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 up to about 15,000 feet above the crater rim (about 23,000 feet above sea level) today would drift westward to southward, but higher-altitude ash clouds would drift southwestward, shifting by late afternoon, south-southeastward.

Recent observations: Small rock falls continue from the growing lava dome. Larger ones may produce ash plumes that are visible above the crater rim. Patterns of earthquakes and ground deformation remain unchanged from recent trends. Field parties yesterday dredged rock samples from the actively growing spine, repaired the telemetry system, and retrieved a damaged seismic station from the old dome, which had tipped over owing to ice accumulation on its antenna.