ALASKA VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT
U.S. Geological Survey
Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 12:48 PM AKST (Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 21:48 UTC)

REDOUBT VOLCANO (VNUM #313030)
60°29'7" N 152°44'38" W, Summit Elevation 10197 ft (3108 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Unrest at Redoubt Volcano continues. Seismicity has waxed and waned over the past 24 hours, but remains well above background levels.

Nothing unusual has been seen over the past 24 hours in partly cloudy satellite views. AVO conducted a gas-measurement flight yesterday afternoon, and detected elevated values of SO2 venting from the volcano's summit crater. Observers also saw new outflows of muddy debris alongside the glacier that is downslope of the summit; these were not seen the previous day (Sunday, January 25).

The current activity at Redoubt could be precursory to an eruption, perhaps within days. A further increase in seismicity is expected to accompany an eruption. Staff are currently monitoring the volcano 24 hours a day.

AVO engineers have flown by helicopter to the volcano today, to repair a web camera and install an additional seismic instrument along the Drift River valley. Yesterday, AVO's Spurr web camera was redirected towards Redoubt; this can be viewed at http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Redoubt.php

AVO raised the Aviation Color Code to ORANGE and the Alert Level to WATCH at 02:09 AST (11:09 UTC) the morning of Sunday, January 25, in response to a sharp increase of seismic activity beneath the volcano. AVO had raised the Aviation Color Code to YELLOW and the Volcano Alert Level to ADVISORY on November 5, 2008, in response to increased emissions of volcanic gases; melting of snow and ice near the volcano’s summit; and a subtle increase in seismicity.


SHISHALDIN VOLCANO (VNUM #311360)
54°45'19" N 163°58'16" W, Summit Elevation 9373 ft (2857 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: ADVISORY
Current Aviation Color Code: YELLOW

Nothing unusual has been observed in mostly cloudy satellite images over the last 24 hours. Snow and ice still obscure the volcano in web camera images. Seismicity at Shishaldin remains unchanged over the last day.




CLEVELAND VOLCANO (VNUM #311240)
52°49'20" N 169°56'42" W, Summit Elevation 5676 ft (1730 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: ADVISORY
Current Aviation Color Code: YELLOW

Nothing unusual has been observed in cloudy to mostly cloudy satellite views over the past 24 hours. AVO has received no other reports about Cleveland in the last 24 hours.

VOLCANO INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET: http://www.avo.alaska.edu

RECORDING ON THE STATUS OF ALASKA'S VOLCANOES (907) 786-7478

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Tom Murray, Scientist-in-Charge, USGS
tlmurray@usgs.gov (907) 786-7497

Steve McNutt, Coordinating Scientist, UAF
steve@giseis.alaska.edu (907) 474-7131

The Alaska Volcano Observatory is a cooperative program of the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys.

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