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This week's TV Q&A responds to questions about "Caprica" pre-empted, that blown weather forecast and timing of the lottery on WTAE. As always, thanks for reading, and keep the questions coming.

-- Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor

Q: Why is "Caprica" pre-empted this week just a few weeks after it began?

-- Anonymous

Rob: Good question. Turns out it's because Syfy did not want a new episode airing opposite the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics on NBC. NBC and Syfy, which carries "Caprica," are both owned by NBC Universal.

Q: I see in your "Tuned In" blog you've been keeping track of the local TV stations' coverage of this week's snow storms.

What's your assessment of The Weather Channel's national coverage of the storm?

It seems to me that TWC has become a pale, dumbed-down reflection of its former self. It has replaced intelligent on-air meteorology with fluff: lots of pictures; live shots of attractive on-air personalities standing in the snow storm telling us no more than we see with our own eyes; other attractive on-air personalities sitting in the studio showing pictures and videos of the snow; factoids about how the federal government is closed, schools are closed, and flights are canceled. And, of course, "Wake Up with Al".

But not a single weather map showing a low pressure system, isobar, temperature gradient, cold front, jet stream, comprehensive weather forecast, or anything else having to do with meteorology. (Where's winter weather expert Paul Kocin when you need him? Oh yeah, TWC eliminated his position four years ago.)

And it's finally come to this: Our local TV stations' weather forecasts are more useful and comprehensive than The Weather Channel's.

-- Mark, Squirrel Hill

Rob: It's time-consuming enough to watch local TV news/weather coverage (let alone find time to write about it), so I can't say I've tuned to that cable outlet at all during the recent storms.

But Mark's complaints about changes at The Weather Channel are not all that surprising given its ownership change in the past year or so. The network is now managed and partially owned by NBC Universal, hence the presence of Al Roker and more "Today"-like happy talk.

Q: When can we expect to hear an apology from our local weather forecasters for so severely underestimating the snowfall of last Friday and Saturday? Up until the snow started to pile up they had not changed their original guesstimate. Why do they even bother if they can't even come close in their forecasts?

-- Tom, 60, Mt. Lebanon

Rob: Personally I'm not all that aggrieved that forecasters blew it last week. After all, a forecast is a prediction, not a promise.

But in light of the way TV stations trumpet their weather coverage, I can understand why a viewer would be frustrated. Forecasters at the National Weather Service got it wrong, too, but I haven't heard anyone calling for their heads. I suspect that's because they don't make a habit of bragging about their prognosticating prowess as local stations routinely do.

I do not have e-mail addresses for all the TV meteorologists in town so I thought the most fair way to handle this question was to throw it out to news directors and ask them to forward it to their weather staffs. I don't know if all the news directors did forward Tom's query but the only response that arrived by deadline was from WTAE staff meteorologist Stephen Cropper:

Tom,

This was a storm that blindsided everyone and in the end, 50 miles in storm track made a big difference.

As we noted throughout the forecast period beginning on Tuesday of last week, we knew this was going to be a big storm and an extremely difficult forecast. However, we also highlighted repeatedly that the final track, timing and temperature of the storm would be critical to the actual snowfall totals. We consistently stressed that the forecast was fluid and could change and then we proceeded to explain why. We also urged viewers to keep checking with us for updates as new weather data arrived and as the storm developed.

We are still processing data to determine how the storm evolved, but it appears as though at least three key issues were at play.

First: Warmer air (which would have reduced snow totals) never made it much farther north than Morgantown (i.e. 50 miles from Pittsburgh). Initially, it looked as though a band of warmer air would mix with the snow, possibly as far north as Pittsburgh. In fact, through Friday evening, Morgantown was still reporting a mixed precipitation while Pittsburgh was getting snow. This appears to have been the result of the "track" of the storm which in turn affected the "temperatures."

Second: The storm was able to pull in a tremendous amount of moisture. As of Friday 5 p.m., the most current data indicated a snowfall of around 8" which we forecast. By 11 p.m., due to the stronger dynamics of the developing system, that amount had nearly doubled and we increased our totals to up to 15". Again, explaining why the forecast was changing and urging viewers to keep checking with us for the latest information.

In the end, the storm produced 1.56" of liquid and at a typical 10:1 ratio (liquid to snow) that should have produced a 15" to 16" snowfall.

Third: Heavy bands of snow (1-2" per hour) lasted from around 6 p.m. Friday through 4 a.m. Saturday which greatly increased overall totals. It is extremely difficult to forecast these bands until they actually materialize.

I hope this helps you understand the variables that were at work in forecasting this highly unpredictable system.

Q: I was under the impression that lottery numbers for the various games were drawn live on TV. While looking at the Pennsylvania Lottery Web site I saw a link saying that the Powerball drawing broadcast times had changed. They used to do the drawing at 11:00 p.m. (10:59 p.m.?) on Wednesdays and Saturdays. When I followed the link to the new times I found the following list:

WTAJ (Johnstown/Altoona/State College) Ch. 10 at 11:20 p.m.

WTAE (Pittsburgh) Ch. 4 at 11:22 p.m.

WGAL (Harrisburg/Lancaster/York) Ch. 8 at 11:20 p.m.

WJET (Erie) Ch. 24 at 11:20 p.m.

WPVI (Philadelphia) Ch. 6 at 11:25 p.m.

WNEP (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) Ch. 16 at 11:00 p.m.

As you can see, the broadcast times range from 11:00 p.m. to 11:25 p.m., so obviously it can't be a live drawing anymore. Why the change and delays in reporting the results of the drawing?

-- John, 51, Green Tree

Rob: "Most TV stations in Pennsylvania and other states are airing Mega Millions and Powerball around the same time," said a WTAE spokeswoman. "Drawings will be at 11 p.m. live when there are large jackpots."

Looking at that list there's only one station taking the drawing live at 11. The most logical reason for delaying the lottery drawing broadcast is to try to boost ratings for the 11 p.m. news by forcing viewers to wait until 11:20 to get the lottery numbers.

Also, given all the complaints last fall about how the live drawings negatively impacted the end of 10 p.m. shows (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09282/1003979-238.stm), this would seem to improve the prime-time viewing experience for some viewers. But no TV station is going to satisfy everyone.

Q: Recently Comcast added a bunch of new HD channels in the City of Pittsburgh. Any idea when those HD channels will get spread around to other areas? Specifically Springdale (Allegheny Valley)? God forbid Comcast tell us, the consumer, anything. Thanks!

-- Tyler, 19, Penn Hills

Rob: According to Comcast, there will be two groups of significant HD additions in the second quarter of this year in Springdale. A Comcast executive promises to "communicate the specific dates to customers in advance."

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