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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): increase of activity

Sunday Aug 19, 2012 11:35 AM | BY: T

Webcam image of Popocatépetl on the morning of 19 Aug (CENAPRED)

A sharp increase in activity has been observed at Popocatépetl since yesterday. During 17-18 August, 176 mostly small explosions were observed (compared to values of 10-20 for the previous week), and 74 alone during the following 9 hours, i.e. about 1 every 8 minutes.
The largest eruption occurred at 20:41 h local time yesterday and threw incandescent bombs to 800 m distance, which landed on the rim of the lower crater. Glow from the summit was visible during clear weather at night.
After 19:00 h local time yesterday, a constant steam plume with small amounts of ash was being erupted and formed a plume rising about 2 km above the crater.
No reports of ash fall have been given in the latest CENAPRED summary.

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• Information about: Popocatépetl volcano

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• Nivel de actividad del volcán Popocatépetl (CENAPRED latest reports)

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Previous news

Popocatépetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update: weak ash and steam emissions (1 per1-2 hours), steaming, crater glow

Friday, Aug 17, 2012

16 weak explosions have occurred during 24 hours between 16-17 Aug, and a 1 km high steam plume rises above the crater. [more]

Popocatépetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update: weak ash and steam emissions (1 per 2-3 hours), crater glow

Thursday, Aug 16, 2012

Visible activity at Popo has decreased, with only 1 week explosion (less than 500 m height of steam and ash plume) every 2-3 hours recently. The summit lava dome is still glowing at night. ... [more]

Popocatépetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update: 1-2 weak explosions per hour

Tuesday, Aug 14, 2012

Activity has been increasing, with now 1-2 weak explosions per hour. The most significant one was at 15:47 local time yesterday, CENAPRED reports. Weak tremor and perhaps increased activity after 22:00 local time can be seen on the seismic plot. [more]

Popocatépetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update

Monday, Aug 13, 2012

Activity remains low. About 1 weak eruption per hour has been observed during the past day by CENAPRED. SO2 emissions remain high (which is typical for Popo during phases of activity). [more]

Popocatépetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update: weak explosions every few hours, steaming

Sunday, Aug 12, 2012

Only 3 weak explosions were observed during 9 hours of recent observation. The volcano is emitting a significant steam and gas plume with lots of SO2. [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