collection center, to give you a better look at the conditions.
"I mean, given this upcoming storm, it's just like, 'Where's the snow going to go?' It's the first time it's coming, and I want to find out where I want to recreate this weekend," Tangedahl said.
You can also see history and trends from past year's winters.
"I think it's hard for us to kind of visualize the past or what the last winter was like, but this shows what the average is, year over year, and you can kind of compare it to last year and see what the temperatures and the snow levels are," Tangedahl explained.
He's looking to make the site as accessible and user-friendly as possible.
"I'm looking to grow it and learn. I like the feedback. If people have anything they'd like to say about it, it sure helps me develop it," Tangedahl shared.
His website notes to always check the avalanche forecast and make your own risk assessments before heading into the backcountry.
To visit OutsideDB click here.
