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

Tue May 25 14:06:28 PDT 2010

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

ISSUED: Tuesday, May 25, 2010       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

    WEDNESDAY

An upper level low, elongated NW to SE on an axis from about 600 miles west of Astoria to just off the northern California coast is the main weather feature for Wednesday.  Moisture will rotate into the Pacific Northwest on the counter-clockwise flow around that low for scattered showers.  Most showers will be in the southern portion of the region, but showers cannot be ruled out anywhere.  Cool air aloft and daytime heating will help to destabilize the atmosphere in the afternoon for an increased chance of showers but also providing for high mixing heights and good smoke dispersal conditions.

    OUTLOOK (THURSDAY-SATURDAY)

The upper low moves to a position just off the northern California coast.  Weather Thursday should be a near repeat of Wednesday.  Cool air aloft should help provide good smoke dispersal conditions.  By Friday the upper low moves into Nevada.  Counter-clockwise flow around that low means a more northerly wind pattern aloft over the region.  This is a drier pattern, but again, shower can't be ruled out.  Finally on Saturday the upper low is out of the picture, surface high pressure noses into Oregon from the southwest and dry weather is likely.  Northwest Oregon will see some stabilization and mixing heights will be high enough for only fair smoke dispersal conditions, but southern zones should see a continuation of good conditions.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind SW to WSW at 18 - 30 mph.
Surface wind SW to WSW at 13 - 25 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind decreases to WSW to WNW at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind decreases to WSW to NW at 6 - 12 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1500 - 2500 ft.
Transport wind becomes light and variable.
Surface wind WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind SSW to SW at 12 - 22 mph.
Surface wind SSW to WSW at 10 - 16 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind shifts to WNW to NNW and decreases to 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind shifts to WNW to NNW at 6 - 10 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1500 - 2500 ft.
Transport wind NNW to NNE at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING
Mixing height 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind SSW to WSW at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind SW to W at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind becomes light and variable.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

EVENING
Mixing height 1500 - 2500 ft.
Transport wind similar to afternoon.
Surface wind increases to SW to W at 4 - 8 mph.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

MORNING
Mixing height 2500 - 3500 ft.
Transport wind S to SW at 6 - 12 mph.
Surface wind S to SW at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising above 5000 ft.
Transport wind shifts to W to NW at 5 - 9 mph.
Surface wind shifts to W to NW at 4 - 8 mph.

EVENING
Mixing height 1500 - 2500 ft.
Transport wind becomes light and variable.
Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

OUTLOOK:

THURSDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 2500 to 3500 ft by late morning rising above 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming W to NW at 8 - 14 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind SW to W at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming W to NNW at 6 - 10 mph during the afternoon.

FRIDAY
Mixing height 2400 to 3400 ft during the morning rising to 4200 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming NW to N at 5 - 9 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable.

SATURDAY
Mixing height 1500 to 2500 ft during the morning rising to 3500 to 4500 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming WNW to NNW at 5 - 9 mph during the afternoon.  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, May 26, 2010.
=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601, 612, and 616 east of R9W
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.  Restrict units to 500 tons or less south of T30S in Zone 616.

Zone 602, 603, and 620
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Avoid burning in or near corridors.  Higher tonnage is possible south of the Siuslaw River in Zone 603.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 615 and 618
Use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)  Avoid burning directly upwind of the North Bend/Coos Bay SSRA.

Zone 616 west of R8W
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 619
Units should be 2000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

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.

Zone 610 and 622
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.  East of R2W in Zone 622, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

Zone 620
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 5 miles apart, and 10 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Siskiyous
Units should be 1500 tons or less, spaced 5 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/20100525/95549f3a/attachment.html>