MARCH 17, 2025 – Alaska is home to numerous active volcanoes, and while they do not erupt frequently, history shows that when they do, they can send volcanic ash clouds across the state. The last significant eruptions in the region occurred in 1953 and 1992, both of which produced explosive ash clouds that traveled hundreds of miles and deposited up to 1/4 inch of ash on nearby communities. These eruptions temporarily disrupted air travel, impacted visibility, and required residents to take precautions against falling ash.
Seismic activity is occurring, fueling Mount Spurr’s volcanic unrest and showing increased volcanic gas emissions. The current alert level for Mount Spurr is advisory with the color code being yellow meaning seismicity remains elevated and increased slightly compared to last week, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory.
“A sign that an eruption is becoming more imminent is that there’s increased seismic activity surrounding that area,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Parker Graber, the Weather Flight commander assigned to the 3rd Operations Support Squadron. “There’s also an increase in gas emissions from the volcano itself where we’ve got significant snow pack, so you’ll see the melting of the snow and the formation of almost a crater lake, indicating the presence of magma moving closer to the surface.”…