Volcanic Ash Possibly Spreading to Korean Peninsula, Northeast China, and Xinjiang

Since April 14 when Eyjafjallajökull resumed erupting, volcanic ash formed a huge cloud of grey ash 4 to 6 miles high, causing severe losses for the global airline industries from Europe to North America and Asia.

Based on the airflow model used by the American Meteorological Agency, the Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA) estimated that the volcanic ash would flow above the Korean Peninsula and the northeastern and Xinjiang Provinces of China along with a 5.6-mile to 6.8-mile-high airflow by April 23. By April 27, the cloud is expected to be above the South Sea of the Korean Peninsula with the help of a 5-mile-high airflow, according to the report by Federation of Korea on April 19.

KMA reported the ash cloud’s arrival date of April 20 was changed due to alteration of air pressure above. KMA experts explained that “the area of the ash cloud is growing in Europe, but the spreading velocity of the airflow is becoming slower because of the ridge of high pressure around the Caspian and Aral Seas.”

The good news is that the volcanic ash reaching the Asian area might not make impact on local weather or the normal takeoff and landing of airlines because the dust has a low density and the particles are light. Orient Morning Post, a Chinese state-run media, released a statement on April 19 by the National Satellite Meteorological Center that Chinese meteorologists are closely monitoring the expansion of the Iceland volcano, but “still need further research” on the ash’s influence on China. The China Central Meteorological Observatory (CMO) has not reported any further information on the issue.

Read the original Chinese article.