SMI West (Smoke Management Instructions) Western Oregon Smoke Management Instructions

Sun Apr 26 14:21:42 PDT 2009

SMOKE MANAGEMENT FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS
SALEM FORESTRY WEATHER CENTER
OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

ISSUED: Sunday, April 26, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

1.  DISCUSSION AND FORECAST FOR THE WESTERN OREGON AREA FORECAST ZONES 601-623

Models show an upper short wave moving down from the north on Monday to keep the atmosphere a bit unstable.  Moisture is limited but there is a good chance for some mainly afternoon showers.  Mixing heights should be quite high for good to excellent smoke dispersal conditions.  Transport winds will be generally west through northwest.

    OUTLOOK (TUESDAY - THURSDAY):

A second upper level short wave drops south on Tuesday eventually carving out an upper level low pressure area centered over Northwest Oregon.  This will continue cool temperatures and snow levels could drop to around 3000 feet.  The atmosphere will be unstable for good smoke dispersal conditions.  In the north winds will be southerly early, turning to westerly later.  In the south expect winds from the southwest through south.

The upper low meanders ultimately splitting with a portion moving east and a portion retrograding to the west.  Showers will end later Wednesday as the air mass stabilizes somewhat, but smoke dispersal conditions should remain good.  In the north transport winds will be easterly early then switch to the north.  Southern zones will see northerly winds.

By Thursday weak ridging aloft will again cover the Pacific Northwest.  Mixing heights will remain favorable for good smoke dispersal and winds will be mostly from the east through northeast.

Main message through the outlook period:  Good dispersion but changing transport wind directions requiring close monitoring and coordination for locations near SSRA's.

2.  DISPERSION

Zone 601, 602, 603 and 612 (North Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 3800 - 4800 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind NW to N at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 4000 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind WNW to NW at 10 - 18 mph.
Surface wind shifts to WSW to NW at 6 - 10 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1700 - 2700 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind WSW to WNW at 4 - 8 mph.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 3100 - 4100 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind WNW to NNW at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 2900 - 3900 ft.
Transport wind WNW to NNW at 9 - 15 mph.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind W to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind WNW to NNW at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind WNW to NW at 8 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height remains above 5000 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind WNW to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 4100 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind WNW to NNW at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 6 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height remains above 5000 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.

OUTLOOK:

TUESDAY
In the north mixing height 3300 to 4300 ft during the morning rising to 4200 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height above 5000 ft throughout the day.  Transport wind WSW to WNW at 6 - 10 mph.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming WSW to WNW at 5 - 9 mph during the afternoon.

WEDNESDAY
Mixing height 2700 to 3700 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.

THURSDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2700 to 3700 ft by late morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind E to ESE at 8 - 14 mph.  Surface wind ENE to ESE at 8 - 12 mph.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Monday, April 27, 2009.
=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601 and 612
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Restrict units in or near corridors to 500 tons or less.

Zone 602 and 603
Units should be 300 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Avoid burning in or near corridors.  Higher tonnage is possible south of the Siuslaw River in Zone 603.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 615
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 616 west of R8W
Units should be 1200 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 616 east of R9W
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Restrict units to 500 tons or less south of T30S.

Zone 618
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Zone 619
Units should be 2000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 620
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T35S.  Call the forecaster.

Cascades

Zone 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 611, 616, 617, and 623
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.  From T12S through T17S in Zone 608 units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart.  South of T30S in Zone 616 units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart.

Zone 610
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 620 and 622
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  East of R2W in Zone 622, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Siskiyous
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

==============================================================
4.  SPECIAL NOTE:

    Call the smoke management duty forecaster at (503) 945-7401 to
    discuss burning.  Please do not call individual's numbers to
    discuss daily burning.  If the forecaster is not available,
    leave a message and he will return your call as soon as possible.
    Avoid calling between 2 to 2:30 p.m.

    The forecast is available on the Internet at:
      http://oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/fire.shtml/#Smoke_Management

    Please ensure your units have been planned and accomplished by checking:
      http://oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/SMP/dailysmoke.shtml

5.  STANDARD GUIDANCE MATRIX:

  * Greater than 5000 ft mixing height:  No burning within 5 miles of
    downwind SSRA.  Maximum 100 tons per mile from downwind SSRA.
    Example:  500 ton maximum allowed if burned 5 miles from downwind SSRA.

  * 3000 - 5000 ft mixing height:  No burning within 10 miles of
    downwind SSRA.  Maximum 75 tons per mile from downwind SSRA.
    Example:  750 ton maximum allowed if burned 10 miles from downwind SSRA.

  * Less than 3000 ft mixing height:  No burning within 15 miles of
    downwind SSRA.  Maximum 50 tons per mile from downwind SSRA.
    Example:  750 ton maximum allowed if burned 15 miles from downwind SSRA.

  * All exceptions must be coordinated with the duty forecaster
    prior to ignition.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/smi_west/attachments/20090426/a4d22348/attachment.html>