Volcano Season is Year ‘Round
Volcanoes, particularly volcanic ash, are major concerns to many of us in meteorology. While the physical presence of the mountain and the energy expended during an eruption can be quite enormous, dangerous, and both life and property threating, the atmospheric discharge of ash can also be a major hazard to aviation as well as the local health communities.
The recent eruption of Okmok (1st eruption - July 12) volcano in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands has garnered some recent press in the USA which started as recently as July 12, 2008 (see photo above - courtesy NOAA). Days later (July 17th) part of the plume was seen coming into our own Pacific Northwest (CIMMS blog). However, there have been many other important eruptions around the world which have already impacted the lives of many and continue threaten many more. The Chaitin Volcano in Chili is a good example (see photos from National Geographic here). Below are links to many of the volcano centers around the world, including their most recent and active volcanoes:
Anchorage Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (Okmok - Alaska, USA); Buenos Aires VAAC (Ubinas - Peru); Darwin VAAC (Rabaul - New Britain); Tokyo VAAC (Sakurajima - Japan); Toulouse VAAC (Sete Cidades - Azores); Washington VAAC (Tungurahua - Ecuador).
Other important links which include volcanic (ash) eruption concerns:
Alaska Aviation Weather Unit; and NOAA/NWS Aviation Weather Center �
Tags: Aviation Weather, Volcanoes
December 1st, 2008 at 9:12 am
Given the speculation on global warming etc is there any corelation between freak weather that could be attributed to volcanic activity that has been attributed erroneously to the “greenhouse effect” ?
Katie
April 8th, 2009 at 10:03 am
i was thinkin that id show your blog a little love to show you that people actually do value what you have to say. stop by my blog adn return the favor :)
May 9th, 2009 at 4:43 am
I doubt anything here can be really related to greenhouse effects, this is more of a long term eruption that will happen 1000 years from now just as today.