Imagine turning your passion for powder into an app half a million people check every morning. That's exactly what two ski fanatics did, starting from a tiny email list to create OpenSnow, the go-to for accurate snow forecasts.
It all started with Bryan Allegretto, a self-described "storm chaser" from New Jersey. He loved severe weather and skiing. But when he moved to Tahoe in 2006, he realized something was missing: real mountain weather forecasts. City predictions just didn't cut it for skiers.
So, Bryan started emailing his own detailed storm analyses to friends at 4 AM. His predictions were so spot-on that resorts started asking to use them. Meanwhile, Joel Gratz was doing something similar in Colorado.
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Start Your News DetoxThe Wild Idea That Became OpenSnow
In 2010, Joel called Bryan with a wild idea: combine forces. No pay, just a shared dream. Bryan, juggling two jobs and a family, took the leap. They started OpenSnow, initially relying on manual forecasting. Imagine: hand-keying snowfall reports for hours every single morning. That's dedication.
Around 2018, they built their own weather model called METEOS. This clever system automated a lot of the grunt work, letting them forecast for almost any GPS point on Earth. It basically learned all their combined experience and turned it into formulas.
They switched to a subscription model, and it worked. Bryan and Joel finally quit their day jobs to focus on OpenSnow full-time. Even a paywall didn't stop their growth.
Then came the game-changer: PEAKS. Launched in December, this new AI model can chew through decades of weather data in minutes. It corrects errors and gives super precise forecasts, telling you the difference between snow in a parking lot and at the summit. This AI is 50% more accurate than the old ways, but human forecasters like Bryan still add that personal touch.
OpenSnow isn't just about powder days. They recently bought StormNet, a severe weather tracker, and next winter, they're launching AI-powered avalanche forecasts. This means earlier, more specific warnings that could genuinely save lives. Seriously cool.
Despite worries about climate change, OpenSnow keeps growing. If one area has a bad season, another might be buried in snow, and the app covers it all. They've never taken outside investments, staying true to their mission: accurate forecasts and the pure joy of skiing. That's pretty nuts for two guys who just wanted to know where the best snow was.
