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

Tue Dec 8 14:45:43 PST 2009

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

ISSUED: Tuesday, December 8, 2009       2:30 PM      Jim Little

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

Wednesday will see continued cold, dry, northerly flow aloft.  A surface high pressure area over northern Idaho will give continuing offshore flow to the region.  Weather will remain dry.  Low level winds will be generally east through northeast.  Low mixing heights will mean poor smoke dispersal conditions.

    OUTLOOK (THURSDAY-SATURDAY)

Upper flow becomes slightly more northwesterly and the surface high pressure area moves to southeast Wyoming on Thursday.  Low level flow remains offshore and low mixing heights will continue poor smoke dispersal conditions.  On Friday upper flow continues to back and becomes west to northwest over the area.  Low level flow becomes more south-southeasterly.  A weak weather system will move into northern California, but it now looks like moisture will stay south of the border.  However, mixing heights will improve slightly.  On Saturday an upper trough will move into northern California and spread moisture northward.  This will provide brief freezing rain in the south which should turn to rain as warmer southerly winds kick in.  In the north continued cold outflow from the Columbia Gorge will keep freezing rain going longer and in the Portland area freezing rain may continue all day.  On the bright side, mixing heights should jump considerably on Saturday.

2.  DISPERSION

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

MORNING
Mixing height below 1000 ft.
Transport wind NE to E at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 1300 - 2300 ft.
Transport wind similar to morning.
Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind NE to ENE at 8 - 14 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 605-611 (North Cascades):

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

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 1300 - 2300 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 below 1000 ft.
Transport wind light and variable.
Surface wind light and variable and controlled by local terrain.

AFTERNOON
Mixing height 1000 - 2000 ft.
Transport wind shifts to NE to E at 6 - 10 mph.
Surface wind similar to morning.

EVENING
Mixing height lowers below 1000 ft.
Transport wind shifts to E to ESE at 8 - 12 mph.
Surface wind similar to afternoon.

Zone 616-623 (South Cascades):

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

AFTERNOON
Mixing height rising to 1300 - 2300 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.

OUTLOOK:

THURSDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft during the morning rising to 1200 to 2200 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming N to NE at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable.

FRIDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft during the morning rising to 1400 to 2400 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind light and variable during the morning becoming SSW to WSW at 4 - 8 mph during the afternoon.  Surface wind light and variable.

SATURDAY
Mixing height below 1000 ft early rising to 1400 to 2400 ft by late morning rising to 2500 to 3500 ft during the afternoon.  Transport wind S to SW at 8 - 12 mph.  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, December 9, 2009.
=================================================================

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, 606, 620, and 622
No burning allowed.

Zone 607, 608, 609, 617, and 623
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 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Zone 616
Units should be 500 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 miles from downwind SSRAs.

Siskiyous
Units should be 1000 tons or less, spaced 15 miles apart, and 15 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.

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