Augustine Errupts Again

Click on Title for link to Alaska Volcano Observatory Webcam
Augustine erupts a fourth time
ERUPTIONS: Light ash warning is issued for Kodiak Island.

By MEGAN HOLLAND
Anchorage Daily News
Published: January 28, 2006
Last Modified: January 28, 2006 at 08:58 AM

Augustine Volcano facts

Location: Cook Inlet, 180 miles southwest of Anchorage, 75 miles southwest of Homer
Type: Stratovolcano
Height: 4,134 feet
Last erupted: 1986

Past activity: Explosive eruptions have occured six times since the early 1800s: 1812, 1833, 1935, 1964-65, 1976 and 1986.

Augustine Volcano erupted four times since Friday night and Saturday morning, sending steam and ash 40,000 feet into the air and triggering an ash fall advisory for a wide area around Kodiak Island through 1 p.m. today.

The eruptions, the first in more than a week, began at 8:12 p.m. Friday and continued overnight. The most recent was at 7:42 a.m. today.

Winds, as they have following other eruptions in recent weeks, appeared to be sparing Anchorage and most of populated Alaska from ash fall. Winds are blowing to the south and southeast, according to the National Weather Service.

An ash fall advisory was initially issued for Kodiak Island through 9 a.m. It later amended to include a wide area between the volcano and Kodiak Island, including the Barren Islands, Shuyak Island and Shelikof Strait.

"Vessels in the vicinity of Kodiak Island coastal waters may experience light ash fall," the weather service said. "Vessels in this area should exercise extreme caution as volcanic ash fall is expected."

Friday's first blast began at 8:12 p.m., with "vigorous activity" recorded at 8:24 p.m. and lasting about nine minutes, according to the AVO Web site. Scientists equated it to a Jan. 13 eruption that dusted Kenai Peninsula communities with a coat of ash.

"This is about as strong as the strongest one we've had," said Janet Schaefer, geologist with Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys.

A second eruption occurred at 11:37 p.m. and lasted about one minute. A third eruption was recorded at 2:04 a.m. and lasted several minutes. The fourth eruption occurred around 7:42 a.m.

Schaefer said scientists had not yet determined if any lava flowed. At first light today, scientists would use techniques including thermal imagery to gather more information about the eruption, she said.

Scientists have warned since the eruptions first began early this month that Southcentral Alaska could be in for a prolonged siege of intermittent activity from the region's most restless volcano.

Augustine Volcano, at 4,134 feet in elevation, is on an uninhabited island in lower Cook Inlet, approximately 180 miles southwest of Anchorage and 75 miles southwest of Homer.

Nine explosions occurred between Jan. 11-17, each sending volcanic ash to more than 30,000 feet above sea level, according to the AVO Web site. Before Friday night, the volcano was in a state of relative quiet, though earthquakes had picked up on the island the last few days, indicating some activity might be likely.

Strong southeast winds could carry the ash from Friday's eruptions over to Kodiak Island, the National Weather Service said.

Linda Freed, city manager for Kodiak, said Friday night that the city had been preparing for an eruption for two weeks with a public awareness campaign that included articles in the local newspaper, public service announcements, and educating students at school.

"We're going to wait and see if we actually get any ash," she said. "We'll get up tomorrow morning and we'll check."

"If there's going to be ash fall, there isn't anything you can do about it," she said. "I think a good segment of the community is prepared."

Volunteer disc jockey Ron Jackson at KMXT in Kodiak said he heard about the eruption when his shift began at 9 p.m. "from the automatic news feed that spits things out when they're important." He said he has been telling listeners between songs what he knows about the eruption.

Flights in and out of Kodiak had already been canceled Friday night due to 25 to 35 mph gusts of winds, half-mile visibility and blowing snow.

Meanwhile in Anchorage, airlines were still steadily checking in passengers for late flights out of Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. But a number of disruptions in flights due to arrive and leave from Anchorage late Friday and early today were noted on the arrival/departure board.

Alaska Airlines listed flights from Portland, Seattle and Orange County, Calif., as canceled. Flights to Denver, Los Angeles and Seattle were also canceled.

Flights due to leave for Fairbanks were listed as still on schedule. Hawaiian Vacations' charter to Honolulu due to depart at 1:15 a.m. also was still on schedule.

Alaska Airlines' spokesmen could not be reached late Friday.



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Daily News reporter Megan Holland can be reached at mrholland@adn.com or 2574343. Reporters Rosemary Shinohara and Tom Kizzia contributed to this story.