The earth rumbled out in Cook Inlet Saturday morning. The earthquake was a magnitude 5.7 on the Richter scale. It gave us a good little shake on the perch.Early Sunday morning, seismic activity around Mt. ReDoubt picked up. Things remained active for about 5 hours. The aviation color code was changed from yellow to orange, indicating that an eruption may be imminent. Based on the increased activity, scientists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory stated that there is a 50-75% chance of an eruption, although they cannot predict the magnitude or time with any certainty. Mt. ReDoubt is only about 50 miles west of Homer.
Mt. ReDoubt last erupted twenty years ago, in 1989. Activity continued for 5 months, and its plume coated communities in the area and as far away as Anchorage with a layer of ash.
Local emergency action plans are being revisited. People have been advised to stock up on masks, respirators, food, and water.
Welcome to the Ring of Fire.
This. could. get. interesting.