Wind lifts century-old ash over Karluk and Larsen Bay

People in sensitive groups or with respiratory ailments in Karluk and Larsen Bay should avoid or reduce outdoor activity while wind lifts century-old volcanic ash over southwest Kodiak Island.

The National Weather Service in Anchorage issued a special weather statement at 7:38 p.m. Saturday for Kodiak Island Southwest. It is in effect through noon Sunday. Strong northwesterly winds across Shelikof Strait and the waters around southern Kodiak Island are resuspending ash from the 1912 Katmai-Novarupta eruption, the statement says, which can bring haze and trace amounts of ash accumulation. Karluk and Larsen Bay are the villages most likely to be affected.

Relief should come with the weather. Winds will weaken slowly through Sunday, and rain is expected to move over the Alaska Peninsula Sunday afternoon. That rain should wet the ash and stop further resuspension, according to the weather service.

This is a recurring hazard. The Novarupta-Katmai eruption left deposits that still get picked up by wind during dry, gusty stretches. Federal agencies treat the resuspended ash as a hazard to both health and aviation. The U.S. Geological Survey says resuspended ash "should be considered hazardous and could be damaging to aircraft and health." The agency has previously held community air-quality monitoring events in Kodiak and Larsen Bay tied to the same century-old deposits.

The next window to watch is Monday. Forecasters say strong winds and dry conditions return Monday morning and may last through Tuesday, which could stir up ash again. The weather service is asking residents to stay tuned for updates.

Alaska's Department of Environmental Conservation, which issues the state's air quality advisories, had none in effect Sunday morning. Its ashfall guidance is at dec.alaska.gov.