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

Tue Oct 27 15:12:43 PDT 2009

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

ISSUED: Tuesday, October 27, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

The Pacific Northwest will be on the eastern edge of a broad upper level ridge in the eastern Pacific on Wednesday.  This will shunt a strong surface low into southeast Alaska but a warm front will extend southward to off the Washington and Oregon Coast.  Rain from this front should hold off until overnight and into Thursday morning.  Warmer air aloft will suppress mixing heights in the north for marginal to fair smoke dispersal conditions.  Winds will be generally light and variable.

    OUTLOOK (THURSDAY-SATURDAY)

The upper ridge gets suppressed southward Thursday as a strong upper jet develops in the eastern Pacific and into central British Columbia.  The warm front spreads rain into northwest Oregon but only light amounts reach into southwest Oregon.  Mixing heights improve in the north Coast Range, but decrease in the Cascades and the south coast range.  By Friday temporary ridging aloft reestablishes itself.  A weak warm front brings more precipitation, mainly to northern sections.  Warm air aloft ahead of this system also further suppresses mixing heights many areas for poor smoke dispersal conditions in the rogue Valley and marginal to fair conditions elsewhere.  A cold front on Saturday will push mixing heights higher for better smoke dispersal conditions early in the weekend.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 1300 - 2300 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3000 - 4000 ft.
Transport wind similar to morning.
Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind increases to WNW to NNW at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 1800 - 2800 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 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 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 2600 - 3600 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind shifts to NW to N at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind increases to NW to N at 5 - 9 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind becomes light and variable.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing rises to 1500 ft.
Light and variable tending toward north.
Light and variable tending toward north but also controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rises to 4500 ft.
Light and variable tending toward north.
Light and variable tending toward north.

EVENING
Mixing height falls to below 1000 ft.
Light and variable tending toward north.
Light and variable tending toward north.
Light and variable tending toward north but also controlled by local terrain.

OUTLOOK:

THURSDAY
In the north mixing height 2800 to 3800 ft throughout the day.  In the south mixing height 1500 to 2500 ft during the morning rising to 2200 to 3200 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SSE to SSW at 8 - 12 mph during the morning becoming S to SW at 10 - 16 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind SE to S at 5 - 9 mph during the morning becoming S to SW at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.

FRIDAY
In the north mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1200 to 2200 ft by late morning rising to 2500 to 3500 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1200 to 2200 ft by late morning rising to 2200 to 3200 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SSW to W at 6 - 10 mph.  Surface wind light and variable.

SATURDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 to 2500 ft by late morning rising to 4000 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SW to WSW at 10 - 22 mph during the morning becoming SW to W at 8 - 14 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind S to SW at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming light and variable during the afternoon.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Wednesday, October 28, 2009.
=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601 and 612
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 602 and 603
No burning allowed.

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 and 606
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 607, 608, and 609
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 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 616
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  South of T30S units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart.

Zone 617 and 623
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  South of T30S in Zone 617 units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart.  South of T36S in Zone 623, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Zone 620 and 622
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

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.

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