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Popocateptl Volcano, México: Activity in summer 1997
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 00:07:33 MST
Smithsonian Institution
Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network
Volume 21, Number 1, January 1996 (part 3 of 3)

Popocateptl, central Mexico, 19.023 N, 98.622 W, summit elev. 5,465 m
All times are local (= GMT - 6 hours)

The following includes summaries of reports from 1) the Institute of Geophysics at the
University of Mexico (UNAM), 2) Centro Nacional de Prevencion de Disastres (CENAPRED),
3) the NOAA Satellite Analysis Branch (SAB), and 4) the United Nations Department of Human
Affairs (DHA). This report covers the period from 2 May to 25 August. The most forceful
emission in the 1994- 97 episode took place on 30 June; ashfall shut down the Mexico City
airport stranding passengers and spurring numerous press reports.

Table 2. Summary of non-technical reports describing activity at Popocatepetl, 2 May-25
June 1997. The alert status remained moderate (yellow) during this interval. Courtesy of
Roberto Quaas, CENAPRED-UNAM.

02 May

05 May

07 May


14 May


24 May


11 June

18 June

25 June

 The level of activity remained low, with sporadic low-intensity emissions and
white plume.
At 0839, a moderate emission of ash generated a column ~2 km high drifting
to the west. Ashfall was reported in the towns of Tepetlixa and Ozumba.
On 6 May a major ash emission occurred at 2039 and lasted 20 minutes. The
cloud drifted toward E and NE causing ash and coarser tephra to fall in
Cholula and some areas in Puebla and Veracruz.
On 13 May at 2230 a moderate emission included incandescent fragments that
fell near the crater. Ashfall started afterwards on the towns of San Pedro
Benito Juarez, San Nicholas de los Ranchos, Calpan, and Santiago Xlizintla,
where weak earthquakes were also felt.
After several days of relative quiet a high frequency tremor was recorded at
0927. In the meantime ash was emitted up to 200 m above the crater. The
plume drifted to the ENE causing minor ashfall in the towns of Calpan,
Xalitzintla, San Nicolas de los Ranchos and Nealtican.
At 1014 a 15-minute-long tremor accompanied a major ash emission that
reached an altitude of 4 km. The column blew towards the WSW.
Activity was again at low levels. When inspected by helicopter, the summit
glacier appeared normal.
The activity was at stable, low levels, with minor emissions and an almost
constant presence of a low steam plume on the summit.
Large ash emissions occurred on 11, 14, 15, 24, and 27 May and noteworthy or large emissions
occurred on 3, 11, 14, 19, 21, and 30 June. On 28 May satellite imagery showed an ash cloud
moving rapidly SE as it approached the Yucatan peninsula.