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

Mon Jun 28 15:21:04 PDT 2010

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

ISSUED: Monday, June 28, 2010       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

    TUESDAY

Upper air charts for Tuesday show a trough aloft with its axis extending from a low near the Queen Charlotte Islands southward to about 300 miles off the Oregon Coast.  This gives southwesterly flow aloft over the region.  Low level flow will be onshore, generally northwesterly for northern zones and more north-northwesterly for the south coast range.  The southern Cascades will see more of a westerly transport.  Skies will generally be cloudy early then inland areas will see partly cloudy to sunny skies in the afternoon. Temperatures will be 3 to 5 degrees below average on the coast and 5 to 10 degrees below average in the interior. In spite of cool surface temperatures the generally cool air  mass over the region will produce a vertical temperature profile that gives high afternoon mixing heights for generally good smoke dispersal conditions depending only on low level/transport wind direction.

    OUTLOOK (WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY)

Onshore flow and cooler than average temperatures will continue through the outlook period.  A weak trough will remain over the area on Wednesday. Temperatures should be 3 to 8 degrees below average.  Maximum mixing heights will push to above 4000 feet most areas for good smoke dispersal conditions.  A progressive disturbance moving across the Pacific Ocean deepens the trough over the area and could produce some rain in the north on Thursday.  Low level flow will be onshore with northerly surface winds most areas.  The trough axis will pass to the east during the afternoon.  Mixing heights should remain above 4000 feet most areas except the immediate coast.  Temperatures will be 4 to 6 degrees below average for coastal areas and from 8 to 12 degrees below average in the interior.  By Friday a cool west-northwesterly flow aloft will develop.  Low level flow continues onshore, temperatures will run 4 to 8 degrees below average. Expect morning clouds with partial afternoon clearing most areas with maximum mixing heights well above 4000 through much of the region.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 3100 - 4100 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 increases to WNW to NNW at 10 - 16 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 9 - 15 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1500 - 2500 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 3000 - 4000 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 increases to WNW to NNW at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind increases to WNW to NNW at 8 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 3300 - 4300 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 2400 - 3400 ft.
Transport wind NW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind NW to NNE at 6 - 10 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 4000 - 5000 ft.
Transport wind increases to NW to N at 10 - 20 mph.
Surface wind NW to N at 10 - 16 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 2200 - 3200 ft.
Transport wind NNW to N at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind NW to N at 8 - 12 mph.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 1000 - 1800 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 3500 - 4500 ft.
Transport wind increases to NW to N at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind increases to NW to N at 6 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1900 - 2900 ft.
Transport wind NNW to NNE at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind NNW to NNE at 6 - 12 mph.

OUTLOOK:

WEDNESDAY
In the north mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2800 to 3800 ft by late morning rising to 4200 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  In the south mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2100 to 3100 ft by late morning rising to 4000 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind NW to NNE at 5 - 9 mph during the morning becoming NNW to N at 9 - 15 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind NW to N at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming NNW to N at 9 - 15 mph during the afternoon.

THURSDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1500 to 2500 ft by late morning rising to 4100 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming NW to N at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming NW to N at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.

FRIDAY
Mixing height 2200 to 3200 ft during the morning rising to 4200 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind NNW to NNE at 4 - 8 mph.  Surface wind light and variable during the morning becoming NW to N at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.

3.  BURNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ZONES IN THE WESTERN OREGON AREA
These instructions are valid for burning conducted on Tuesday, June 29, 2010.
=================================================================

Coast Range

***Complete ignitions by 2.00pm in Zone 601, 612 and 615.***

Zone 601 and 612
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Restrict units in or near corridors to 500 tons or less.

Zone 602 and 603
Units should be 300 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Avoid burning in or near corridors.

Zone 615
Units should be 2000 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 616 west of R8W
Units should be 1200 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 616 east of R9W
Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Restrict units to 500 tons or less south of T30S.

Zone 618 and 619
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Zone 620
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Higher tonnage is possible south of the Rogue River.  Call the forecaster.

Cascades

Zone 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 611, 616, 617, and 623
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Ensure adequate distance from downwind SSRAs for smoke to dissipate.  From T12S through T17S in Zone 608 units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart.  South of T30S in Zone 616 units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart.  South of T30S in Zone 617 units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart.

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

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/20100628/62a5fad1/attachment.html>