After several weeks of relative inactivity, Cartago’s Turrialba Volcano started puffing out ash again starting a few days ago, reported the National University’s Seismology and Volcanology Observatory (Ovsicori-UNA).

Over the past several weeks, the volcano has been emitting vapor and gas, but very little ash, in what has become a fairly regular pattern for the Turrialbla – periods of calm punctuated by periods of medium-scale eruptions with ash columns reaching 500 – 2,000 ms in height.

Yesterday, April 2, at 5 p.m., scientists recorded an eruption by the volcano with a column that rose 500 ms above the height of the crater, so to 3840 meters above sea level, or 12,595 ft. No flights were affected by this latest eruption. Prevailing winds out of the northeast carried ash mainly southwards.

 

But Saturday morning, an American Airline and a Spirit flight were cancelled after the colossus spewed out a steady flow of ash over several hours during the previous night. Winds Saturday night carried the ash westerly towards the Juan Santamaría Airport, said Ovsicori.

And Saturday afternoon, United and America Airlines delayed several flights due to ash, reported Aeris, the airport management company.