In previous articles about Mt. Redoubt, the volcano in Alaska that is approximately 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, the scientists that were observing the volcano thought there was a 50/50 chance that an eruption would occur. They have been watching the activity for about a month. The last time it erupted was in 1989-1990. There was a steam plume on Sunday and the scientists did not believe that the ash came from magma. They did not consider it to be an eruption. However, in the article "Volcanic ash snarls air traffic in Alaska" the scientists say that eruptions started Sunday night around 10:30 p.m. and they lasted until Monday night at 7:40p.m, erupting 6 times. "Mt. Redoubt erupts, spewing ash up to 60,000 feet, canceling flights, stranding hikers and putting residents in the affected areas in a holding pattern." Many locals feel that the eruption was not as bad as they thought it would be. The most effect it had on the area was from the ash that fell and cancellation of flights.
I can't imagine having ash all over everything! I know what it is like to be outside with a fire and have the smoke and ash coming at you and getting into your eyes and nose. And that is in very small quantities! This must be much worse. My mom told me that she was in school in Cincinnati, Ohio when Mt. St. Helens in Washington erupted and they got ash all the way in Ohio. She said that it covered everything and was a mess. It took a hard rain to wash most of it away. I would imagine that it would effect all of us and our breathing. What kind of impact does it have on animals, plants and our atmosphere? If it is not good for us to breath, it can't be good for the animals either. If the ash is carried to an area where crops are grown, it could impact the production of these crops, thus hurting the economy in that area. If the crops are normally tranported to us, it would impact the quantities and varities that we receive thus impacting the cost to us. The article said that some hikers were impacted during the eruption. That would mean that there is a tourist industry around the volcano. I would think that it would affect the tourist industry due to the fact that people can't be climbing the volcano during an eruption.
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