Alaska Volcano Eruption

The Alaska Volcano Eruption have issued a warning and has elevated the aviation color code to RED. Geophysicist John Power indicates the volcano has erupted four times late Sunday and early Monday. He said, “This is a fairly large eruption, close to the larger cities in Alaska.” USGS Hazard report available here. Eruption is imminent with significant emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere likely OR eruption is underway or suspected with significant emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere.

Steam plumes have reached a height to 50,000 feet. Ash cloud warnings have been issued for Talkeetna, Willow and other Susitna Valley communities. Mud flows are possible on the Drift and Crescent Rivers. Mt. Redoubt, part of the Aleutian Range in the Chigmit Mountains west of Cook Inlet, is not far from Wasilla, home of Alaska governor Sarah Palin.

Officials from the AVO have been warning since January that the volcano could erupt at anytime. The last eruption event, nearly 20 years ago, occurred in the winter of 1989-1990. That event spewed ash 45,000 feet into the atmosphere, nearly taking down a KLM Royal Dutch airliner, Boeing 747 that got caught up in the ash plume. Earlier eruptions were reported in 1902 and 1966.