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

Mon Dec 14 16:15:54 PST 2009

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

ISSUED: Monday, December 14, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

The Pacific Northwest will be under a strong southwesterly flow aloft on Tuesday.  Forecast upper wind charts indicate a southwesterly jet stream with winds of about 125mph at approximately 30,000 feet.  The cold front that moves through Monday night will leave cloudy skies and rain showers with the snow level around 4000 feet early.  A secondary Pacific system will move in late in the day for more rain.  Warmer air ahead of this system will push the snow level to about 5500 feet.  Mixing heights will be near 4500 feet for good smoke dispersal conditions.  Winds will be generally from the south or southeast.

    OUTLOOK (WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY)

Showers continue Wednesday with fairly good mixing heights and brisk southerly transport winds.  A Pacific cold front moves in Thursday afternoon but warm air ahead of that system will hold mixing heights down to the 2500 to 3500 foot range. The wet southwesterly flow continues for Friday.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 12 - 22 mph.
Surface wind SE to S at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind S to SSW at 14 - 28 mph.
Surface wind SSE to SSW at 8 - 14 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height remains above 5000 ft.
Transport wind SW at 18 - 32 mph.
Surface wind S to SW at 10 - 16 mph.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 3400 - 4400 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 10 - 22 mph.
Surface wind SSE to SSW at 10 - 16 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 13 - 25 mph.
Surface wind SSE to SSW at 10 - 22 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 4200 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind S to SW at 14 - 28 mph.
Surface wind S to SW at 13 - 25 mph.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 13 - 25 mph.
Surface wind SSE to S at 10 - 22 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind SSW at 20 - 34 mph.
Surface wind S to SW at 15 - 25 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height remains above 5000 ft.
Transport wind SSW to SW at 16 - 30 mph.
Surface wind SSW to SW at 12 - 22 mph.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height above 5000 ft.
Transport wind SSE to S at 10 - 22 mph.
Surface wind SE to S at 10 - 18 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 4100 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 13 - 25 mph.
Surface wind SSE to SSW at 10 - 22 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

OUTLOOK:

WEDNESDAY
Mixing height 3100 to 4100 ft throughout the day.  Transport wind S to SW at 12 - 24 mph.  Surface wind S to SW at 10 - 16 mph.

THURSDAY
Mixing height 1800 to 2800 ft during the morning rising to 2800 to 3800 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind S to SSW at 10 - 22 mph during the morning becoming S to SW at 16 - 26 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming SE to S at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.

FRIDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 to 2500 ft by late morning rising to 2200 to 3200 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind S to SW at 5 - 9 mph.  Surface wind light and variable.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Tuesday, December 15, 2009.
=================================================================

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

Zone 607, 608, 609, 610, and 623
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.

Zone 616
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Avoid ignitions north of T24S.  South of T29S higher tonnage is possible.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 617
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 620 and 622
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Siskiyous
Units should be 1000 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.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/smi_west/attachments/20091214/01043378/attachment.html>