Another fabulous video on the Eyjafjallajokull volcano eruption – posted to You Tube by Chris Weber. This video really gives you a great impression of the volcanos incredible power. It is hard to imagine just what a potential eruption at the nearby much larger Katla volcano would be like! The Modern Survival Blog has some interesting reading on just how big, devastating and powerful a Katla eruption might be – worth a read as the consequences could well be global.

Was checking out the webcam this evening of the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano at 9:27pm EST – Visibility has been pretty much zero on the webcam for the last few days and the thermal camera has been down for maintainence; but tonight the weather is relatively clear across the valley and the webcam shows one of the best views of the crater I have seen in the glacier. I have taken a screen shot as the weather changes so rapidly its likely to quickly disappear.

The Modern Survival Blog is reporting increased earthquake activity at Katla in the last few days. Hard to know what to make of this as there have been no reported earthquakes on RSOE in the Iceland area and they are usually one of the first to report.

The increased earthquake activity reported by the Modern Survival Blog does not look good and an eruption may not be far off – as yet there is no ‘swarming’ of earthquakes so it is still a guessing game. The suspense is really starting to build for me now with the clock rapidly ticking down to my Iceland trip.

Currently there is zero visibility on the Webcam as of 10:26am EST 15th June and the thermal camera is down for maintenance.

RSEO is reporting 28/05/2010: Katla is the second largest volcano in the country of Iceland, and Iceland’s president is issuing a warning saying that the eruption of Katla is close. Icelandic president Ólafur Grímsson has warned other governments around Europe “that a significant eruption at the volcano is close.” “We [Iceland] have prepared … it is high time for European governments and airline authorities all over Europe and the world to start planning for the eventual Katla eruption,” he said. Europe is still experiencing clouds of volcanic ash from Eyjafjallajokull that erupted in April. Airlines all over the world have lost significant flight time and money due to flights being cancelled as a result of the ash clouds. An eruption of Katla, the second largest volcano is Iceland, could spell even more trouble. There has been speculation about Katla since the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull. Katla is the larger of the two volcanos. The planet appears to be in a perpetual state of unrest. From today’s 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Vanuatu to the pending eruption of Katla in Iceland; it seems like Mother Nature is kicking up her well worn heels.

My Take on the Situation -“a significant eruption at the volcano is close” What does this really mean? In and of itself, not much as how does one define ‘close’?. Was Ólafur Grímsson speaking in geological terms? Or, was he indeed referring to the possibility of an eruption any moment?  We know historically that Katla is usually triggered by an eruption at Eyjafjallajokull. Its just a matter of when not if Katla erupts. It could happen tomorrow or it might not happen for years. Increased seismic activity at Katla points to sooner rather than later; but ‘sooner’ could still be some way off. As the clock ticks down to my own trip to Iceland trip I am growing ever more concerned about when ‘sooner’ might be.