Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull Volcano

[katemart]

That webcam footage is amazing tonight - more lava means less ash, doesn't it? I would like to be able to hear it. Friend took some video of hot mud somewhere in NZ and the bubbling was awesome. Red moon here, too, but unfortunately my view is obscured by trees or I would get a photo.

[john w]

Yes more lava I think generally means less ash.

Will it sit still and quiet once the ash has bubbled out.

Has anyone in the south of the UK noticed any ash from this, There has been a dusty mirk on the car but I think it is a mixture of pollen and just general dirt...it has been quite dry down here for a time.

[Mark H]

Lots of volcano webcams Here from around the world including Katla should it decide to erupt.

[katemart]

I think we did have ash, john w, but most noticably on Friday and Saturday mornings. I wasn't sure, at first, as it has been dry for a while but it did look exactly like the bag the blokey on the news had - very red, and we have v black or grey clay soil here.

god has been re-scaled again! http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/Katla2009/stodvaplott.html#googtrans/auto/en

Hat-tip to whoever has been tracking the seismic stuff!

[SnowBear]

Yes more lava I think generally means less ash.

Will it sit still and quiet once the ash has bubbled out.

Has anyone in the south of the UK noticed any ash from this, There has been a dusty mirk on the car but I think it is a mixture of pollen and just general dirt...it has been quite dry down here for a time.

Been definite ash on the cars here, its like an ink black very fine sand on the roof, bit like the grit on emery paper. I ran my finger across the back of one of the patio chairs this eve, and finger was as if it was rubbed across a newspaper, and it was gritty when you rubbed it.

Must say, there does seem to be two distinct types, as the car windows have a more...sandy coloured fine powder on it.

I did note in the news they said the ash was being held in suspension in the air in layers, from a fine powder to larger particles. The black is the larger, the powder more sandy/reddish in colour.

Edited April 19, 2010 by SnowBear

[katemart]

Ooh, I would like to see some gritty stuff! I suppose it's no more special than pumice or any igneous rock for that matter (? long time since I did geog!) but it would feel special, for some weird reason. No way to collect the red stuff in the sort of amounts we've had.

[SnowBear]

Ooh, I would like to see some gritty stuff! I suppose it's no more special than pumice or any igneous rock for that matter (? long time since I did geog!) but it would feel special, for some weird reason. No way to collect the red stuff in the sort of amounts we've had.

I'll see if I can get some photo's done tomorrow, not sure how well they will come out, but then folks here more knowledgeable may be able to tell for certain, but, the black gritty stuff is not normal traffic film for sure.

[katemart]

Cheers, SnowBear. Night, all. Hope Conor from Frankfurt is on his way home safely.

[yukichon]

I'm just watching CNN live and it says the breaking news is the eruption is strengthening and its blowing towards the UK !!!! .... It's 10pm here

[suffolkboy_]

I'm just watching CNN live and it says the breaking news is the eruption is strengthening and its blowing towards the UK !!!! .... It's 10pm here

Thanks for that, just caught it on CNN.

Where are you stranded? I'm currently Florida; we wewre supposed to be flying to Gatwick on Friday. We phoned Virgin Atlantic as soon as we heard and they said the earliest flight we could get was Thursday from Boston...so we snapped it up thinking everything would be back to normal by then!! We have paid $1200 for tickets to Boston from Florida, so we are looking for all the information we can. We had out hopes up after today's rumours of re-opening airspace.

If we don't fly on Thursday the next flight with space on it is the 6th May.

[Mondy]

Webcam shots @ 05:30 this morning:

[dogs32]

cant understand where these report's are coming from as the Volcano looks virtually dead to me..

the media scaremongering

Edited April 20, 2010 by dogs32

[Coast]

The Icelandic volcano that shut down most of Europe's airspace for the past five days is showing signs of new activity, according to air traffic controllers.

Plans to re-open most of Britain's airports have been scaled back after warnings that a new ash cloud is heading back into UK airspace. Scottish airports are still expected to resume service after 7am today and other airspace in England from 1pm, although the main London airports remain closed for the forseeable future.

The news brings fresh uncertainty for more than 150,000 Brtions stranded abroad and the airlines that are losing millions of pounds every day they are forced to cancel operations.

In an update shortly before 3am today, air traffic control company Nats said: "Since our last statement at 9pm yesterday, the volcano eruption in Iceland has strengthened and a new ash cloud is spreading south and east towards the UK. "This demonstrates the dynamic and rapidly changing conditions in which we are working. "Latest information from the Met Office shows that the situation is variable. "The information shows that Scottish airports should be available from 7am and more airspace over England may become available from 1pm although not as far south as the main London airports." British Airways announced it cancelled all short-haul flights today based on the latest information about the volcanic ash cloud. The airline said it hoped to run long-haul flights scheduled to depart after 4pm, depending on a "full and permanent" opening of airspace.

It urged passengers to check flight details on ba.com before leaving for the airport. A statement on BA's website read: "Following the latest information from National Air Traffic Services about the path of the volcanic ash affecting UK airspace, we regret we will not be able to operate any short-haul flights on Tuesday 20 April.

"We were planning to operate short-haul flights scheduled to depart from 7pm, but these have now been cancelled. "We are still hoping to operate long-haul flights which are scheduled to depart after 4pm on Tuesday 20 April, however this remains subject to the full and permanent opening of airspace." The airlines now face a "huge logistical operation" as they prepare to resume service and clear the huge backlog, with planes and crew not in the right places. And planes might not be back in the air for long as air traffic control company Nats said the conditions were changing rapidly.

Thousands of Britons remain trapped all over the world, along with numerous overseas tourists keen to leave via UK airports. Stranded holidaymakers in Europe headed to Channel ports in their droves to make their own way home by road, rail and sea, while the Government called on Royal Navy vessels to assist. A luxury cruise liner is also being dispatched to Bilbao to pick up 2,000 Britons. People hoping to travel through France by rail to make their way back to the UK were further delayed by a French strike over pay and conditions. For those still hoping to travel, the lifting of flight restrictions will not necessarily herald good news straightaway, according to travel industry representatives.

Frances Tuke, spokeswoman for Abta - The Travel Association, said: "The latest news is a great development. "However, that does not mean everything will go back to normal. "We don't know whether this is going to be a temporary situation or a permanent one. "We don't know what is going to happen with the eruption so there is that to consider. "The other thing to remember is that aircraft and crew are going to be in the wrong place. "I know for example that some of our tour operators have decided to cancel their programmes going out of the UK in order that they can try to reposition their aircraft and crew. "It's a huge logistical operation."

She warned that as attempts are made to restore order to travel plans, some of the Britons currently abroad could find those on scheduled flights are allowed to fly before those who have been stuck at airports or hotels for days. "I don't have the detailed logistics of what is going to happen," she added. "I know that some of our bigger members are planning to have conference calls to talk about logistics. "I would imagine it will take quite a few days to sort people out because we are looking, in terms of British people who are abroad, at five days' worth of people. "Some of those people might have made their own way back to the UK, especially if they have been in Europe, but not everybody has been able to do that."

BA has estimated that the flight ban had cost it around £15 million to £20 million a day. Willie Walsh, BA chief executive, questioned the necessity of the hitherto "blanket ban" on flights, and also said that European carriers had asked the EU and national governments for financial compensation. The British Air Transport Association, with signatories and support from all major UK airlines, wrote to Transport Secretary Lord Adonis asking the Government "to commit to standing behind the industry financially at this very difficult time".

The International Air Transport Association was also highly critical of the European response to the ash crisis which, it estimated, is costing the aviation industry around 200 million dollars (£130 million) a day.

www.telegraph.co.uk

Latest full NATS Statement:

Statement on Icelandic volcanic eruption: Tuesday April 20, 0245

Since our last statement at 2100 (local time) yesterday, the volcano eruption in Iceland has strengthened and a new ash cloud is spreading south and east towards the UK. This demonstrates the dynamic and rapidly changing conditions in which we are working.

Latest information from the Met Office shows that the situation is variable. The information shows that Scottish airsports should be available from 0700 (local time) and more airspace over England may become available from 1300 (local time) although not as far south as the main London airports.

We will continue to monitor Met Office information and the situation is likely to change during the course of the day. We will make a further statement at approximately 0900 (local time), today, Tuesday 20 April.

NATS is maintaining close dialogue with the Met Office and with the UK's safety regulator, the CAA, in respect of the international civil aviation policy we follow in applying restrictions to use of airspace.

We are working closely with Government, airports and airlines, and airframe and aero engine manufacturers to get a better understanding of the effects of the ash cloud and to seek solutions.

[MR EXTREMES]

oh my the power of mother earth.

[The PIT]

Well it looks like the mulakot webcam has been shut down for people outside Iceland as well.

The eruption is still ongoing but doesn't look any stronger than it was yesterday evening. It may have picked up overnight of course which would explain rumours of a new ash cloud.

Latest from met office

[Coast]

It appears some aircraft are flying, even in the Southern part of Britain!! Currently a KLM MD11 passing close by at 33,000 ft. I wonder if its a another test flight but in our airspace???

Extent of ash cloud currently:

[The PIT]

I forgot to add it looks like a bit of fresh ash on my car this morning.

[Bottesford]

NATs update - flights allowed above 20,000ft above England so ok for over flights but nothing taking off from airports to south of Newcastle.

http://www.nats.co.uk/

[Coast]

Yep, small amounts of ash/dust on the car here this morning as well. Current aviation models/charts:

The jet looks to be in completely the wrong place for resumption of flying from UK airports in the South:

Current METAR for Gatwick:

METAR text: EGKK 200750Z 31007KT CAVOK 08/00 Q1018

Conditions at: EGKK (LONDON/GATWICK A, GB) observed 0750 UTC 20 April 2010

Temperature: 8.0°C (46°F)

Dewpoint: 0.0°C (32°F) [RH = 57%]

Pressure (altimeter): 30.06 inches Hg (1018.0 mb)

Winds: from the NW (310 degrees) at 8 MPH (7 knots; 3.6 m/s)

Visibility: 6 or more miles (10+ km)

Ceiling: ceiling and visibility are OK

Clouds: unknown

Weather: no significant weather observed at this time

Latest SatRep:

[dogs32]

its dying!!! and good riddance...

my dads November bonfire is bigger than the current PLUME

NUKE it!!!

Edited April 20, 2010 by dogs32

[Rollo]

its dying!!! and good riddance...

my dads November bonfire is bigger than the current PLUME

I would not be too premature,this volcano could easily erupt again quite soon-time will tell but it would be nice to have a window of opportunity to fly back home all those folk stuck at the 4 corners of the world trying to return.

[snowbob]

its dying!!! and good riddance...

my dads November bonfire is bigger than the current PLUME

NUKE it!!!

hope it stays that way now and don't flare up again later

[dogs32]

I love the picture's and lightning.....But the worry for people on here and the Misery this as caused to stranded people just inst worth it..

Roll on the death of it...

Edited April 20, 2010 by dogs32

[Paul Sherman]

Got another KLM Approaching the Coast at Southend, about 50 Miles off the Coast and Flight path like the last one from 2 hrs ago takes it right over me house. Looks to be a Test Flight from Shiphol back to Shiphol, but interestingly there is another behind this going onto Sao Paulo.

Paul S

Wow

That was wierd, contrails behind it in perfect clear blue skies, anyone near benfleet look up now, heading SW Towards the Thames and will pass over SE London.

Paul S

[dogs32]

Ive seen 4 flights now from the USA.....Flying straight over our airspace,

so how come we are not taking off very strange

Edited April 20, 2010 by dogs32