BJ Deming

Popocatépetl, 2023: May 22 (2326 UTC)

Status:

Yellow, Phase 3.

Update, May 22, 4:26 p.m., Pacific: This just out. The boffins did meet today, and they have decided to continue the alert at YELLOW, PHASE 3.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Update, May 22, 2:29 p.m., Pacific: An ongoing large ash emission, per Washington VAAC, though the mountain isn’t visible on cams:

FVXX20 KNES 222038
VA ADVISORY
DTG: 20230522/2038Z
VAAC: WASHINGTON
VOLCANO: POPOCATEPETL 341090
PSN: N1901 W09837
AREA: MEXICO
SUMMIT ELEV: 17693 FT (5393 M)
ADVISORY NR: 2023/616
INFO SOURCE: GOES-16. WEBCAM. NWP MODELS. ASH3D.
ERUPTION DETAILS: ONGOING LARGE VA EMS.
OBS VA DTG: 22/2021Z
OBS VA CLD: SFC/FL300 N2204 W09033 – N2004 W08957
– N1944 W09304 – N2123 W09322 – N2204 W09033 MOV
E 20KT SFC/FL330 N2034 W09339 – N1856 W09332 –
N1859 W09834 – N1907 W09837 – N2034 W09339 MOV E
20KT
FCST VA CLD +6HR: 23/0230Z SFC/FL300 NO VA EXP
SFC/FL330 N2147 W09040 – N1932 W09027 – N1855
W09832 – N1907 W09839 – N2147 W09040
FCST VA CLD +12HR: 23/0830Z SFC/FL330 N2146
W09030 – N1921 W09014 – N1852 W09836 – N1910
W09838 – N2146 W09030
FCST VA CLD +18HR: 23/1430Z SFC/FL330 N2114
W09015 – N1902 W09019 – N1856 W09837 – N1911
W09837 – N2114 W09015
RMK: FREQ MDT TO LARGE VA EMS NOTED IN VARIOUS
MODES OF STLT IMAGERY. WEB CAM OBSCURED BY CLDS.
VA MOV TO THE E OF SUMMIT. REMNANT VA FURTHER OUT
ALSO MOV E AND DISSIPATING. …LEE
NXT ADVISORY: WILL BE ISSUED BY 20230523/0245Z

The volcano certainly can be heard!

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

This is all within alert level expectations, and CENAPRED has issued no more bulletins thus far.

A glance around online shows — not much in headline news actually (English language); this doesn’t fit “eruption” boilerplates, I guess, and real news about this seems to be kind of falling in between the cracks.

On Twitter, Mexico City is still spared at present; in Puebla, starting today, all legislative work is now reportedly done remotely because of ash hazards.

Per this story (autotranslated), Popo has been having multiple explosions — [LAYPERSON SPECULATION] as is the case with strombolian activity[/LAYPERSON SPECULATION] — though I think CENAPRED counts them using different criteria. Anyway, authorities aren’t calling for drills yet, and the military is waiting for better weather to send up some drones to check out the crater.

Also, Google Translate finds “Popo” challenging. 😄

Finally, for this update, personnel from a variety of agencies are out there evaluating evacuation routes and making sure shelters are in place, in case evacuations are called.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

By the way, I found an app — Lingo Tube –that translates YouTube transcripts. That’s handy IF a transcript is available (not so much in real time at press conferences, etc.), but it also has learning tools, which almost immediately are helping me with comprehension. Not much longer for me, hopefully, that time-worn cry of us outsiders focussed on the written word only, during conversation: ¡Maaaaas despaaaacio! por favor. (It’s even in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” 🙂 )

Update, May 22, 2023, 10:55 a.m., Pacific: About an hour ago, they report, seismographs got busier; now, although the summit is hidden, they can hear explosions:

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Light to moderate ashfall is noted in a number of Puebla communities.

At 11 a.m., local time, no ash was noted in Mexico City/EdoMex (the whole state that includes Mexico City).

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Good morning, Popocatépetl!

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Update, May 22, 2023, 8:38 a.m., Pacific: Late yesterday, a satellite captured this image of a roaring Don Goyo (by way of SkyAlert):

Looking for Puebla? It’s under that plume.

It’s hard to say what went on, up there in the clouds, after sunset.

Before midnight, Popo stirred again — though apparently not again with a blast and shockwave.

This went on for a while:

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Then, over the rest of the night, it got into a more steady state — fortunately for the neighbors, a somewhat quieter one:

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

About an hour ago, per Puebla Civil Protection, the high-frequency tremor diminished, and Popo has since been venting mostly gases and steam, though ashfall is still reported in some Puebla municipalities as well as the Tlaxcala state capital (Source)

Per the ash advisory that went into effect about an hour ago, major ash emissions continue ([LAYPERSON SPECULATION] this might have been just before Don Goyo calmed down a bit; anyway, it will take time to reflect the change [/LAYPERSON SPECULATION]):

FVXX20 KNES 221444
VA ADVISORY
DTG: 20230522/1444Z
VAAC: WASHINGTON
VOLCANO: POPOCATEPETL 341090
PSN: N1901 W09837
AREA: MEXICO
SUMMIT ELEV: 17693 FT (5393 M)
ADVISORY NR: 2023/615
INFO SOURCE: GOES-16. WEBCAM. NWP MODELS.
ERUPTION DETAILS: MAJOR VA EMS CONT
OBS VA DTG: 22/1421Z
OBS VA CLD: SFC/FL300 N2204 W09230 – N2102 W09052
– N1908 W09316 – N1850 W09835 – N1859 W09843 –
N2204 W09230 MOV E 20KT
FCST VA CLD +6HR: 22/2030Z SFC/FL300 N2302 W09028
– N2004 W08856 – N1853 W09832 – N1901 W09835 –
N2302 W09028
FCST VA CLD +12HR: 23/0230Z SFC/FL300 N2058
W09153 – N1807 W09153 – N1850 W09836 – N1908
W09840 – N2058 W09153
FCST VA CLD +18HR: 23/0830Z SFC/FL300 N1914
W09329 – N1710 W09400 – N1901 W09835 – N1905
W09833 – N1914 W09329
RMK: VRY LRG VA PLUME DETECTED ON STLT EXTDNG
APROX 420 NM ENE OF SUMMIT OVR MOST OF BAY OF
CAMPECHE. VRY DENSE VA EXTDNG 100 NM E OF SUMMIT.
MDL WINDS AT FL FCST TO VEER NXT 18 HR BECMG MORE
FM THE WNW. …KONON
NXT ADVISORY: WILL BE ISSUED BY 20230522/2045Z

Authorities are blocking access to the volcano over Cortés Pass, but reportedly (autotranslated) someone did try to get through last night.

Earlier posts:

Featured image Popocatépetl in early 2019, by Puebla Civil Protection (Spanish)

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.