Hi All,

Here's the latest report which details the alert status and how they are handling the local situation. For those who would like to see if geomagnetic activity affects Popo's possible eruption, keep your eyes sharp on Today's Space Weather and let's see if there are any distinct leads.....Petra

MAY 05 11:00 h (16:00 GMT):

In the last 24 hours the monitoring system of Popocatepetl volcano recorded 7 low intensity exhalations, mainly accompanied by steam and gas . Also there were detected some isolated episodes of low amplitude harmonic tremor for less than 3 hours.
During this morning and at the moment of this report we can see the volcano with low fumarolic activity (see image).
In a SCT flight on april 30th, it was not observed a new lava dome inside the crater (see image).
The analysis of the activity recorded in the last days leads to the following probable scenarios: 1. That the present process finishes without consequences
2.That the process of destruction of a dome generates explosions of variable intensity, able to throw incandescent fragments to distances up to 4 km from the crater.
3. Some piroclastic flows similar to the one occurred on January 22, 2001 may generate. The more probable affected volcano sectors could be East and Northeast, although some other may be affected.
The previous conditions lead to the following conditions:
1. The traffic light of volcanic alert is in YELLOW phase 3.
2. It remains the restriction of access in a radius of 12 km from the crater.
3. The road between Santiago Xalitzintla (Puebla) and San Pedro Nexapa (Mexico State), including Paso de Cortés, is open for controlled circulation since May 3 at 06:00 hr. However it is not allowed to stay in the 12 Km restricted area.
4. According to the conditions of the volcano activity, the authorities from the Civil Protection System will close the road through Paso de Cortes.

Recommendations:
To the people, to be aware of the official information emited.
To the Authorities of the Federal District, Morelos, Puebla and Tlaxcala states, to go on with their own operative plans.
The Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil is continuously monitoring the volcano activity in order to inform with opportunity to the people.