Mt. Etna Major Eruption Now!

~ Etna at the moment ~

I’ll have to leave her now for a while. No getting around charging the camera battery and going to the pharmacy!

A few ago She was really loud - sometimes like She is in a ‘grand finale’ before settling down.

Let’s hope. Or at least until I get back!

peace

She is NOT through - I’ll be back as soon as I can.
In the mean time - as I type - the house is SHAKING HARD with her ‘BOOMS’



EYES OPEN!

EDIT TO ADD: I might not be able to go to the pharmacy until later. I've not even gone out to see what She's up to but the house is rocking like EQ'S!

Also - it's not really showing here well but her 'ash' is a strange sandy pinky brown (I guess that means peach) I've never seen before.

If I'm not back - it means She's just showing off - if I am? I'll bring pics!

peace

WOW! I'm still thankful for your beautiful pix! and haven't much else to say.
Wonder what conditions caused the change in color/texture of the ash?
Keep safe.

The video is from this morning - taken at long range to try to avoid the banging doors when she blew. As you can tell it didn’t work, lol.

So, since then? She's no more calming down than I am.

Can't see much - it's overcast - but 'this one' is turning into quite a copy of her last eruption. She starts kind of sweet , gets nasty - then stays that way settling into begging on everyone's nerves with her constant 1-2-3-'BOOM'.

And now, for the local report, lol.

- The pharmacy - ‘We’re getting nervous with all her noise but at least the ash is falling in the other direction’.

- Bread Shop - ‘Good thing we’re not getting hit with all that ash but She sure is ‘breaking ground‘ (making us jumpy with the tremors).’

- Grocery Store (a ‘boutique’) - ‘Etna kept us up all night. Good thing the ash isn’t hitting us like it could though.’

Funny how Etna gets people talking.

Eyes still open...

peace

The ‘strange color’ ash I was remarking on?

Local update (will follow with link ASAP) = Etna suffered a ‘collapse’ of Her northern flank from a build up of pressure/magma which caused the disintegration of the crater and unusual colored spew of ash.

I can't show you her ‘new look’ - too much cloud cover - but it’s safe to say She she’ll be showing us a ‘new face’ for 2014.

She’s also still active.

BOOM!

Hear that?

Eyes Open

What I’m hearing now is She didn’t so much as collapse as open a new flume - still equaling the strange red colored ash.

Whatever’s happening? It’s still happening.

She’s loud and proud and booming Her way through the day - while the clouds keep the stage curtains drawn making me wonder what’s going to happen when the ‘Fat Lady’ really sings this evening?

Eeeek.

Eyes open

peace

reply to post by silo13


If you have time later can you photograph some of the new red ash alongside what the usual ash looks like? And a question, do the birds and animals get covered in ash when eruptions occur or do they either fly away or find good hiding spots with overhead cover? The birds and such living around there must think it's like that everywhere, and just accept the explosions and lava flow as part of their natural environment. Thanks again for all the updates.

Holy cow I can hear the booms,and this bid was taken from long distance?I don't rattle easily but those continuing booms would definitely get on my nerves.Be safe Silo13 and thanx for keeping us informed.

reply to post by TDawg61

I pulled back the camera thinking it would help - don't ask me why 'cause I don't know.
It doesn't sound as loud on the vid as in person and yes - hearing that sound endlessly really does rattle the nerves. Thanks for the note by the way - very kind of you!

Along the same lines of nerves being rattled? Check this out.

Thousands Flee Salvador Volcano

40 years that one has been waiting to 'go off' - and she did. I have to say though - what I'm seeing on those pics looks like nothing to what Etna's been up to - but then again I'm prejudice.

The reason I’m adding this is kind of a joke. I received a U2U from a loyal follower of this thread who is a bit shy of posting.
He remarked on the Etna‘s last ‘smoke ring’ by noting ‘Etna’s just showing off.’
The second smoke ring from the same day? He remarked, ‘Now Etna’s sending out smoke signals to other volcanoes’!
LOL!

Eyes still open - She's still grumbling here.

peace

reply to post by silo13


Great reporting, as usual.

NONE of the news agencies can come close, imho.

You do a splendid job and then some.

At least if any couples or ladies are traveling to your region, they could take care packages!!!

.

BO XIAN
reply to post by silo13

 

Given all the time, energy, camera, resources you pour into reporting so well on this thread . . .

imho, your fans hereon would do well to contribute toward paying you a little or a lot something for your risky troubles.



I enjoy your reporting so much also. I think many of us would be more than happy to contribute $$ for your gas money and destroyed veggies. Perhaps through PayPal or some other way???

reply to post by Aleister

If you have time later can you photograph some of the new red ash alongside what the usual ash looks like? And a question, do the birds and animals get covered in ash when eruptions occur or do they either fly away or find good hiding spots with overhead cover? The birds and such living around there must think it's like that everywhere, and just accept the explosions and lava flow as part of their natural environment. Thanks again for all the updates.

Here’s (another) pic of the ‘unusual colored ash’.

What I’ve done is put two recent photos of Etna together - one of the ‘strangeness’ and one of her usual gray.


I might note here I took some pics this morning with the sun coming up but this is not the same. The color of the ash (in this pic) is NOT from the sunrise - but an unusual ash - which I remarked on before and now I hear is due to her conical change/fall.

I still can’t get new pics - but I’m checking every so often just in case. I really want to see and share Her new look and YES She is still erupting but around 1500 local time She seems to be stilling.

To answer your other questions.

I have a pair of hawks that nest near here - along with owls, fox, etc. It was quite interesting (for me) hearing the hawks call out in the still hours of the night - the still broken by Etna that is. There was also a fox yipping (nothing unusual) and some owl hooting away (nothing unusual) - but the hawks keening was something that caught my attention right off. We’ll probably never know why - but I will always wonder over the stories behind their calls I hear in the night while Etna disturbs their sleep.

The ash? It falls everywhere. It gets in everything. I would like the think the birds can fly from under it - the land bound animals and of course my poor vegetables - alas cannot. Sometimes the ash is fine (against what you suppose that is rare) and most often is a gritty black nasty bunch of stuff that gets into everything. Like broccoli. Socks forgotten and hanging on the clothesline. Water. Animal food. My hair. Most anything you can imagine.

Peace

reply to post by BO XIAN & galacticgirl

This is truly a labor of love - and it's I who should be thanking you all.

Sure I enjoy Etna - but if I were not able to share her with you all - it just wouldn't be the same. I forgot who it was who said that’s the reason we enjoy the theater so very much - the combines experience. So there you go.

Thank you for the offers but let's leave it at this. With respect and most humble thanks - no thank you.

peace

Nothing I can do to update at the moment other than to say She's still at it.
So much cloud cover there's nothing to see but a sneak of red once in a while as the clouds change.
The continuous noise is grating on nerves - a repeat of eruption 20.
I'll do what I can to update if/when possible.

Happy New Year All!

peace

silo13
Here’s some contrast for you.

This one was taken just after the ‘royal purple’ capture.

The next only moments later.

And this? The ‘in between’!

Eyes Open - And yes, She’s still at it and getting louder!

peace

OMG!!! Those are breath-takingly BEAUTIFUL!!! WOW!

Thanks for sharing those, and the one above it too! AWESOME!!

Ok - who wants to go with me next time?

IT’S CREEPY OUT THERE!

It is, it's just creepy. All the hissing and booming, the boiling sky. Ohhhh if I was only superstitious!

Let's hope it clears - I want LESS creepy and better visibility.

Eyes Open

Just heard she was huffing and puffing on the news, so popped by silos thread for a proper report awesome boom video.

Pics are as per usual absolutely stunning, can't view any videos right now. Silo every pic you post makes me more jealous of what you have on your door step

Keep it going girl! I'm very tempted to visit Etna next year (2014)

I don't suppose you know close you can get to her being a normal tourist without being on a tour group

Stay safe ! Happy new year to you hope etna gives you a safe but colourful New Year's Eve firework show

Thanks for the updates and sharing. Here's hoping she will fall into a gentle slumber soon so the folks living around her can get some much-needed sleep.
A relative of mine living downwind of Mt. St. Helen's still has a huge mound of ash from that eruption in her back yard. She uses a few shovelfuls each spring as fertilizer for her gardens.

She's sleeping and drenched in rain and wind.
I'm grateful in having a chance to get the captures I did before the bad weather set it!

Until next time Folks!

See you in 2014!