1988 Ranks as 3rd Worst Smog Year of Decade

As Southern California basked in warmer than normal temperatures and enjoyed fair skies Thursday, air quality officials reported that 1988 has posted one of the worst smog seasons of the decade.

Ozone levels in the South Coast Air Basin surpassed federal standards on 172 days, a level exceeded this decade only in 1981 with 180 days and in 1984 with 173 days.

Air this year may have been dirtier, but a mild Santa Ana condition over the Los Angeles Basin kept skies clear Thursday, and a forecaster said the weekend should remain fair and mild.

In Orange County, San Clemente was the hot spot with an 86-degree reading. Elsewhere, highs ranged from 82 in Irvine to 76 in Newport Beach. Afternoon sea breezes kept temperatures at most coastal locations in the mid- to low 70s.

A high-pressure system over Utah is responsible for producing winds from the east, giving the Southland warmer weather, said Patricia Cooper, a meteorologist with WeatherData Inc., which provides forecasts for The Times.

“Temperatures are 10 to 15 degrees higher than normal for late November and December,” Cooper said. “The weekend won’t be quite as warm.”

High temperatures in coastal areas will range from the upper 60s to the low 70s, and the mercury will settle into the 70s in inland areas. The high deserts will top out in the 60s, and low deserts will experience highs from the mid-70s to low 80s. Mountain areas will reach highs from the 50s to the low 60s.

“The high over Utah should break down by midweek, and the normal onshore flow of air should return,” Cooper said. “Temperatures should be cooler, but there won’t be any really bad weather. The area will stay mild with temperatures in the 60s to low 70s.

With the return of the sea breezes may come the smog that has been more visible this year.

Generally measured between May 1 and Oct. 31, the smog season is characterized by hot temperatures and stagnant air. Changing weather patterns from year to year account for much of the difference in ozone, officials said, adding that ozone levels have declined during the 1980s when weather conditions are factored out.

Ozone lowers resistance to infection, exacerbates chronic respiratory illness and can cause permanent lung damage to people exposed to high levels over a period of several years.

“Despite the bad news, there is some good in the latest (ozone) figures,” said Riverside County Supervisor Norton Younglove, chairman of the South Coast Air Quality Management District. “Namely, the number of first-stage alerts continued a downward trend.”

He said air pollution reached first-stage alert levels of at least 0.20 parts per million for one hour in various communities on 75 days so far this year. Only 1982, with 63 first-stage alerts and 1987 with 66, had fewer episodes.

The only second stage alert--called when pollutants reach 0.35 p.p.m.--occurred Sept. 2, when Upland reached that level for an hour, officials said.

When ozone reaches an hourly average of 0.12 p.p.m., federal Environmental Protection Agency officials consider it unhealthy for everyone.

SMOG ALERTS IN THE ‘80s

Ozone levels in the South Coast Air Basin have exceeded federal EPA standards 172 days so far this year, one of the worst records in the decade. But the number of days of more severe smog, as measured by first-stage and second-stage alerts, has been relatively low for the period.

The air basin covers Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

DAYS OVER STAGE 1 STAGE 2 YEAR EPA STANDARD ALERT DAYS ALERT DAYS 1980 167 101 15 1981 180 99 5 1982 149 63 2 1983 152 84 3 1984 173 97 0 1985 158 83 7 1986 164 79 1 1987 160 66 0 1988* 172 75 1

* Data for 1988 covers only through Oct. 31 and is preliminary.