KPIX unveils augmented/virtual reality weather forecasts, immersing viewers in a 3D world

Weather forecasts are moving to a new state of the art with KPIX's introduction of augmented and virtual reality views of the Bay Area's microclimates.

Beginning Sept. 1, the station will roll out its new weather set which will take viewers into an immersive, 3D experience while learning more about the weather that is affecting their neighborhoods. 

Sept. 1 is also the day Channel 44 Cable 12 changes its name from KBCW to KPIX+, with the station closely aligning itself with its sister station KPIX. The first broadcasts using the new weather tools will be on the new Primetime Edition of the news at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. on KPIX+ 44 Cable 12 and later on KPIX/CBS News Bay Area newscasts.

The new weather set and AR/VR forecasts are being rolled out as the station is marking its 75th anniversary of broadcasting. KPIX went on the air on December 22, 1948, becoming the first television station in Northern California.

"On our 75th anniversary, we are so excited and proud to announce that KPIX and KPIX+ will add state-of-the-art virtual reality production to our newscasts," said KPIX general manager Scott Warren. "These mind-blowing, stunning, realistic environments will immerse our meteorologists into the middle of their forecasts and add greatly to our storytelling."

Meteorologists Paul Heggen and Darren Peck will first present these transformational weather presentations in the 8 and 9 p.m. newscasts. Meteorologist Jessica Burch will present the AR/VR weather forecasts on the CBS News Morning Edition airing from 7 to 9 a.m. and also on the new KPIX+ 44 Cable 12.

"For 75 years of television newscasting, weather has been presented the same way, two-dimensional maps with someone standing in front of it," said Heggen. "But weather doesn't happen that way. It happens in three dimensions, four if you count time. This [AR/VR weather set] gives us the ability to much more efficiently visualize that."

"We wanted to build an immersive set that we could take viewers into the weather," said Warren. "That was the start of everything, was, wow do we tell the weather story in a way that is really compelling, but also explains exactly what's going on visually?"

This state-of-the-art technology is a first for local television news, using innovations first made possible by the Unreal software which currently drives much of the world's video games.