Mt. Fitzherbert

Potential ash hazards: Wind forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), coupled with eruption models, show that ash clouds that rise above the crater rim today would drift westward at low altitude and eastward at higher altitudes early, becoming northward at low altitude and northeastward at higher altitudes later in the day.

Recent observations: Field crews had a successful day in the field yesterday. An instrument package containing a video camera and gas sensor was installed between the new and old lava domes and will send back a scene every five minutes of the north end of the new lava dome, which is the end at which lava is actively extruding. A “spyder” containing a GPS unit and a seismometer was slung by helicopter onto the north end of the new lava dome. The spyder was visible on the video images. Both packages will aid us in closely tracking the movement and growth of the new lava dome and in better understanding seismic signals. Geologists also collected new rock and ash samples and technicians serviced one of the seismic stations on the outer flanks. The dome continues to grow and fracture. A large slab on the west side of the dome had collapsed recently and had generated a small rock avalanche and ash cloud that had drifted over the south crater rim. A bright glow on the VolcanoCam seen Thursday night was likely caused by this event.