Eruption: White Island, New Zealand

 This is an extraordinary video, automatically home-installed cameras, which shows the volcanic eruption of the White Island of New Zealand on December 9, 2019, in which 18 people died. 

Wait 24 seconds when the roar of nature begins and most importantly, wait another 24 seconds after the passage of the black cloud - you think the video is over, but that's not the case. Be patient.

h/t Tom S.

Pavlov Volcano: an Update

As some of you are already aware, the Pavlov Volcano is located on the Alaska Peninsula, nearly 600 miles southwest of Anchorage.

USGS file photo of Pavlov Volcano, during its eruption last May

The initial ash plume on Sunday reached 20,000 feet, but the current height is 37,000 with a trail blowing over 400 miles to the northeast.

Ash has been reported in Nelson Lagoon and other places, forcing Alaska Airlines to cancel some west-bound flights.

There's no immediate threat to the population center in southcentral Alaska or the Kenai Peninsula.

Our thanks and gratitude go out to those who have contacted me by e-mail, offering good wishes and/or prayers.

Volcano, Wildfire, Bikes, HAARP, and the Iron Dog

Around Alaska gallery

A lava fountain is seen from Cold Bay early Tuesday as the Pavlof Volcano eruption continued. Rumbles decreased under the volcano later Tuesday, prompting scientists to downgrade the threat level from a warning to a watch.

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The Funny River Fire hasn't produced any news for a couple of days. At last report, the fire had burned well over 193,000 acres, but was roughly 60% contained. That's thanks largely to the inch or so of rain that fell in the last week.

The local newscast on KTUU this morning stated that crews were now seeking & extinguishing localized hotspots and areas that were still smoldering.

There's more rain in the forecast for this weekend; it can only help.

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Today is Anchorage's annual "ride your bike to work" day. Some 1,200 cyclists had signed up as of 0500 today; it's unknown how many will actually ride.

Last year, organizers claimed a record number of riders. I personally didn't see any, but there are no good north-south trails to speak of. Most of the good biking/hiking trails run east-west, and go through city parks.

There are "snack stations" at some of the major intersections, with everything from hot coffee to bacon-covered donuts handed out to riders.

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The Alaska Dispatch reports that "Dozens of scientists from universities and research institutions are campaigning to stop the Department of Defense from demolishing the world's most powerful ionospheric research facility this summer."

The HAARP (High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program) facility near Gakona, Alaska is scheduled to begin demolition after June 10, when its final research program ends.

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Finally, there's this: the annual Iron Dog snowmachine race from Big Lake to Nome to Fairbanks, covering some 2,000 miles, wants to have a ceremonial start in Anchorage (like the Iditarod does).

A team in the Iron Dog, the world's longest and toughest snowmobile race, starts on the ice at Big Lake on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014. BILL ROTH — Anchorage Daily News

The Iron Dog wants to make Anchorage the start of the 2,000-mile race across Alaska, a move executive director Kevin Kastner said could increase exposure for the world's longest snowmachine race. The race typically starts in Big Lake.

"The harsh reality of the world we live in is you want to be where the population is," Kastner said. "There's a fair number of people that will drive to Big Lake on Sunday, but we feel we've kind of plateaued."

The 2015 race would begin on Saturday, Feb. 21, the week before the Fur Rendezvous World Championship Sled Dog Race and two weeks before the start of the Iditarod.

PHOTO: Pavlov Volcano Eruption from the Space Station

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) photographed Pavlof Volcano on May 18, 2013. See photos of the volcano from space, from airplanes and from the ground. (from the linked story)

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/#storylink=cpy

Story & more photos here.

Mt. Redoubt Erupts ... Again

Mt. Redoubt blew its top again this morning at 6:00. Ash cloud & plume rose to 50,000 feet. The wind is blowing ESE at the moment, so the ash is staying well south of Anchorage.


Here are two pictures from a few minutes ago - the closest view is from 7 miles from the north flank, on a neighboring peak; the other is 38 miles to the southeast, from an oil platform in the Cook Inlet.





Read the story here, if you like.

Good Morning, World

I apologize to GuyK for using a title similar to his, but I've got to call it something...

Mt. Redoubt has been in a continuous seismic tremor for several days, and a steam plume is visible this morning. We're beginning to wish the thing would either blow or settle down. The being on-the-verge-of-erupting is making us all a little twitchy.

It's a lovely 4 degrees at my place, and has been light since just before 8 a.m. although the sun only rose over the mountains within the last half-hour.

My original plan of going to the pistol range today has been set aside, as I'm tired of freezing my fingers on a weekly basis. That sort of thing has a tendency to produce negative results over time, and as a guitarist I don't need to encourage stiffened fingers.

But the skies are clear and the sun is bright. My wife and I were talking, over our morning coffee, about how the annual case of cabin fever is settling in. It's rather predictable: the days are getting noticeably longer (we gain nearly 6 minutes of light every 24 hours) and we've been in winter-weather mode since November.

It it were just a little warmer (say in double-digits, instead of single) we'd be more tempted to get out & do something. Anything. We may wind up going for a drive up into the mountains, later, just to be out of the house for awhile.

In the meanwhile, I've got my daily selection of blogs and articles to read, and that will chew up a bit of the morning. Beyond that is anyone's guess.

Have a great day, folks, and keep those comments coming. It's nice to know that someone besides me reads these words.

Be blessed and happy! This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Mt Redoubt ... Eruption Pending

The Red Cross has joined the USGS and the Alaska Volcano Observatory in urging people to be prepared for an eruption "within days or weeks."

Here is a map of the affected area, and a picture from April 1990, during the last eruption. Note that the photographer was approx. 75 miles east of the volcano.