Avalanche Monitoring Systems and Sensors

Understanding precipitation types for avalanche prediction is easier than you think. Optical Scientific, Inc. (OSI) provides innovative precipitation sensors that are designed to aid researchers, environmental agencies, and safety authorities with accurate, real-time data collection of precipitation type, present weather, and visibility for improved precipitation detection technology.

The OWI series (optical weather identifiers) incorporates three different sensing technologies for the most accurate identification of precipitation type, present weather, and visibility.:

In-Beam optical scintillation (precipitation type) distinguishes between rain, snow, sleet, drizzle, freezing rain etc
Off axis forward scattering (visibility, RVR)
Acoustic Hail and Ice pellets

Our innovative Optical Weather Identifiers have over 800 million field hours’ worth of data built into the algorithms. OWI series sensors offer precise measurements of precipitation type, precipitation rate and accumulation amount in real time.

Whether monitoring snow accumulation, or assessing overall avalanche risk, OWI sensors can provide decision-makers with an added tool in avalanche studies and potentially play a critical role in avalanche monitoring and avalanche risk assessment,

Wind, temperature, relative humidity and barometric pressure sensors can be easily added both the OWI-430 & OWI-650 can act as a modular automated weather station.

OSI’s optical scintillation technology has been trusted by NASA, National Weather Service, NOAA and many other government agencies worldwide for its reliability, precision, and ability to operate in extreme conditions.

Enhance your data collection and improve avalanche risk assessment capabilities with our optical weather identifiers which can report 50 NWS/WMO codes.

Products applicable on Avalanche studies

APG All Precipitation Weather Identifier and Gauges

APG offers enhanced ability to measure rain and snow with advanced algorithms to automatically determine the precipitation type, rate, and water equivalent accumulation. The APG is vastly superior to traditional type sensors and offers the reliability and proven performance you need!

DSP-WIVIS Weather Identifier and Visibility Sensors

Measures visibility and detects and quantifies rain, snow, drizzle, freezing and mixed precipitation conditions. Our basic OWI featuring the adaptive algorithm software, DSP-based analysis, sturdy performance, and accuracy our customers have come to expect as the norm.

HIP-100, HIPS Hail and Ice Pellet Add-On Sensors

HIP-100 is an acoustic sensor developed as an add-on option to the OWI-series Weather Sensors, giving an even greater range of weather data collection. It is difficult to discriminate a solid ice particle from a water droplet using optical techniques alone...