Day: January 13, 2006

Alaska

(Yet Another) Augustine Update

Word just came over the radio that all flights into and out of Anchorage International Airport and the Kenai Peninsula have been
postponed until 3PM tomorrow due to the danger of ash above the 30,000 foot range.

CORRECTION: Listening to the rebroadcast (which was much more in-depth than the first announcement) it turns out that Era Aviation and
Alaska Airlines have suspended all flights between:
Anchorage and Fairbanks
Anchorage and Homer
Anchorage and Ninilchick
Anchorage and Seattle
and all flights in and out of Homer and Ninilchick, while all flights in and out of Kenai are expected to stopped at dark (because of the inability to see any ash clouds.)

Needless to say, we are currently on “alert” here at the university, getting ready to shut down and bag everything if the higher-level winds shift.

One of our coworkers who is currently involved in a cross-country ski competition in the lower 48 says there is no news of
the volcano down there.

Alaska

Augustine Updates

There have been three more eruptions so far today and the status has been moved back up from “orange” to “red”.

From the Alaska Volcano Observatory Augustine Eruption Page:

January 13, 2006
Level of Concern Color Code: RED

Several explosive events occurred at Augustine Volcano this morning: at approximately 3:55 AM AST (13:24 UTC); 8:47 AM AST (17:47); and 11:22 AM AST (20;22). Pilot reports and satellite imagery confirm ash clouds in excess of 30,000 ft above sea level moving eastward. Seismic data suggest that pyroclastic flows and lahars (volcanic mudflows) are occurring on the flanks of the island and possibly extending beyond.

Similar short-lived explosive activity is expected to continue over the next several days or weeks. Individual explosions are expected to produce ash plumes accompanied by pyroclastic flows and lahars (volcanic mudflows) on the flanks of the volcano.

More information is also available at National Weather Service, Anchorage Forecast Office – Augustine Coordination.