Powder Buoy - Connecting Ski Soul Riders From Hawaii To The Rockies

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How it Works

What does a NOAA weather buoy 3000 miles away in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean have to do with snow in Utah, Colorado & Wyoming? Good question! Since the dawn of time, humans have been trying to plan their powder days, a futile feat… until now. Is it magic? Is it science? Is it dumb luck? The answer may be yes to all of the above, but more than anything, the Powderbuoy is all about a positive vibration and energy that connects soul riders around the world.

““Yeahbuuuuooooyyyyyy””

- William Jonathan Drayton Jr.

It All Starts With the Buoy

Deep in the North Pacific, a lonely NOAA buoy floats, diligently collecting all sorts of weather data. No friends on a powder day? This lonely buoy may think its only friends are the passing birds who may stop by for a few; little does the buoy know how much happiness and joy it brings to people around the world on powder days.

Weather Prediction

Tracking buoys is nothing new; surfers have followed buoys since Gary Busey was dropping in on Big Wednesday to find out when swells are going to hit specific breaks. The Powderbuoy uses these same NOAA buoys in Hawaii and tracks the same energy that surfers ride in waves in Hawaii to forecast snow that we ride in our mountains. When the buoy pops, two weeks later you’re going to want to clear your calendar.

Plan Your Powder Flu

Don’t let those sick days go to waste, plan your flu and go get you some! That TPS report can wait for another day, you’ve got powder to ski. Yeahbuoy!

Go to the Buoy Dashboard

From the Blog

Powderbuoy Pilsner

Proceeds from Powderbuoy Pilsner sales go to the Utah Avalanche Center (Provided by Park City [...]

10
Nov

What is a Buoypop 101

In 2004 a friend of mine who lived part of the year in Hawaii and [...]

25
Oct

How do I interpret the plume data (Blue line graph)?

The Atmospheric Sciences Department at the University of Utah is one of the best, if [...]

25
Oct

From Instagram

The buoy’s poppin’ don’t come a knockin’. Storm for the 26/27th coming into view, I guess that little pop the other day may turn into something. Bigger buoypop in the works right now, still targeting the flip into Feb. This weekend looks to be a bit all over the map depending on who you read, hope for some lake effect and I like the UAC report the best. Keep the stoke alive! #yeahbuoy

Jan 17

The buoy’s poppin’ don’t come a knockin’. Storm for the 26/27th coming into view, I guess that little pop the other day may turn into something. Bigger buoypop in the works right now, still targeting the flip into Feb. This weekend looks to be a bit all over the map depending on who you read, hope for some lake effect and I like the UAC report the best. Keep the stoke alive! #yeahbuoy

The buoy’s poppin’ don’t come a knockin’. Storm for the 26/27th coming into view, I guess that little pop the other day may turn into something. Bigger buoypop in the works right now, still targeting the flip into Feb. This weekend looks to be a bit all over the map depending on who you read, hope for some lake effect and I like the UAC report the best. Keep the stoke alive! #yeahbuoy ...

828 6

Not totally sure what to make of this one, but keeping an eye on the 27th, there’s a bigger buoypop that should hit tomorrow for the end of the month/ feb 1. #yeahbuoy

Jan 16

Not totally sure what to make of this one, but keeping an eye on the 27th, there’s a bigger buoypop that should hit tomorrow for the end of the month/ feb 1. #yeahbuoy

Not totally sure what to make of this one, but keeping an eye on the 27th, there’s a bigger buoypop that should hit tomorrow for the end of the month/ feb 1. #yeahbuoy ...

920 14

Next storm on deck, MLK weekend ++, we’ll see how totals slide in. There’s a small buoypop out there today and tomorrow,!but more meaningful looking one on the 17/18th rolling us into Feb 1st. There have been moments of glory, but it would be sure awesome for the ol ❄️ spigot to turn on. No complaints, she’s as good as she’s been all season right now. Clocking out on Friday for a week 🇯🇵 . #Iē Bui

Jan 14

Next storm on deck, MLK weekend ++, we’ll see how totals slide in. There’s a small buoypop out there today and tomorrow,!but more meaningful looking one on the 17/18th rolling us into Feb 1st. There have been moments of glory, but it would be sure awesome for the ol ❄️ spigot to turn on. No complaints, she’s as good as she’s been all season right now. Clocking out on Friday for a week 🇯🇵 . #Iē Bui

Next storm on deck, MLK weekend ++, we’ll see how totals slide in. There’s a small buoypop out there today and tomorrow,!but more meaningful looking one on the 17/18th rolling us into Feb 1st. There have been moments of glory, but it would be sure awesome for the ol ❄️ spigot to turn on. No complaints, she’s as good as she’s been all season right now. Clocking out on Friday for a week 🇯🇵 . #Iē Bui ...

1373 20

11:11 11/10 on 1/11 #yeahbuoy

Jan 12

11:11 11/10 on 1/11 #yeahbuoy

11:11 11/10 on 1/11 #yeahbuoy ...

1150 10

I’m not complaining, happy that it’s finally snowing, but how about some non-weekend storms for a change. Def not complaining & grateful. Storms this weekend and next weekend lined up. Next weekend looks to be better in Colorado. Some high pressure posts up next week, and possibly after MLK, I’m really hoping that isn’t the case, fingers crossed. Future experimental buoycast looks like we have another small pop on the 13th then more meaningful one on the 17th, which rolls us into Feb. Time flies. Stoked for ski patrol & stoked to be adventuring next week to 🇯🇵 with @bryonfriedman . #yeahbuoy

Jan 10

I’m not complaining, happy that it’s finally snowing, but how about some non-weekend storms for a change. Def not complaining & grateful. Storms this weekend and next weekend lined up. Next weekend looks to be better in Colorado. Some high pressure posts up next week, and possibly after MLK, I’m really hoping that isn’t the case, fingers crossed. Future experimental buoycast looks like we have another small pop on the 13th then more meaningful one on the 17th, which rolls us into Feb. Time flies. Stoked for ski patrol & stoked to be adventuring next week to 🇯🇵 with @bryonfriedman . #yeahbuoy

I’m not complaining, happy that it’s finally snowing, but how about some non-weekend storms for a change. Def not complaining & grateful. Storms this weekend and next weekend lined up. Next weekend looks to be better in Colorado. Some high pressure posts up next week, and possibly after MLK, I’m really hoping that isn’t the case, fingers crossed. Future experimental buoycast looks like we have another small pop on the 13th then more meaningful one on the 17th, which rolls us into Feb. Time flies. Stoked for ski patrol & stoked to be adventuring next week to 🇯🇵 with @bryonfriedman . #yeahbuoy ...

1354 15

Buoy keeps popping. Thought I’d give a little love to OG Craig Kelly (RIP). My first snowboard was a 94 Burton Craig Kelly, wish I still had it. Craig was in Greg stump’s ptex , lies & duct tape and I think I was originally turned on to boarding by Stump’s Groove Requiem that I watched on replay back at pelican ski shop in NJ when I worked there before I moved to Utah. That movie changed the course of my life. Snow still lined up for the 11/12th, then MLK weekend ++. #yeahbuoy

Jan 8

Buoy keeps popping. Thought I’d give a little love to OG Craig Kelly (RIP). My first snowboard was a 94 Burton Craig Kelly, wish I still had it. Craig was in Greg stump’s ptex , lies & duct tape and I think I was originally turned on to boarding by Stump’s Groove Requiem that I watched on replay back at pelican ski shop in NJ when I worked there before I moved to Utah. That movie changed the course of my life. Snow still lined up for the 11/12th, then MLK weekend ++. #yeahbuoy

Buoy keeps popping. Thought I’d give a little love to OG Craig Kelly (RIP). My first snowboard was a 94 Burton Craig Kelly, wish I still had it. Craig was in Greg stump’s ptex , lies & duct tape and I think I was originally turned on to boarding by Stump’s Groove Requiem that I watched on replay back at pelican ski shop in NJ when I worked there before I moved to Utah. That movie changed the course of my life. Snow still lined up for the 11/12th, then MLK weekend ++. #yeahbuoy ...

1905 46

Genuine Buoypop right there, should last 4-5 days, that puts MLK weekend+ on the radar. Between now and then we have a little storm on the 7th/8th flying through and again on the 13/14th. I’ve been mostly quiet on the 800 lb 🦍 in the room because I try to make this outlet one of positivity and stoke. When I moved to Utah to go to the U of U in 1993, one of the first classes I took was an EMT class at the Park City Library with hopes of working ski patrol, back when Billy Gray ran the show. I have been first on scene for an inbounds avalanche sadly with fatality in 2008, caught and carried about 100+ meters in an inbounds avalanche myself in the same spot in 2009 two weeks after my daughter’s birth. (Thank you Jimmy Collinson for finding my ski later that summer which lives on as a shot ski). I remember ski patrol saving a friend’s son’s life after an inbounds avalanche at the Canyons. His survival is a statistical miracle given how long he was buried, kudos to ski patrol and Docs who helped him. These are just a few small stories that represent why I stand with our Ski Patrol at all resorts. They are critical in their jobs as first responders and as snow safety mitigators. Mr. Rogers said, always look for the helpers, well, they’re right there, men and women in red, can’t miss em. I’ve used this small soap box to talk about snow safety and promote the Utah Avalanche Center, as I view them as a vital resource to our community. I view our men and women in red as being under that same umbrella. Resorts don’t run without knowledgeable ski patrol. Now every sport has got its patron saint, With whom it is, without it ain’t. Foot pads have their Doctor Scholl
Socialists have G.H. Cole, Boston has its Cabot and Lowell, Skiing has its Minot Dole. Now what is he the father of?
It’s not free wine, it’s not free love
He didn’t find the Dead Sea Scroll
He didn’t invent the casserole
Or even the original jellyroll
He created the ski patrol. Yell for the ski patrol. Yell for the ski patrol. Skol!

Jan 5

Genuine Buoypop right there, should last 4-5 days, that puts MLK weekend+ on the radar. Between now and then we have a little storm on the 7th/8th flying through and again on the 13/14th. I’ve been mostly quiet on the 800 lb 🦍 in the room because I try to make this outlet one of positivity and stoke. When I moved to Utah to go to the U of U in 1993, one of the first classes I took was an EMT class at the Park City Library with hopes of working ski patrol, back when Billy Gray ran the show. I have been first on scene for an inbounds avalanche sadly with fatality in 2008, caught and carried about 100+ meters in an inbounds avalanche myself in the same spot in 2009 two weeks after my daughter’s birth. (Thank you Jimmy Collinson for finding my ski later that summer which lives on as a shot ski). I remember ski patrol saving a friend’s son’s life after an inbounds avalanche at the Canyons. His survival is a statistical miracle given how long he was buried, kudos to ski patrol and Docs who helped him. These are just a few small stories that represent why I stand with our Ski Patrol at all resorts. They are critical in their jobs as first responders and as snow safety mitigators. Mr. Rogers said, always look for the helpers, well, they’re right there, men and women in red, can’t miss em. I’ve used this small soap box to talk about snow safety and promote the Utah Avalanche Center, as I view them as a vital resource to our community. I view our men and women in red as being under that same umbrella. Resorts don’t run without knowledgeable ski patrol. Now every sport has got its patron saint, With whom it is, without it ain’t. Foot pads have their Doctor Scholl
Socialists have G.H. Cole, Boston has its Cabot and Lowell, Skiing has its Minot Dole. Now what is he the father of?
It’s not free wine, it’s not free love
He didn’t find the Dead Sea Scroll
He didn’t invent the casserole
Or even the original jellyroll
He created the ski patrol. Yell for the ski patrol. Yell for the ski patrol. Skol!

Genuine Buoypop right there, should last 4-5 days, that puts MLK weekend+ on the radar. Between now and then we have a little storm on the 7th/8th flying through and again on the 13/14th. I’ve been mostly quiet on the 800 lb 🦍 in the room because I try to make this outlet one of positivity and stoke. When I moved to Utah to go to the U of U in 1993, one of the first classes I took was an EMT class at the Park City Library with hopes of working ski patrol, back when Billy Gray ran the show. I have been first on scene for an inbounds avalanche sadly with fatality in 2008, caught and carried about 100+ meters in an inbounds avalanche myself in the same spot in 2009 two weeks after my daughter’s birth. (Thank you Jimmy Collinson for finding my ski later that summer which lives on as a shot ski). I remember ski patrol saving a friend’s son’s life after an inbounds avalanche at the Canyons. His survival is a statistical miracle given how long he was buried, kudos to ski patrol and Docs who helped him. These are just a few small stories that represent why I stand with our Ski Patrol at all resorts. They are critical in their jobs as first responders and as snow safety mitigators. Mr. Rogers said, always look for the helpers, well, they’re right there, men and women in red, can’t miss em. I’ve used this small soap box to talk about snow safety and promote the Utah Avalanche Center, as I view them as a vital resource to our community. I view our men and women in red as being under that same umbrella. Resorts don’t run without knowledgeable ski patrol. Now every sport has got its patron saint, With whom it is, without it ain’t. Foot pads have their Doctor Scholl
Socialists have G.H. Cole, Boston has its Cabot and Lowell, Skiing has its Minot Dole. Now what is he the father of?
It’s not free wine, it’s not free love
He didn’t find the Dead Sea Scroll
He didn’t invent the casserole
Or even the original jellyroll
He created the ski patrol. Yell for the ski patrol. Yell for the ski patrol. Skol! ...

2964 80

One more shot coming in tonight into New Year’s Eve. If only 5-10 degrees colder the last few days…. I’ll take it as base building and character building so far. Lots of avalanche activity out there and not over just yet. Very thankful for well-trained ski patrol who know our terrain and how to keep us all safe. Next storm on target for the 4th/5th. Looks like the 8th may be more of a fly by to Jackson and Colorado, now looking at the 11th and I think the 17/18th is in play. #yeahbuoy

Dec 29

One more shot coming in tonight into New Year’s Eve. If only 5-10 degrees colder the last few days…. I’ll take it as base building and character building so far. Lots of avalanche activity out there and not over just yet. Very thankful for well-trained ski patrol who know our terrain and how to keep us all safe. Next storm on target for the 4th/5th. Looks like the 8th may be more of a fly by to Jackson and Colorado, now looking at the 11th and I think the 17/18th is in play. #yeahbuoy

One more shot coming in tonight into New Year’s Eve. If only 5-10 degrees colder the last few days…. I’ll take it as base building and character building so far. Lots of avalanche activity out there and not over just yet. Very thankful for well-trained ski patrol who know our terrain and how to keep us all safe. Next storm on target for the 4th/5th. Looks like the 8th may be more of a fly by to Jackson and Colorado, now looking at the 11th and I think the 17/18th is in play. #yeahbuoy ...

1800 24

Boxing Day buoypop, eh! This snow should still last into the new year then a break for a few days, start again around the 5th and then the 8th. #yeahbuoy

Dec 26

Boxing Day buoypop, eh! This snow should still last into the new year then a break for a few days, start again around the 5th and then the 8th. #yeahbuoy

Boxing Day buoypop, eh! This snow should still last into the new year then a break for a few days, start again around the 5th and then the 8th. #yeahbuoy ...

1413 5

An incoming storm is expected to bring snow to the region beginning this evening, and we can expect 4-8 inches of snow (0.5-0.9 inches of SWE) by tomorrow evening. Winds will decrease and shift to the NW tomorrow morning as the storm moves out of our area, bringing a short break in weather before the next system moves in. An active series of storms appears to be on track for northern Utah, beginning Thursday afternoon through the weekend, and we could be measuring snow in feet and not inches. Copied from @utavy #yeahbuoy

Dec 24

An incoming storm is expected to bring snow to the region beginning this evening, and we can expect 4-8 inches of snow (0.5-0.9 inches of SWE) by tomorrow evening. Winds will decrease and shift to the NW tomorrow morning as the storm moves out of our area, bringing a short break in weather before the next system moves in. An active series of storms appears to be on track for northern Utah, beginning Thursday afternoon through the weekend, and we could be measuring snow in feet and not inches. Copied from @utavy #yeahbuoy

An incoming storm is expected to bring snow to the region beginning this evening, and we can expect 4-8 inches of snow (0.5-0.9 inches of SWE) by tomorrow evening. Winds will decrease and shift to the NW tomorrow morning as the storm moves out of our area, bringing a short break in weather before the next system moves in. An active series of storms appears to be on track for northern Utah, beginning Thursday afternoon through the weekend, and we could be measuring snow in feet and not inches. Copied from @utavy #yeahbuoy ...

986 21

Happy winter solstice. The buoy has been firing for the past few days and looks to keep firing thru the 26th. Snow looks to be on 🎯.It’s a real beaut Clark. #yeahbuoy

Dec 21

Happy winter solstice. The buoy has been firing for the past few days and looks to keep firing thru the 26th. Snow looks to be on 🎯.It’s a real beaut Clark. #yeahbuoy

Happy winter solstice. The buoy has been firing for the past few days and looks to keep firing thru the 26th. Snow looks to be on 🎯.It’s a real beaut Clark. #yeahbuoy ...

2442 42

Soon enough…..

Dec 20

Soon enough…..

Soon enough….. ...

728 18

It’s gonna be a happy new year. #yeahbuoy

Dec 19

It’s gonna be a happy new year. #yeahbuoy

It’s gonna be a happy new year. #yeahbuoy ...

2243 78

Still calling for Xmas snow and the 28th too. Things are starting to shape up into the new year and into Jan 4/5 ! #yeahbuoy

Dec 17

Still calling for Xmas snow and the 28th too. Things are starting to shape up into the new year and into Jan 4/5 ! #yeahbuoy

Still calling for Xmas snow and the 28th too. Things are starting to shape up into the new year and into Jan 4/5 ! #yeahbuoy ...

1433 23

Calling for some Christmas Eve snow #yeahbuoy

Dec 12

Calling for some Christmas Eve snow #yeahbuoy

Calling for some Christmas Eve snow #yeahbuoy ...

787 11

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