Popocatepetl, Mexico – The Popocatepetl volcano continues to erupt with explosive activity, sending a volcanic ash plume up to 19,000 feet (5,800 meters) into the sky.

The Volcanic Ash Advisory Center in Washington reported the possible ash emissions on June 2, with satellite imagery showing the ash cloud drifting west at around 5 knots.

The ash was observed at 19,000 feet above sea level, stretching from N1912 W09847 to N1900 W09853. Forecast models predicted continued movement west to west-southwest over the next several hours.

Weather cloud cover obstructed live webcam observation of the eruption. The advisory warned of light and variable winds possibly shifting ash dispersion.

Popocatepetl, meaning “smoking mountain” in Aztec, is North America’s second-highest volcano at 5,426 meters. It lies 70 kilometers southeast of Mexico City and has a long history of powerful eruptions.

The volcano’s summit crater, 250–450 meters deep, sits atop a glacier-clad stratovolcano shaped by previous collapses and eruptions. Historical eruptions have produced pyroclastic flows and lahars, impacting regions below.

Advisories will continue as volcanic activity persists.

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