The Eruption Is Changing

As reported today by the Icelandic Met Office, the eruption seems to have finally entered a different phase.

The ash plume, today in the afternoon, had an average height of 4.5km (15,000 ft ), slightly less than in the past days, with decreasing windspeed that should slow the ash cloud’s movements. Many hints today suggest that ash production is decreasing and that the eruption is going from the current ash production stage to a phase of lava flows. These hints include seismic activity in the morning, suggesting the beginning of lava flow in the volcano, and no lightning in the plume rising from the volcano, which might suggest there is now less ash in the cloud. All this could lead to good news tomorrow for flights and for people living in the area around Eyjafjallajökull, who had to fight the ash fall for 5 days now.

At the time of this writing, the Icelandic Met Office reports that the ash fall may be expected all around Eyjafjallajökull tomorrow. It is not clear if the ash cloud will reach the Capital Region, as previously announced. The Icelandic Met Office also has a great FAQ page on the eruption.

Edit: A few minutes after this update, the BBC is reporting that a new ash cloud is moving towards U.K. airspace. This shows how the eruption is an unpredictable business.