Get our newsletter!     Volcano Calendar 2019: We're proud to present our 2019 volcano calendar: 13 different and attractive images of volcanoes, volcanic landscapes and phenomena taken during volcano tours over the past few years.  Volcano Discoveries: "One of the most eye-catching guides to the world’s volcanoes ever published.  VolcanoAdventures: Our professional team of volcanologists and photographers offers unique travel opportunities: volcano expeditions, photo tours, and relaxed walking & study tours.  The Volcano Adventure Guide: Excellent information and background for anyone wishing to visit active volcanoes safely and enjoyably. The book presents guidelines to visiting 42 different volcanoes around the world. Guaranteed tours: : spaces available / : guaranteed / : few spaces left / : booked out Random pictures | |  Momotombo volcano is a symmetrical stratovolcano rising as a peninsula above the NW part of Lake Managua, Nicaragua. It is one of the most known volcanoes of the country.
Momotombo is located at the SE end of the Marrabios Range. It consists of the remnant of an older volcano which now forms a somma ridge on the southern part and a young symmetrical cone that is less than 4500 years old and contains a 150 x 250 m wide summit crater. Young lava flows from Momotombo have flown down the NW flank into the 4-km-wide Monte Galán caldera.
There have been frequent small ash eruptions that were reported by explorers in the past century, but the volcano has been dormant for more than 100 years now. At the moment, the activity consists of active high-temperature fumaroles and gas and steam emission.
A major geothermal field is located on the southern flank of the volcano.
stratovolcano 1297 m / 4,255 ft
Nicaragua, 12.42°N / -86.54°W Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5) Momotombo webcams / live data | ReportsMomotombo volcano booksMomotombo volcano eruptions:
2015-ongoing (2016), 1918 (?), 1905, 1902, 1886-87, 1885 (?), 1882, 1878, 1870, 1858-66, 1854, 1852, 1849, 1764, 1736, 1609 (?), 1605-06, 1578, 1524 Radiocarbon-dated: 1100 ± 50 years, 800 BC ± 50 years, 2550 BC ± 300 years Typical eruption style:explosive, strombolian activity Last earthquakes nearbyLatest satellite images  Momotombo volcano news & activity updatesTue, 29 Mar 2016, 16:30  Moderately strong explosion at Momotombo on 26 March A slight increase in activity occurred last week between 23-26 March, when the volcano again produced some mild to moderate explosions, some of which were strong enough to send bombs to its upper outer slopes. ...moreDuring the past days, activity has again been calmer, although crater glow continues to tell the presence of fresh lava in the summit crater. [ less] Mon, 14 Mar 2016, 16:29  Momotombo volcano's glow yesterday evening Explosions seem to have ceased during the past week. Glow remains visible at the crater, suggesting that lava continues to be present there. Tue, 8 Mar 2016, 07:40  A spectacular explosion at Momotombo yesterday night The eruption of the volcano continues with little visible changes: Intermittent vulcanian-type explosions of mostly small, but sometimes moderate size continue to occur at rates of 1-2 per day (on average), the stronger ones showering the upper flanks of the cone with incandescent material and producing ash plumes that rise 1-2 km above the summit. ...moreIn addition, weaker activity of semi-persistent style also occurs. Continuous glow is visible from the crater at night. This is probably due to the presence of a small lava lake or (more likely) a small lava dome (more viscous lava), as well as frequent, but small (strombolian-type) explosions (that don't reach the outer rim) as INETER reported in its recent status update (53 explosions recorded during 3-4 March). According to Nicaraguan scientists, seismic activity of the volcano has been at low to medium levels.  Small vulcanian explosion in daytime yesterday [ less] [ read all] Wed, 2 Mar 2016, 10:27  Explosion at Momotombo this morning Two moderately strong explosions occurred during the past 24 hours at the volcano, covering the upper slopes of the cone with fresh lava bombs and producing ash plumes that rose approx 2 km. ...moreThis followed a period of calmer activity that had lasted a few days.  Eruption from yesterday morning [ less] Tue, 1 Mar 2016, 09:22  Small explosion from Momotombo yesterday Activity continues, but has been less vigorous during the past two days. A small explosion occurred yesterday morning. Incandescence remains visible at the crater at night. Mon, 29 Feb 2016, 09:35  Eruption of Momotombo volcano last week (21 Feb, image: Richard Roscoe) The volcano continues to produce on average 2-3 vulcanian-type explosions per day. Some of them seem to generate small pyroclastic flows. ...moreDon't miss out the spectacular video our friend Richard Roscoe ( www.photovolcanica.com) took last week (attached picture):  Eruption yesterday evening [ less] [ read all] Wed, 24 Feb 2016, 10:25  Glow from Momotombo's summit crater this morning Activity has been calmer during the past two days. No new significant explosions occurred in the interval, but incandescence remains visible at the summit crater, indicating small extrusive activity continues. Mon, 22 Feb 2016, 10:14  Eruption of Momotombo volcano yesterday Activity has been a bit quieter over the past days, but the volcano continues to produce a few (on average two per day) mild to moderate explosions. Fri, 19 Feb 2016, 16:52  Eruption of Momotombo this morning Activity at the volcano has been increasing. During the past days, explosions have become frequent, with intervals of only few hours. The largest on Wednesday evening at 20:50 local time showered almost the cone with incandescent ejecta and produced ash plumes up to 1 km tall. Unconfirmed reports suggest that some of the eruptions also have produced small pyroclastic flows. ...moreMild ash fall was reported in the communities of La Concha, Matuzán, Boca de Cántaro, Flor de la Piedra and Puerto Momotombo. According to the Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies (INET) reported that microseismic activity remains high, suggesting that more eruptions are likely to occur in the near future.  A strong explosion on Wednesday evening showers the cone with glowing bombs [ less] [ read all] Tue, 16 Feb 2016, 09:05  Eruption of Momotombo yesterday Another moderately strong explosion occurred from the summit crater yesterday 13:08 local time, ejecting an ash plume that rose approx. 1000 m and many incandescent bombs that ignited bush fires on the upper flank of the volcano. ...moreBright glow at the crater at night suggests that new magma has present there.  Crater glow this morning and bush fires from volcanic bombs of yesterday's eruption [ less] Show more newsSun, 14 Feb 2016, 09:29  Momotombo's eruption with pyroclastic flow yesterday Another explosion occurred at the volcano yesterday at 10:40 local time. It produced a pyroclastic flow that descended the NE flank through the prominent ravine that also had channeled the recent lava flow from 2015. ...moreThe pyroclastic flow, surrounded by yellow-brown ash, was likely the result of collapse of older material at the crater during the explosion. Whether and in which proportion fresh magma is involved in the current activity is difficult to say without an analysis of the ash. Glow continued to be visible at the crater during the night, suggesting that temperatures have increased and maybe magma is now at least close to the vents.  Bright crater glow this morning [ less] [ read all] Sat, 13 Feb 2016, 15:39  Eruption at Momotombo yesterday (image: INETER) Two relatively small explosions occurred yesterday at the volcano, one at around 02:20 and another at 11:15 local time. ...moreThey ejected incandescent material onto the upper flank of the cone and produced ash plumes that quickly dissipated into westerly directions. According to INETER, the activity was accompanied by a threefold increase in volcanic tremor and preceded by a significant increase in SO2 output from approx. 600 to over 1000 tons per day between 9 and 11 February. Most likely, the eruptions were the result of a new magma batch rising inside the volcano and more explosions could follow in the near future. [ less] [ read all] Wed, 13 Jan 2016, 11:02  Eruption of Momotombo yesterday (INETER webcam) A strong vulcanian explosion occurred yesterday at 12:10 local time at the volcano. An ash plume rose approx. 3 km from the summit and generated a small pyroclastic flow. Sun, 3 Jan 2016, 16:55  The cone of Momotombo volcano covered by glowing bombs from this morning's eruption A strong explosion occurred this morning at 04:22 local time at the volcano, covering much of the summit cone with incandescent ejecta. ...moreThe lava flow effusion and continuous strombolian activity had stopped in early December, followed by only high-temperature degassing, sporadic minor explosions and the growth of what might have been a small lava dome. A more intense phase of activity seems to have started yesterday. Early on 2 January, small ash emissions occurred, followed by more, still weak explosions in the early afternoon of yesterday. The strong explosion this morning might have involved a small pyroclastic flow on the NE side of the volcano, reaching about 1.5-2 km length. [ less] [ read all] More on VolcanoDiscovery: Ambrym+Yasur volcanoes in Vanuatu: An adventurous expedition to some of the most spectacular and active volcanoes in the world! Our volcano expedition to Vanuatu lets you spend 1 week on Ambrym with its multiple active lava lakes and 4 days on Yasur, famous for its spectacular fireworks. Guided by professional volcanologist, small groups (May-Sep).  Volcano Videos on YouTube: Our YouTube channel: volcanic activity world-wide shown through videos taken during our volcano tours and expeditions complimented by some time-lapse videos from webcams. |
