How reports are processed
What happens after you hit submit, including how the map updates, when the overall status changes, and the limits that keep the data honest.
You tap submit. Then a surprising amount of tiny machinery kicks in.
The short version
We check it
The report has to come from an allowed area around the mountain, from a device that isn't over its limits.
It lands on the map
Your report is placed in a hexagon, and that hexagon's color is recalculated from all the reports inside it.
The overall status gets re-evaluated
We check whether the headline status should change.
Caches refresh and notifications go out
So the next person who opens ITMO sees fresh info. If the mountain is visible, we may also post to Rainier Watch's social channels.
How the map is built
Reports are grouped into hexagons. Each hexagon's color is the average of the states reported inside it. Areas with few reports show as larger hexagons, and once enough reports exist, the map breaks them into smaller ones. Each map snapshot is saved and never edited afterward, which is what lets the Time Machine replay a day accurately.
How the headline status changes
- If there's no status yet for today, the first report sets it.
- If a new report matches the current status, the status just gets a fresh "updated" time.
- A switch to a different state only happens when the two latest reports of the day agree on it.
That's why one weird report won't flip the whole mountain.
Limits and cooldowns
To keep the map trustworthy, there's a cooldown between reports, a cap on how many you can submit per day, and checks for things like too many reports from one spot too fast. If you hit one, the app tells you. The iOS app shows your cooldown and how many reports you have left today.
Webcam-based reports have their own rules: for example, a report from a webcam image needs daylight at the mountain, and each camera has its own cooldowns.
Where reports go afterward
Reports stay in the historical community archive indefinitely. When the mountain is visible, Rainier Watch may also share it on its social accounts. See what we collect for what stays attached to a report.
Adding photos to a report
How to attach a photo to your Mt. Rainier report, why you need a free account, which file types work, and how we strip location data from your pictures.
Tips for accurate reports
Simple habits for reporting what Mt. Rainier really looks like, so the map stays useful for everyone in the Pacific Northwest.