Is Mount Redoubt about to erupt?

Seismic activity has increased lately on Mount Redoubt which is about 100 miles northwest of Homer.  According to the Alaska Volcano Observatory, earthquakes and tremors have been occuring almost hourly for a few days now which may possibly be a precursor to an eruption.  The last eruptions and activity from Redoubt occurred in 1989 -1990  Typically when Redoubt erupts, instead of flowing, gushing lava like the Hawaiian volcanoes, it tends to emit explosive quantities of ash high into the atmosphere where it can travel for hundreds of miles before settling back to earth.  The ash tends to be a of a very fine hard granular consistency,  under the microscope looking like sharp little shards or needles of rock.  The ash fall is certainly not cataclysmic, but it can prove harmful to people with respiratory problems and can potentially wreak havoc with engines and machinery.

What does this mean for us Homerites?  Hopefully not much than a little excitement.  Currently the winds should blow all that ash to the northeast towards Anchorage.  For Anchorage, this has the potential of shutting down the airport and rerouting all air traffic through Anchorage to alternate routes.

A map of local volcanoes

Here is a map showing  the series of active volcanoes that run down the west side of Cook Inlet.  Either flying or driving down from Anchorage, one can get some majestic views of both Mount Redoubt and Moun Iliamna.  These volcanoes are part of the famous ‘Ring of Fire’ that roughly circles the Pacific with volcanic activity.