Mt. Fitzherbert

Potential ash hazards: Wind forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), coupled with eruption models, show that low-level (up to 7 km) ash clouds rising above the crater rim this morning and early this afternoon would drift ESE; higher ash clouds would move NE. Late this afternoon and this evening, winds at all levels would transport ash SE.

Recent observations: Views into the crater are blocked by clouds this morning. Our instruments indicate that there has been no change in the level or character of seismicity in the past 24 hours. Small earthquakes are occurring at the rate of one every 1 to 3 minutes, indicating that lava extrusion is continuing. Rockfalls from the growing spine are occurring sporadically; one at 9:06 pm last evening raised a dust cloud about 2000 feet above the crater rim. We expect rockfall activity to continue. Larger rockfalls will loft dust plumes that should be visible above the crater rim if the weather is clear.