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Satellite images of Popocatepetl volcano (c)Google Earth View

Popocatépetl volcano

Popocatepetl is one of Mexico's most active volcanoes. After almost 50 years of dormancy, "Popo" came back to life in 1994 and has since then been producing powerful explosions at irregular intervals.
In the past centuries befor European invasions, large eruptions produced giant mud flows that have buried Atzteque settlements, even entire pyramids.

Stratovolcano 5426 m / 17,802 ft
Central Mexico, 19.02°N / -98.62°W
Popocatépetl volcano eruptions:
1345-47, 1354, 1363(?), 1488, 1504, 1509(?), 1512, 1518, 1519-23(?), 1528, 1530, 1539-40, 1542, 1548, 1571, 1580, 1590, 1592-94, 1642, 1663-65, 1666-67, 1697, 1720, 1802-04, 1827(?), 1834(?), 1852(?), 1919-22, 1923-24, 1925-27(?), 1933, 1942-43, 1947, 1994-95, 1996-2003, 2004-ongoing
Typical eruption style:
Dominantly explosive, construction of lava domes. Plinian eruptions at intervals of several centuries or few thousands of years, vulcanian and strombolian activity in intermittent phases.
Popocatépetl webcams / live data
Last earthquakes nearby

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Popocatépetl volcano (Mexico), activity summary 1-7 Aug 2012: gas and steak emissions, crater glow, occasional explosions

Wednesday Aug 08, 2012 12:05 PM | BY: T

During 1-7 August seismicity at Popocatépetl indicated continuing gas-and-steam emissions that may have contained ash during 4-6 August; cloud cover prevented observations during most of this period. Incandescence from the crater was periodically observed.
Gas-and-steam plumes were observed almost daily rising from the crater as high as 2.5 km above the rim. The plumes drifted SW and NW.
On 5 August ash plumes rose 1.5 km and drifted SW. On 6 August ash plumes again rose 1.5 km above the crater, and at 1758 an ash plume rose 4 km. Some explosions ejected incandescent tephra that landed on the flanks. Gas-and-steam plumes drifted SW the next day.

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Popocatépetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update: growing lava dome, occasional strong explosions ejecting ash to 8-10 km altitude

Wednesday, Aug 08, 2012

A moderately strong explosion occurred yesterday 7 Aug at 17:58 local time and produced a steam and ash column rising 4 km, and drifting W-SW, CENAPRED reported. ... [more]

Popocatépetl volcano (Mexico): moderately strong explosion on 6 Aug, ash to 9 km altitude

Tuesday, Aug 07, 2012

CENAPRED reports 9 small to moderate explosions during 11-20:00 on 6 Aug. ... [more]

Popocatépetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update: occasional weak to moderate steam and ash explosions

Saturday, Aug 04, 2012

The activity at Popocatépetl remains at low to moderate levels compared to previous weeks. ... [more]

Popocatépetl volcano (Mexico): decreasing trend continues

Wednesday, Aug 01, 2012

Popocatépetl's activity is relatively low. Only 14 weak emissons of mostly steam were recorded on 31 July during 24 hours, and there appears to be no significant seismic activity. Glow is still visible from the summit, but less than before. [more]

Popocatépetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update: strong degassing, weak gas and steam emissions, lava glow from summit crater

Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012

Exhalations of gas and ash have dropped to 1-2 per hour (versus 3-4 times per hour during heightened activity). Seismic activity is low. A small 1.8 volcanic earthquakes occurred at 11:36 local time on 30 July. ... [more]

Volcán Popocatépetl, whose name is the Aztec word for smoking mountain, towers to 5426 m 70 km SE of Mexico City to form North America's 2nd-highest volcano.  The glacier-clad stratovolcano contains a steep-walled, 250-450 m deep crater.  The generally symmetrical volcano is modified by the sharp-peaked Ventorrillo on the NW, a remnant of an earlier volcano. 
At least three previous major cones were destroyed by gravitational failure during the Pleistocene, producing massive debris-avalanche deposits covering broad areas south of the volcano.  The modern volcano was constructed to the south of the late-Pleistocene to Holocene El Fraile cone.  Three major plinian eruptions, the most recent of which took place about 800 AD, have occurred from Popocatépetl since the mid Holocene, accompanied by pyroclastic flows and voluminous lahars that swept basins below the volcano.  Frequent historical eruptions, first recorded in Aztec codices, have occurred since precolumbian time.

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Source: GVP, Smithsonian Institution - Popocatepetl information