ICT4snow

The demand for the up-to-date information on snow conditions and avalanches for decision-making processes in the context of risk management is steadily increasing and was the motivation for the ICT4snow exploratory project. This project involved testing for possible technical implementation of a web-based real-time snow and avalanche platform.

The information platform developed over the course of the project records, analyses and visualises both the stability of the snowpack and current snow conditions. This is based on different (heterogeneous) data sources that have been integrated dynamically into this platform and made available to users in the form of customised information packages. In addition to developing these technical implementation options, this pilot project also involved recording and assessing the potential added value of these types of data for the end user.

Developing the ICT4snow platform

The objective was to establish a platform that can incorporate existing data systems directly via interfaces. This type of data transfer allows familiar and tried-and-tested systems to continue to be used and does not require any additional effort on the part of the institutions/persons providing the data. The expanded basis for the data means that information can be exchanged more quickly and in a more targeted way. However, this 1:1 integration of different data sources placed high demands on ICT4snow's technological infrastructure. This included for instance the need to process data in different formats, snowpack and avalanche information had to be analysed and forecast in real time and the results had to be quickly returned to the end users in processed form.

Integrated data sources

• Actual snow and avalanche situation (avalanche danger level, observations of drift snow, etc.) recorded and documented by mountain and ski guides and managed in a database and information system of the Lech Alpine Centre
• Combination of numerical weather forecast models with terrain data in high temporal and spatial resolution
• Real-time weather data collected by mobile mini-sensors in the field
• Stability assessments of the snow cover from traditional manual hardness profiles and innovative probes that digitally record and store the penetration resistance
• Recordings from time-lapse cameras for documenting ski tracks
• Images from thermal smartphone cameras to detect people buried in an avalanche
• High-resolution optical satellite data (Sentinel 2), which are made available to users in a prompt and user-friendly manner via a new web application developed by ICT4snow

Data from various sources were successfully integrated and a smart real-time information flow made possible based on a stable server structure and newly created interfaces. This was subjected to intensive practical testing in a ski resort in close co-operation between IT technicians, practitioners and researchers.

Consortium leader

• Austrian Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests (BFW) – Institute for Natural Hazards

Additional consortium partners

• Snow sports school Omeshorn – Alpincenter Lech GmbH