Improved Weather Page Features Later Forecasts

Beginning today, The Times is revamping its weather page to provide later forecasts and information about more locations throughout California, the nation and the world.

The new weather format--found on Page 4 of Part II in today’s edition--includes much of the data requested by readers since The Times last revised the weather page six years ago.

In general, the new format uses later forecasts, better depicts weather approaching California, breaks up the state into more recognizable climate zones and expands listings of temperature forecasts for cities in California and across the world and nation.

Most of the forecasts will be provided by Earth Environment Service, a San Francisco-based private weather service. Some data will continue to come from the National Weather Service.

Among the changes:

- A national forecast map indicates weather patterns predicted for late afternoon on the day of publication--12 hours later than previous forecasts.

The map includes the eastern Pacific Ocean, source of most storms striking California. Rather than chart isobars--lines of equal air pressure--the new map depicts isotherms--lines of equal temperature.

- A national forecast summary will highlight weather conditions, and the list of temperature readings from across the nation has been expanded from 82 cities to 100.

- There is a more detailed picture of California. A new statewide forecast summary heads a list of regional forecasts. The 17 forecast zones were redrawn to reflect more cohesive climatological areas; they are keyed to a locater map. With each regional forecast are temperature and forecast information for California cities; in all, there is information from 78 California cities.

- The global report presents an expanded compilation of worldwide temperatures and sky conditions, with temperature and condition listings from 74 cities that are based on information collected within the previous 24 hours rather than the previous 48 hours. The listings also display normal low and high temperatures, based on historical meteorological records. Foreign cities are arranged geographically.

- Marine forecasts include an overall synopsis plus regional forecasts for the California coast from Point St. George near Oregon to Mexico and out 60 miles, as well as a separate forecast for San Francisco Bay and the delta.

- The almanac has been expanded to include temperature and precipitation statistics from San Diego and San Francisco for comparison with Los Angeles data.

- A graphic depiction of daily peak air pollution forecasts replaces a table of air pollution data. Horizontal bars represent peak ozone readings forecast to occur on the day of publication within each of the 13 listed regions.

The air pollution forecast chart complements the hourly pollution charts that run elsewhere in the paper; these show actual measurements from the previous day of each of three main air pollutants--ozone, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide--at specified locations. In an effort to make air pollution data more understandable, forecast levels are shown in relation to the federal clean air standard and first- and second-stage episode levels.

- Coastal reports have been expanded to 16 reporting points from Santa Barbara to San Diego, compared to 13 previously.

What will not survive in the new format is the satellite photo. The photo was usually 15 or more hours old by the time it appeared. It presented a single snapshot of the cloud cover and was not as informative as animated satellite photo presentations shown on televised weather forecasts.

Forecast information from the satellite photo caption now appears in expanded and more accessible form in the national and California weather summaries.

Steve Newman, owner and chief meteorologist of Earth Environment Service, began forecasting weather in 1970 and was accorded full membership in the American Meteorological Society after gaining 10 years’ experience. He is also a fellow in the Royal Meteorological Society in Great Britain.

Newman obtains his weather and computer forecast analysis data from the National Weather Center in Washington, by satellite and from the European Centre for Medium Range Forecasting in Redding, England. His office also receives 24-hour-a-day satellite weather surveillance covering 80% of the globe.

“We are not in competition with the National Weather Service,” Newman said. “Rather, we are working in conjunction with them to provide more detailed and timely information tailored to the needs of readers of the Los Angeles Times.”

Newman said that when his forecasts differ from those of the National Weather Service, it is usually in the timing and intensity of weather patterns.

The following is a detailed comparison of the differences between the old and new weather listings:

Global Reports: Deleted Beirut, Belgrade, Edmonton and Veracruz. Added (by region) Canada--Halifax and Ottawa; Mexico--Cancun; Central and South America--Manaqua, Quito and San Jose, Costa Rica; Pacific--Auckland, Fiji, Melbourne and Tahiti; Asia--Bombay, Ho Chi Minh City, Osaka and Shanghai; Europe--Istanbul, Leningrad and Nice; Africa/Middle East--Addis Ababa, Mecca, Nairobi and Harare.

National Reports: Added Bismarck, N.D.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Columbia, S.C.; Concord, N.H.; Eugene, Ore.; Grand Junction, Colo.; Helena, Mont.; Medford, Ore.; Mobile, Ala.; Pocatella, Ida.; Pueblo, Colo.; Salem, Ore.; Santa Fe, N.M.; Springfield, Mo.; Tallahassee, Fla.; Wilmington, Del.; Yakima, Wash., and Yuma, Ariz.

California Reports: Added Alpine, Alturas, Concord, Coronado, Crescent City, Cuyamaca Park, Fallbrook, Fort Bragg, Marysville, Monterey, Mt. Laguna, Mt. Shasta City, Napa, Oakland, Paso Robles, Poway, Ramona, Redwood City, Salinas, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, Stockton, Susanville, Tahoe Valley, Ukiah, Vista and Yosemite Valley.

Coastal Reports: Deleted Santa Barbara Island. Added Mission Beach, Oceanside, Point Loma and Solana Beach.