Snowsense
A lightweight avalanche sensor that measures a real-time temperature profile through the snowpack — built for harsh mountain conditions.
Data PageIn use across Iceland and Norway
Data from the sensors is used by the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the Icelandic Road Administration for avalanche monitoring and road safety.
SM4 — Avalanche Monitoring System
SM4 is a lightweight avalanche sensor developed by POLS Engineering in Iceland. It's designed to be carried up a mountain and installed in a single day without special machinery — the base and mast are light and built for harsh mountain conditions.
Read morePrecise measurements, delivered in real time
At the core of SM4 is a temperature cable with 16 or 26 sensors at 20 cm intervals that runs through the snowpack, giving accurate temperature readings at multiple depths simultaneously.
Temperature profile
16–26 temperature sensors at 20 cm intervals measure temperature simultaneously at multiple depths through the snowpack.
Snow depth
A laser distance sensor measures snow depth directly.
Self-powered
Solar panels and built-in batteries power the sensor, built for remote areas.
Real-time data
Data is sent every 10 minutes over LTE-M or NB-IoT and published on snowsense.is as well as a REST API is for direct integration with your own systems.
Data Analysis and Dashboard
The data from the SM4 sensors is analyzed and plotted on charts on the dashboard. Temperature gradient, sphericity and snowdepth are calculated from the temperature cable. A snowpack model has been integrated for all sensors.
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Sea sensors
POLS develops sea sensors that measure ocean temperature, based on the same idea as the snow sensors. They are used in fish farming.
Read moreCompany
POLS Engineering is an Icelandic company that manufactures SM4 meters. The founder worked as a snow observer in Ísafjörður and set out to design sensors that are cheaper, safer, and simpler to install than previous snow-depth solutions.
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Contact us
If you have any questions or need help, don’t hesitate to contact us at orn@snowsense.is.