Mt. Fitzherbert
USGS Update 2005-Feb-25 09:00
Potential ash hazards: Wind forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), coupled with eruption models, show that any ash clouds that rise above the crater rim today would drift north early in the day and northeastward later.
Potential ash hazards to aviation: Under current eruptive conditions, any ash clouds produced are unlikely to exceed 15,000 feet in altitude. Ashfall from such events rarely reaches more than 20 miles downwind. If the lava dome continues to grow over the next several months, it will become able to produce larger ash clouds that reach higher altitudes and extend farther downwind.
Recent observations: Atmospheric conditions this morning are helping produce a strong steam plume that is rising above the volcano. Rockfalls from the dome continue and cause occasional plumes of ash, some of which rise above the rim. As the dome grows, such events are to be expected. When valley fog clears sufficiently, a crew will head out to measure volcanic gases. A GPS package on the bulging east arm of the glacier continues its rapid (4 feet per day) trek northward.