Michoacán-Guanajuato Volcano

Updated: Nov 29, 2025 18:00 GMT - refresh

Cinder cones

West-Central Mexico, 19.49°N / -102.25°W

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Summit height: 3860 m / 12,664 ft

Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)

Michoacán-Guanajuato volcanic field is mostly known for Paricutín, one of the few volcanoes whose birth has been witnessed by man. It literally grew over a corn-field during 1943-52!
The widespread Michoacán-Guanajuato volcanic field contains over 1400 vents, including the historically active cinder cones of Parícutin and Jorullo, covering a 200 x 250 km wide area of Michoacán and Guanajuato states in west-central México. Cinder cones are the predominant volcanic form, but small shield volcanoes, lava domes, maars and tuff rings (many in the Valle de Santiago area), and coneless lava flows are also present.

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News/Updates | Earthquakes

Typical eruption style: Strombolian, monogenetic cinder-cone forming eruptions
Michoacán-Guanajuato volcano eruptions: 1759-74 (Jorullo), 1943-52 (Paricutín)
radiocarbon- or archeology dated:
1050 ± 50 years (?, Valle de Santiago), 1880 BC ± 150 years (Cerro el Jabali), ca. 2050 BC (Valle de Santiago, La Alberca), 2750 BC ± 200 years (Cerro el Metate), 6480 BC ± 300 years (Cerro la Taza), 7350 BC ± 300 years (Hoyo el Huanillo)

Latest nearby earthquakes

Date and Time	Mag / Depth	Distance / Location
Nov 22, 03:55 am (GMT -6)	3.3 5 km	21 km (13 mi) to the W	Michoacan, Mexico	Info
Nov 21, 06:25 pm (GMT -6)	3? 5 km	20 km (13 mi) to the NW	Michoacan, Mexico (unconfirmed)	Info

View recent quakes

Background

The shield volcanoes of the Michoacán-Guanajuato volcanic field are mostly Pleistocene in age, and have morphologies similar to small Icelandic-type shield volcanoes, although the Michoacán-Guanajuato shields have higher slope angles and smaller basal diameters. Jorullo, which was constructed in the 18th century, and Parícutin are the two best known of the roughly 1000 small volcanic centers scattered throughout the volcanic field.

Significant volcanic eruptions: Michoacán-Guanajuato volcano

In the past 10,000 years, Michoacán-Guanajuato has had at least 10 confirmed volcanic eruptions, out of which 2 are documented by historical records, while the others can be inferred from geological evidence.
There is one uncertain or discredited eruption around 1050 AD from Michoacán-Guanajuato volcano.

The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Michoacán-Guanajuato volcano in historic times and during the past 10,000 years. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Michoacán-Guanajuato can be found on the news page of Michoacán-Guanajuato volcano.

Date	Note	VEI	Deaths
1943 Feb 20 - 1952 Feb 25	Parícutin Historical obs./docs.	4
1943 Feb 20 (eruption 1943 Feb 20 - 1952 Feb 25)	Historical obs./docs.	4	103	Info
1943 Feb 20: Lightning associated with eruptive activity. Indirect deaths included killings of refugees by new neighbors, murders in land disputes after the eruption, and deaths in the refugee communities from disease and lack of will to live. (reference #9675) Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. #9675 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Fatalities & Evacuations, Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., p. 329-347. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1759 Sep 29 - 1774	Jorullo Historical obs./docs.	4
?? 1050 ±50 y. AD	Uncertain Eruption	?
1140 ±865 y. BC	Cerro el Zoyate	?
1880 ±150 y. BC	Cerro el Jabalí	3
2050 ? BC	Valle de Santiago (La Alberca)	?
2750 ±200 y. BC	Cerro el Metate	3
4140 ±300 y. BC	Cerro la Tinaja	?
5940 ±335 y. BC	Cerro Grande?	?
6480 ±300 y. BC	Cerro la Taza	3
7350 ±300 y. BC	Hoyo el Huanillo	3

Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Eruptions of Michoacán-Guanajuato volcano

1943-52 Paricutin eruption
Paricutin was formed as a new volcano on 20 February 1943 in Mexico. A fissure opened on a corn field on the lands of Rancho Tepacua. A new fissure opened and started to erupt lava, forming a new cinder cone and a vast lava flow that destroyed Paricutin village, but spared its church. ...more info

1759-1774 eruption (Volcan El Jorullo)
A violent eruption started in June 1959 from a new fissure and lasted until 1774, building the 350 m tall Jorullo cone and several smaller new cones. ...more info

Michoacán-Guanajuato Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Michoacán-Guanajuato volcano?

The last confirmed eruption of Michoacán-Guanajuato occurred during 1943 - 1952.

+How often does Michoacán-Guanajuato volcano erupt?

Since 1759, Michoacán-Guanajuato volcano has had at least 2 historically documented eruptions. This means that it erupts on average every 133 years.
Many eruptions of Michoacán-Guanajuato have lasted more than one year. In total, the volcano has been in eruption during 26 out of 266 years until now. In other words, Michoacán-Guanajuato has been active at least one in 10.2 years on average. Note that this value is likely an underestimate, because the known history of eruptions from Michoacán-Guanajuato is likely incomplete, especially further back in time.

+How active is Michoacán-Guanajuato volcano at present?

Michoacán-Guanajuato volcano is infrequently active: Since 1900, it has had 10 eruptions, and been active during 10 years out of 126 as of now. This means, Michoacán-Guanajuato has been in eruption one in 12.6 years on average. The last eruption was from 1943 until 1952 and ended 74 years ago.

+When was the largest eruption of Michoacán-Guanajuato volcano?

The largest eruption of Michoacán-Guanajuato volcano in historic times occurred during 1943 - 1952. It ranks as a sub-plinian eruption with a magnitude 4 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale.

Latest satellite images

See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS

Latest satellite images

Michoacán-Guanajuato Volcano Maps

Below is a selection of maps showing the location and surroundings of the volcano at various resolutions based on aerial-imagery / terrain maps. Feel free to use them for non-commercial purposes on your blog or website as long as you credit them with a link back to this page (click to copy it).