Prolonged eruptive period of Popocatépetl in Mexico
GOES-16 Nighttime Microphysics RGB + daytime True Color RGB images, 23-30 October [click to play MP4 animation]
A prolonged eruptive period of Popocatépetl occurred during 23-30 October 2024. An animation of GOES-16 (GOES-East) Nighttime Microphysics RGB + daytime True Color RGB images from the CSPP GeoSphere site (above) displayed the volcanic plumes — which often exhibited brighter shades of magenta at night, and a hazy appearance during the day — during its multiple eruptive phases (the most robust of which began around 1631 UTC on 25 October).
Preliminary/non-operational GOES-19 Ash RGB images (below) also showed the periodic pulses of ash from Popocatépetl.
GOES-19 Ash RGB images, 22-30 October (courtesy Tim Schmit, NOAA/NESDIS/STAR) [click to play MP4 animation]
A radiometrically-retrieved Ash Height product from the NOAA/CIMSS Volcanic Cloud Monitoring site (below) showed that the volcanic plume occasionally reached altitudes of 12 km or greater (magenta).
GOES-16 Ash Height product, 23-30 October [click to play MP4 animation]
The aforementioned robust eruption that began around 1631 UTC on 25 October ejected ash to an estimated altitude of 32000 ft (FL320) — and southwesterly winds ahead of a 300 hPa trough over Mexico transported this ash across the Gulf of Mexico. On 26 October, there were several Pilot Reports (PIREPs) of Volcanic Ash (VA) over the eastern Gulf of Mexico, near or over the west coast of Florida, at altitudes of 25000-28000 ft (FL250-FL280) (below).
GOES-16 Split Window Difference image, with cursor display of a Pilot Report of Volcanic Ash at 1508 UTC
GOES-16 Split Window Difference image, with cursor display of a Pilot Report of Volcanic Ash at 1514 UTC
GOES-16 Split Window Difference image, with cursor display of a Pilot Report of Volcanic Ash at 1643 UTC
GOES-16 Split Window Difference image, with cursor display of a Pilot Report of Volcanic Ash at 1934 UTC