Liveblogging a volcano


It seems like everywhere I've gone in the past six months has had a disaster of some kind. Hurricanes in New Olreans, Houston, barbados and mexico. Bombs in London.

Now I'm in Alaska and there is a volcano erupting. The Augustine volcano is down at the southern end of the Cook Inlet. I'm up at the
northeastern end of the cook inlet in anchorage.
Plenty far away.

The best coverage seems to be at the
alaska volcano observatory, with maps and a webcam. Here in Anchorage the sun is just coming up (9:40 am local time), so if any ash is visible I should be able to see it soon.

Luckily the ash is moving East, and not Northeast towards anchorage, because the safety equipment our office is issuing is a dusk mask and a plastic bag. The bag goes on your computer,
the mask is for your face. Or vice versa.

Ashfall is the only real risk, unless the volcano collapses and
makes a tsunamit that will wash away Homer (doh!).

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