POPOCATEPETL 00-002 MEXICO 1901N 9837W

BACKGROUND: POPOCATEPETL MEXICO (1401-04)
SUMMIT HEIGHT 17930 FT (5465 M)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION: GOES 8 INFRARED AND MULTISPECTRAL
IMAGERY...MEXICO CITY MWO...1800 UTC AVIATION MODEL SOUNDING
DATA...0000 UTC MEXICO CITY UPPER-AIR SOUNDING...

ERUPTION DETAILS: ERUPTION BEGAN AT 13/0303 UTC...

DETAILS OF ASH CLOUD: GOES-8 INFRARED AND MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE
IMAGERY THROUGH 13/0440 UTC INDICATES THAT A SIGNIFICANT EXPLOSION
OCCURRED AT POPOCATEPETL. ALL CURRENT AVAILABLE CHANNELS OF
SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATE ASH AND STEAM MOVING AWAY FROM THE
SUMMIT. THE APPEARANCE SEEN IN INFRARED IMAGERY STRONGLY SUGGESTS
THAT THE ASH AND STEAM HAS REACHED A RATHER SIGNIFICANT HEIGHT. THE
ASH AND STEAM IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE REACHED FL300. GIVING SUPPORT TO
THIS HEIGHT IS THE 0000 UTC UPPER-AIR SOUNDING DATA FROM MEXICO
CITY. NOW AS OF 13/0440 UTC THE ASH CAN BE SEEN SPLITTING APART AND
MOVING IN MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS. THE ASH REACHING FL300 HAS MOVED
NORTHEAST TO THE POINT 1918N9827W WHICH IS A DISTANCE OF 36 KM (19
NMI) FROM THE SUMMIT. THE OVERALL ASH CLOUD IS AN IMPRESSIVE 51 KM
(28 NMI) WIDE. ASH BETWEEN THE SUMMIT AND FL230 IS MOVING NORTHWEST
WHILE ASH BETWEEN FL230 AND FL300 IS MOVING NORTH.