FVXX20 KWBC 180730
VOLCANIC ASH ADVISORY STATEMENT
ISSUED 0730 UTC 18 MAY 2000 BY THE WASHINGTON VAAC
.
SOUFRIERE HILLS 00-091    WEST INDIES 1643N 6211W  
.
BACKGROUND:    SOUFRIERE HILLS  MONTSERRAT (1600-05)
               SUMMIT HEIGHT  3000 FT (915M)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION: INFRARED AND MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE
IMAGERY. MONTSERRAT VOLCANO OBSERVATORY. 18/0000 GUADELOUPE
UPPER AIR SOUNDING.
.
ERUPTION DETAILS: ROCKFALLS GENERATING LOW LEVEL ASH CLOUD.
.
DETAILS OF ASH CLOUD: AT ABOUT 17/1300 UTC THE MONTSERRAT
VOLCANO OBSERVATORY REPORTED THAT ROCKFALL ACTIVITY AT THE
VOLCANO WAS GENERATING ASH THAT WAS BEING PICKED UP BY THE
WIND.
  IN SATELLITE IMAGERY THROUGH 18/0645 UTC A HOT SPOT IS
OBSERVED IN SHORTWAVE IMAGERY BUT NO ASH IS OBSERVED IN
INFRARED OR MULTISPECTRAL IMAGERY.  HOWEVER A FAINT ASH PLUME
WAS OBSERVED THROUGHOUT DAYLIGHT HOURS ON MAY 17 IN VISIBLE
IMAGERY. ASH WAS ESTIMATED AT OR BELOW FL030.
.
TRAJECTORY: ASH AT FL030 WILL MOVE TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST
AT 5 TO 10 KNOTS. 
.
OUTLOOK:  SEE SIGMETS.
.
THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY 18/1330.    
.
REAL TIME SATELLITE IMAGERY ALONG WITH THIS AND OTHER VOLCANIC
ASH ADVISORY STATEMENTS OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY A MAP DEPICTING
ASH LOCATION ARE AVAILABLE AT INTERNET URL ADDRESS  
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/washington.html
(all lower case except /VAAC/)
.
PLEASE REFER TO SIGMETS FOR CURRENT WARNINGS.
.
NNNN