Satellite images of Popocatepetl volcano (c)Google Earth View
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
Current status:
erupting (4 out of 5)
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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.
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Popocatepetl volcano news & eruption update
Popocatépetl Volcano Volcanic Ash Advisory: VA EM HAS DISP
Wednesday Jul 10, 2019 08:00 AM | BY: VN
Volcanic Ash Advisory Center Washington (VAAC) issued the following report:
FVXX20 at 07:56 UTC, 10/07/19 from KNES
VA ADVISORY
DTG: 20190710/0755Z
VAAC: WASHINGTON
VOLCANO: POPOCATEPETL 341090
PSN: N1901 W09837
AREA: MEXICO
SUMMIT ELEV: 17802 FT [5426 M]
ADVISORY NR: 2019/528
INFO SOURCE: GOES-EAST. MEXICO CITY MWO. VOLCAT.
ERUPTION DETAILS: VA EM HAS DISP
OBS VA DTG: 10/0720Z
OBS VA CLD: VA NOT IDENTIFIABLE FROM SATELLITE
DATA.
FCST VA CLD +6HR: NO VA EXP
FCST VA CLD +12HR: NO VA EXP
FCST VA CLD +18HR: NO VA EXP
RMK: VA HAS BECOME TOO THIN TO DISCERN IN STLT
IMAGERY. THERE HAS BEEN NO FURTHER RPRTS OF VA
AND NO HOTSPOT ACT CAN BE SEEN. ...ZHU
NXT ADVISORY: NO FURTHER ADVISORIES
Previous news
Tuesday, Jul 09, 2019
Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Washington warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 25000 ft (7600 m) altitude or flight level 250 and is moving at 10-15 kts in N direction. ...
[more]
Tuesday, Jul 09, 2019
Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Washington warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 22000 ft (6700 m) altitude or flight level 220 . ...
[more]
Tuesday, Jul 09, 2019
Volcanic Ash Advisory Center Washington (VAAC) issued the following report: ...
[more]
Monday, Jul 08, 2019
Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Washington warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 22000 ft (6700 m) altitude or flight level 220 . ...
[more]
Monday, Jul 08, 2019
Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Washington warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 24000 ft (7300 m) altitude or flight level 240 and is moving at 5 kts in N direction. ...
[more]
Background:
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
