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

Tue Jun 22 14:02:30 PDT 2010

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

ISSUED: Tuesday, June 22, 2010       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

    WEDNESDAY

An upper level trough deepens and moves toward the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday.  The trough axis remains offshore for southwesterly flow aloft.  Moisture will be limited but there is a possibility of showers or thunderstorms over the Cascades, especially during the afternoon.  Cloudy conditions will keep temperatures on the coast about 4 to 6 degrees below average for the time of year.  Interior temperatures will be near normal.  The lack of daytime heating will keep mixing heights down, especially in coastal zones.  Smoke dispersal conditions will be marginal to fair for portions of the south coast, otherwise fair to good conditions are likely.

    OUTLOOK (THURSDAY-SATURDAY)

Thursday sees a westerly flow aloft with embedded disturbances moving with the flow.  Again, very limited moisture so rain is not expected.  Temperatures will remain slightly below average for the time of year, but mixing heights should push high enough for fair to good smoke dispersal conditions.  A broad trough aloft sets up for Friday.  Low level flow will be a little stronger onshore keeping temperatures 3 to 6 degrees below average.  Mixing heights will struggle and smoke dispersal conditions will only be marginal to fair.  Upper flow goes back to a generally westerly pattern with weak embedded disturbances but not much moisture.  Temperatures will be 2-4 degrees below average in the north, near to a little above average in the southern interior.  The cool temperatures will help to hold mixing heights down a bit for Saturday except in the southern Cascades.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 1800 - 2800 ft.
Transport wind ENE to ESE at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind ENE to ESE at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to SW to WNW at 6 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1200 - 2200 ft.
Transport wind NE to E at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 2300 - 3300 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind SSW to W at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind similar to morning.
Surface wind SSW to WSW at 4 - 8 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1000 - 1600 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind SW to W at 4 - 8 mph.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 1100 - 2100 ft.
Transport wind NNW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind N to NE at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind increases to S to SW at 5 - 9 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1600 - 2600 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 2100 - 3100 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind WSW to NW at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind similar to morning.
Surface wind SW to WNW at 5 - 9 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1100 - 2100 ft.
Transport wind increases to NNE to ENE at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

OUTLOOK:

THURSDAY
In the north mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2700 to 3700 ft by late morning rising to 4000 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1700 to 2700 ft by late morning rising to 4000 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming E to SE at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming SW to W at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.

FRIDAY
In the Coast Range mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1900 to 2900 ft by late morning lowering below 1000 ft during the afternoon.  In the Cascades mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2800 to 3800 ft by late morning lowering below 1000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable.  Surface wind light and variable.

SATURDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2200 to 3200 ft by late morning rising to 3300 to 4300 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable.  Surface wind light and variable.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Wednesday, June 23, 2010.
=================================================================

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 and 606
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 607 and 608
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 609, 610, and 611
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 5 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.

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.

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.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/smi_west/attachments/20100622/9eb24b67/attachment.html>