This website works best with a newer web browser such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Microsoft Edge. Internet Explorer is not supported by this website.

CIMSS Satellite Blog

MENU

Eruption of the Fuego volcano in Guatemala

By Scott Bachmeier •

GOES-16 Visible (0.64 µm, left) and Infrared (10.3 µm, right) images, with hourly plots of surface reports {click to play animation]

GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm, left) and “Clean” Infrared Window (10.3 µm, right) images, with hourly plots of surface reports [click to play MP4 animation]

GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm) and “Clean” Infrared Window (10.3 µm) images (above) showed that an explosive eruption of the Fuego volcano in Guatemala occurred just after 18 UTC on 03 June 2018. The height of the ash was estimated to be 50,000 feet.

The tan to light brown color of the ash cloud was evident on GOES-16 true-color Red-Green-Blue (RGB) images, as viewed using RealEarth (below).

GOES-16 true-color RGB images [click to play animation]

GOES-16 true-color RGB images [click to play animation]

On GOES-16 Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) imagery (below), note the appearance of a persistent thermal anomaly or “hot spot” at the summit of Fuego for about 5 hours prior to the explosive eruption. This thermal anomaly became apparent around 1300 UTC, after which time a low-level volcanic plume could be seen drifting northward.

GOES-16

GOES-16 “Red” Visible (0.64 µm, left) and Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm, right) images, with hourly plots of surface observations [click to play MP4 animation]

GOES-16 Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images [click to play MP4 animation]

GOES-16 Shortwave Infrared (3.9 µm) images [click to play MP4 animation]

16-panel composite of all ABI bands [click to play MP4 animation]

16-panel composite of all ABI bands [click to play MP4 animation]

 

Categories: GOES-16, RealEarth, Red-Green-Blue (RGB) images, Volcanic activity