Sunday, March 29, 2009

Ashfall from Redoubt Volcano

Yesterday evening the ash started falling on our house and truck, and the air had a distinctly sulfury smell -- it wasn't much ash: officially only a "trace" amount. The snow turned gray, and we could feel the granules of ash under our feet as we stepped out on the deck. The first picture
was taken right after blowing at the ash on our friend's truck (also notice all the ash piled up above the windshield wiper) -- turns out if you use your wipers your windshield can get pretty scratched up...








From the National Weather Service last night:
...LATEST INFORMATION ON REDOUBT VOLCANO ERUPTIONS [UPDATE 0130 AM
SUNDAY MORNING]...


REDOUBT VOLCANO ERUPTED TWICE YESTERDAY. THE FIRST WAS AT 329PM AKDT
WITH A PLUME ESTIMATED TO 35000 FT. WINDS AT THAT TIME ALLOWED THE
LOWER PLUME TO TRAVEL EAST WHERE ASH WAS REPORTED ALONG THE NORTHERN
KENAI PENINSULA...THROUGH ANCHORAGE...AND AS FAR EAST AS VALDEZ. AT
723PM AKDT A SECOND ERUPTION WAS CONFIRMED TO A HEIGHT OF 45000 FT.
WINDS AT THAT TIME HAD SHIFTED TO MORE OF A EAST-NORTHEAST TRAJECTORY
IN THE LOWER LEVELS. ANCHORAGE DID NOT SEE AS MUCH ASH AS THE FIRST
ERUPTION...ALTHOUGH THERE WAS ASH CONFIRMED FROM EAGLE RIVER THROUGH
THE VALLEY... WHICH SHOWED MORE OF A NORTHERLY COMPONENT TO THE WIND.

AT THIS POINT...ALL ADVISORIES HAVE BE CANCELLED. RECENT ASHFALL THAT
IS ON THE GROUND AND SULFUR SMELLS MAY LINGER THROUGH THE NIGHT...BUT
NO NEW ASHFALL IS ANTICIPATED FROM THE PREVIOUS ERUPTION.

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