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

Fri Dec 11 14:20:11 PST 2009

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

ISSUED: Friday, December 11, 2009       2:30 PM      Nick Yonker

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

Upper level low off the northern California coast is lifting a warm front into the region this afternoon.  Moisture has started over the southern part of the state and will slowly move northward this evening and into early tomorrow.  Low level cold air will be slow to retreat with likely a period of light snow and/or freezing rain in the interior valleys.  Eventually, the snow level will rise to near 4000 ft Saturday afternoon.  Air mass will destabilize first down south then slowly scour to the north.  Expect continued stable conditions and poor smoke dispersion through most of Saturday over the northern half of the region.

    OUTLOOK (SUNDAY - TUESDAY)

The upper trough to the south will gradually combine with the cold trough to the north bringing more showers on Sunday.  Snow level will lower to 2000 - 3000 ft.  Most lowland areas will scour out of the cold air except for maybe the Columbia Gorge.  Minor ridge builds in briefly Monday but this will quickly be overrun by the next frontal system coming in from the west.  Look for increasing rain and wind Monday afternoon with the snow level lifting to 4000 - 5000 ft.  Moist and blustery conditions continue into Tuesday under strong SW flow aloft.  Expect generally good mixing and smoke dispersion through the period.  Some stabilization will occur Monday under the ridge but it will be brief.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft.
Transport wind ESE to SSE at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 1800 - 2800 ft.
Transport wind shifts to SSW to WSW at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING
Mixing height 1700 - 2700 ft.
Transport wind SW to W at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft.
Transport wind ESE to SSE at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 1000 - 1800 ft.
Transport wind shifts to SSW to WSW at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING
Mixing height 1300 - 2300 ft.
Transport wind SSW to W at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 2700 - 3700 ft.
Transport wind S to SW at 10 - 20 mph.
Surface wind S to SSW at 8 - 14 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 12 - 22 mph.
Surface wind SE to S at 6 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 4000 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind decreases to S to SW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind SSE to SSW at 5 - 9 mph.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 1200 - 2200 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind SSE to SSW at 6 - 10 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3200 - 4200 ft.
Transport wind SE to S at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING
Mixing height 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind becomes light and variable but favors SSE to SSW.

OUTLOOK:

SUNDAY
In the north mixing height 4000 to 5000 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height 2800 to 3800 ft during the morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind W to NW at 6 - 12 mph during the morning becoming SW to W at 12 - 22 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind WSW to NW at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming SW to W at 6 - 12 mph during the afternoon.

MONDAY
Mixing height above 5000 ft during the morning lowering to 4000 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind S to SSW at 15 - 25 mph during the morning becoming S to SSW at 20 - 35 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind SSE to SSW at 8 - 12 mph during the morning becoming SSE to SSW at 10 - 20 mph during the afternoon.

TUESDAY
Mixing height 2200 to 3200 ft throughout the day.  Transport wind S to SSW at 20 - 35 mph.  Surface wind SSE to SSW at 10 - 20 mph.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Saturday and Sunday, December 12 and 13, 2009.
=================================================================

For Saturday:

Coast Range

Zone 601 and 612
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.  North of Tillamook in Zone 601, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Zone 602 and 603
Units should be 300 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.  North of T3N in Zone 602, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Units may be 750 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, south of the Siuslaw River in Zone 603.

Zone 615, 616, 618, 619, and 620
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Avoid burning directly upwind of the North Bend/Coos Bay SSRA.

Cascades

Zone 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 610, and 623
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Verify winds away from SSRA if burning within 10 miles of an SSRA in Zone 605 and 606.  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.

Zone 611
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 616
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Avoid ignitions north of T24S.  South of T29S higher tonnage is possible.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 617, 620, and 622
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Siskiyous
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

For Sunday:

Coast Range

All Zones
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.

Cascades

Zone 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 616, 617, 622, and 623
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.

Zone 610 and 611
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 620
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Siskiyous
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

==============================================================
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.

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