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

Sun Nov 22 15:58:55 PST 2009

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

ISSUED: Sunday, November 22, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

After a wet and stormy period the Pacific Northwest will finally settle down and dry out for a few days as high pressure aloft shunts any storms to the north of Oregon.  The only exception will be a weak system that will drag across northwest Oregon late Monday for some light rain.  Otherwise subsiding air aloft will stabilize the atmosphere and lead to deteriorating smoke dispersal conditions through mid week.  Winds will be generally southeast to east except light and variable in the Rogue Valley and southwest Oregon.

    OUTLOOK (MONDAY-THURSDAY)

The upper ridge over the area strengthens Tuesday.  Overnight surface inversions will break for only poor to marginal smoke dispersal conditions during the afternoon.  On Wednesday the ridge axis moves east and upper flow shifts southwesterly.  However the ridge still dominates and burning conditions will be poor at best.  Recommend against any planned burning for Wednesday.  The ridge axis finally moves east and an upper trough approaches Thanksgiving day.  A Pacific Cold front moves into western Oregon in the afternoon for improving smoke dispersal conditions.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 2100 - 3100 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind SE to SSW at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind SSW to SW at 9 - 15 mph.
Surface wind shifts to S to SW at 4 - 8 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 2000 - 3000 ft.
Transport wind increases to SSW to WSW at 13 - 25 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 1800 - 2800 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind SSE to SSW at 6 - 10 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind SSE to SSW at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING
Mixing height 1800 - 2800 ft.
Transport wind S to SW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind S to SW at 4 - 8 mph.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 1000 - 1500 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind similar to morning.
Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 1000 - 1500 ft.
Transport wind ESE to SSE at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 1500 - 2500 ft.
Transport wind becomes light and variable.
Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind increases to ESE to S at 4 - 8 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

OUTLOOK:

TUESDAY
In the north mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 to 1800 ft by late morning rising to 1500 to 2500 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height below 1000 ft during the morning rising to 2000 to 3000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SSE to SSW at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming SSW to WSW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable.

WEDNESDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 to 1800 ft by late morning rising to 1900 to 2900 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable.  Surface wind light and variable.

THURSDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1000 to 1800 ft by late morning rising to 2900 to 3900 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind S to SW at 10 - 16 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 Monday, November 23, 2009.
=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601, 612, 615, 616 west of and R8W
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  North of Tillamook in Zone 601, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Zone 602, 603, and 620
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 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 10 miles apart, south of the Siuslaw River in Zone 603.

Zone 616 east of R9W
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

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

Zone 619
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Cascades

Zone 605, 606, and 611
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 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 and 617
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 620 and 622
No burning allowed.

Siskiyous
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 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/20091122/b3f42d5a/attachment.html>