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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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Popocatepetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update

Monday Oct 15, 2012 12:05 PM | BY: T

SO2 plume from Popocatépetl on October 14, 2012 (NOAA)

The number of explosions is on the increase again. CENAPRED recorded 48 exhalations of low to medium intensity during 14-15 Oct, some of which were accompanied by small emissions of ash. The largest produced plumes rising 1.5 km above the crater.
During the night glow was observed at the crater which increased when major exhalations occurred. Otherwise, the volcano was producing a steam plume drifting west. On satellite imagery, a strong SO2 emission remains visible.

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Popocatepetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update

Sunday, Oct 14, 2012

23 exhalations of low to medium intensity with steam and sometimes ash emissions occurred during 13-14 Oct, the most important at 19:01 pm local time on 13 Oct and at 09:57 h today. The latter produced a column that moved 1.5 km west-southwest and was noted by VAAC. ... [more]

Popocatépetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update

Thursday, Oct 11, 2012

The explosion frequency and size has been increasing over the past 2 days. ... [more]

Popocatepetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update

Monday, Oct 08, 2012

Activity has been very low compared to previous days. During the last 24 h, 4 low-intensity exhalations occurred and were accompanied by weak continuous emission of water vapor and gas. During the night, incandescence was observed on the crater. Additionally, yesterday at 17:32 h local time, a volcanic quake of magnitude 1.2 occurred. [more]

Popocatépetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update

Sunday, Oct 07, 2012

No significant changes in activity: 18 weak explosions occurred between 5-6 Oct and the volcano produces a strong SO2 plume. [more]

Popocatepetl volcano (Central Mexico) activity update: increasing exlosions

Friday, Oct 05, 2012

During the last 24 h (4-5 Oct), the monitoring system of the Popocatepetl volcano registered 32 low-intensity exhalations accompanied by emissions of steam and gas and with slight amounts of ash. Yesterday at 11:24 h, 14:27 h, 15:28 h and 17:57 h local time, there were explosions with ash plumes that reached a height of 1 km above the crater and drifted NW and SW. ... [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