Volcanic ash spotted over Florida on Saturday
A Mexican volcano spewed ash all the way to Florida this weekend
The skies over Florida harboured an unusual visitor on Saturday.
Satellite data and pilots both reported volcanic ash high in the atmosphere over northern Florida to start the weekend, the product of a jet stream blowing across an active volcano in Mexico.
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Popocatépetl is a very active volcano that sits about 70 kilometres southeast of Mexico City. The stratovolcano frequently belches ash and lava onto the hillsides below.
A Spanish-language alert on Popocatépetl's activity on October 26, 2024. (CENAPRED)
Mexico's National Center for Prevention of Disasters (CENAPRED) issued a Yellow Phase 2 alert amid the volcano’s increased activity this weekend.
“Do not approach the volcano,” CENAPRED said in a statement on its website Saturday.
An ongoing release of ash from the volcano grew so potent that the emissions survived in the upper atmosphere until they reached Florida. A subtropical jet stream flowing over Mexico helped transport that ash straight across the Gulf of Mexico toward northern Florida.
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The National Weather Service office in Jacksonville, Florida, reported that pilots near Sarasota saw volcanic ash in the air on Saturday afternoon. Satellite imagery also revealed the presence of ash in the skies over Florida on Saturday.
The above image uses infrared light to reveal dust and aerosols in the atmosphere. The hot pink colours circled over central Mexico and northern Florida highlight the locations of the volcanic ash on Saturday afternoon. The ash over Florida dissipated by sunset.
Some of Popocatépetl’s emissions are great enough that they affect flights in the region. Airplanes can’t safely fly through volcanic ash. The microscopic rocks, minerals, and glass floating within the ash cloud can clog and even destroy jet engines, endangering the lives of those onboard.
Header image of Popocatépetl courtesy of Unsplash.
