Seeing Forever

Sean Hoss lives atop Mt. Wilson, so he knows a good view when he sees one. On Friday, he saw one.

“Sparkling clear,” Hoss gushed from his perch at Mt. Wilson Observatory in the San Gabriel Mountains. “It’s the best I’ve seen it in months. You can see the beach at Long Beach--it’s that clear.”

You didn’t need to be on top of any mountain to notice the same thing. Following the roller-coaster weather rhythms of Southern California, the aftermath of the region’s latest soaking was its opposite--a gloriously crystalline day.

It was a day when you could see up to 100 miles and the colors of the world outside--the blue of the sky, the greens of the trees--were as pure and unshaded as if painted by children. Landlocked streets with names like Ocean View lived up to their billing and such residents as Genny Vaught and her husband found the vistas so intoxicating they drove around half the day simply to gaze.

The sunny skies and cleansing breezes were reminders of the best side of the drenching winter storms: It sure feels good when they stop.

That relief may be short-lived. Forecasters said that by this afternoon, a frontal system associated with a storm centered well to the north is expected to start spreading clouds over Southern California, with rain starting in Los Angeles shortly after nightfall.

John Sherwin, a meteorologist with WeatherData Inc., which provides forecasts for The Times, said the city could receive half an inch to an inch of rain before skies clear again Sunday afternoon.

But talk of rain seemed like distant predictions to those soaking up Friday’s rays.

At Northridge Fashion Center, people milling in and around the stores were shopping and enjoying the day after a wet week.

“Everybody likes to get out after a storm and smell the fresh air,” said Ed Gorman, 67, of Reseda, as he sat outside a coffee shop in Northridge.

“I’ve lived here all my life and I never get bored with days like this,” he said.

Harold Sachartoff, 67, also of Reseda, sat next to Gorman at a sidewalk table.

Drinking a cup of coffee, he said the weather beats the constant drizzle back east.

“I’m not complaining. I’ll take a few days of rain every now and then versus three months of rain, snow and misery any day.”

Larry Pollack, who owns a commercial photography studio in Woodland Hills, said the view is literally picture-perfect and worth saving.

“When there is a day like this we usually take a few pictures and keep a file since these days don’t happen often,” Pollack said.

Postcard companies will buy pictures of views of the Valley and Los Angeles for prices ranging from $200 to $500, he added.

Science confirmed what common sense indicated--the air was clean. “This is as good as it gets in Southern California,” said Bill Kelly, spokesman for the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Under normal conditions there are 61 clear days with high visibility in the Los Angeles area, according to the National Weather Service.

Most of the days fall between November and March. “Beyond that there is too much humidity and smog to really have a clear view,” said Gary Ryan, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

At the coast in Palos Verdes, the view seemed to sweep forever south, past snow-capped Santiago Peak to the headlands in Camp Pendleton. To the north, the towers of downtown Los Angeles rose above a sprawl of palms.

Glenn and Genny Vaught went to a park above Point Fermin just for the view. The Huntington Beach retirees set off after breakfast with no plans but to enjoy the sun and clear air.

“We started out at McDonald’s,” said Genny Vaught, 73. “And then we just kept driving.”

Times staff writers Eric Malnic, Joe Mozingo and correspondent Richard Winton contributed to this story.