SMI West (Smoke Management Instructions) (no subject)

Mon May 9 14:22:23 PDT 2011

SMOKE MANAGEMENT FORECAST AND INSTRUCTIONS

SALEM FORESTRY WEATHER CENTER

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

ISSUED: Monday, May 9, 2011       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

    TUESDAY

An upper level ridge will lie southwest to northeast on an axis from about 900 miles west of Los Angeles to southern British Columbia early in the day on Tuesday.  The ridge will drift eastward during the day providing dry weather and sunshine to the region.  Transport winds will be light and generally northerly.  Northwest Oregon will see a slight north-northwesterly transport and southwest coastal areas will see a slight north-northeasterly wind.  With the ridge, subsidence will suppress mixing heights a bit but smoke dispersal conditions will be fair to good during the afternoon hours.

    OUTLOOK (WEDNESDAY - FRIDAY)

The upper ridge continues east and the Pacific Northwest starts to come under the influence of an upper level low centered about 250 miles west of the Queen Charlotte Islands on Wednesday morning. This low supports a fairly active cold front that will come onshore during the afternoon and spread rain to the Cascade crest by early evening.  Cooler temperatures aloft a the lack of subsidence will help maximum afternoon mixing heights to climb to near 5000 feet for good smoke dispersal conditions.  Transport winds will be mostly southwesterly or southerly.

The upper level low rotates to about 350 miles west of Vancouver Island by Thursday. Expect post frontal showers but also sun breaks during the day.  Temperatures will range from four to seven degrees below average.  Some instability with the cool air aloft will provide for good smoke dispersal conditions.  Transport winds will be generally southwest through south.

Friday sees the upper low about 350 miles west of the mouth of the Columbia River.  Wind flow aloft will be southerly.  West of the Cascades expect a rather flat pressure gradient for light and variable winds.  But afternoon mixing heights will remain high.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING

Mixing height 2000 - 3000 ft.

Transport wind light and variable.

Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON

Mixing height rising to 3400 - 4400 ft.

Transport wind increases to NW to N at 5 - 9 mph.

Surface wind increases to NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.

EVENING

Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.

Transport wind similar to afternoon.

Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

MORNING

Mixing height 1300 - 2300 ft.

Transport wind WNW to NNW at 4 - 8 mph.

Surface wind NW to N at 4 - 8 mph.

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 becomes light and variable.

Surface wind becomes light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

Zone 615-620 (South Coast Range):

MORNING

Mixing height 2800 - 3800 ft.

Transport wind NNW to NE at 4 - 8 mph.

Surface wind N to NE at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON

Mixing height 3800 - 4800 ft.

Transport wind increases to NW to N at 8 - 12 mph.

Surface wind NW to N at 8 - 12 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 height 2800 - 3800 ft.

Transport wind NNW to NE at 4 - 8 mph.

Surface wind N to NE at 5 - 9 mph.

AFTERNOON

Mixing height 4000 - 5000 ft.

Transport wind NW to N at 6 - 10 mph.

Surface wind NW to N at 6 - 10 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.

OUTLOOK:

WEDNESDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3200 to 4200 ft by late morning rising to 4300 to 5000 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind SSW to WSW at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming SW to W at 10 - 18 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind SSW to WSW at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming SW to W at 10 - 16 mph during the afternoon.

THURSDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3200 to 4200 ft by late morning rising to 3800 to 4800 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind S to SW at 5 - 9 mph during the morning becoming SSW to W at 6 - 12 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind SSW to WSW at 4 - 8 mph during the morning becoming SW to WNW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.

FRIDAY

Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 3200 to 4200 ft by late morning rising above 5000 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 Tuesday, May 10, 2011.

=================================================================

Coast Range

Zone 601 and 612

Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Restrict units in or near corridors to 500 tons or less.  Higher tonnage is possible south of Waldport in Zone 612.  Call the forecaster.

Zone 602 and 603

Units should be 300 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 miles from downwind SSRAs.  Avoid burning in or near corridors.  Higher tonnage is possible south of T17S in Zone 603.  Call the forecaster.

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.  Verify transport winds away from SSRA if burning within 10 miles of the SSRA in Zone 605 and 606.  South of T30S in Zone 616 units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 8 miles apart.

Zone 610

Units should be 750 tons or less, spaced 10 miles apart, and 12 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.  East of R2W in Zone 622, use standard guidance matrix. (See section 5 below.)

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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