TUNGURAHUA 99-122 ECUADOR 1.47S 78.44W

BACKGROUND: TUNGURAHUA ECUADOR (1502-08)
SUMMIT HEIGHT 16480 FT (5023 M)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION: GOES-8 VISIBLE INFRARED AND MULTISPECTRAL
IMAGERY...0000 UTC AVIATION MODEL WIND DATA

ERUPTION DETAILS: CONTINUOUS ASH EMISSIONS....THICKER ASH RELEASED
OVER LAST TWO HOURS.

DETAILS OF ASH: GOES 8 SATELLITE IMAGERY THROUGH 1315 UTC SHOWS THAT
A RATHER IMPRESSIVE ASH CLOUD NOW EXISTS FROM THE SUMMIT AND OFF TO
THE NORTHWEST. OVER THE LAST 2 HOURS THERE HAS BEEN A RELEASE OF
VERY THICK ASH WITH A STRONGER EMISSION. THE LEADING EDGE OF ASH AT
1315 UTC IS 171 KM (92 NMI) TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST OF THE SUMMIT. AT
THE MOST IT IS 101 KM (54 NMI) WIDE. WHILE MOST OF THIS ASH IS THIN
IN NATURE THERE IS AN AREA OF MUCH THICKER ASH THAT EXTENDS FROM THE
SUMMIT TO A DISTANCE OF 45 KM (25 NMI) TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST. THE
ASH IS STILL ESTIMATED TO BE AT FL250. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE MOST
RECENT THICK ASH EMISSION COULD BE SLIGHTLY HIGHER.
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NEXT UPDATE:
TUNGURAHUA 99-123 ECUADOR 1.47S 78.44W

BACKGROUND: TUNGURAHUA ECUADOR (1502-08)
SUMMIT HEIGHT 16480 FT (5023 M)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION: GOES-8 VISIBLE INFRARED AND MULTISPECTRAL
IMAGERY...1200 UTC AVIATION MODEL UPPER-AIR DATA.

ERUPTION DETAILS: CONTINUOUS ASH EMISSIONS....OCCASIONAL EXPLOSIONS
AND RELEASE OF THICKER ASH NOTED.

DETAILS OF ASH: GOES 8 SATELLITE IMAGERY THROUGH 1845 UTC SHOWS A
LARGE ASH CLOUD BEING PRODUCED BY TUNGURAHUA. SATELLITE IMAGERY AND
UPPER-AIR DATA SUGGEST THAT THE ASH OVER THE LAST SEVERAL HOURS HAS
REACHED A MUCH HIGHER ALTITUDE AND IS THICK IN CONCENTRATION DUE TO
SOME POSSIBLE EXPLOSIONS. IT IS NOW ESTIMATED TO BE REACHING FL400.
THE ASH IS EMBEDDED WITHIN A RATHER DEEP LAYER OF THE TROPOSPHERE
AND THEREFORE HAS MULTIDIRECTIONAL MOVEMENT. ASH BETWEEN THE SUMMIT
AND FL300 HAS REACHED A DISTANCE OF 171 KM (92 NMI) TO THE NORTHWEST
OF THE SUMMIT AND IS 114 KM (62 NMI) WIDE. THICK ASH IS NOTED
BETWEEN FL300 AND FL400 AND IS EXTENDING 174 KM (94 NMI) TO THE
WEST-NORTHWEST OF THE SUMMIT AND IS 46 KM (25 NMI) WIDE.