Iceland Volcano

Millions of tons of volcanic ash from the Iceland volcano eruption is coming to North America. The same ash that has grounded planes in Europe is heading our way. The cloud of ash has already reached Newfoundland. As of now, it doesn't look like a threat to North America. Some say the ash may only reach the end of Newfoundland.

So far 63,000 flights have been cancelled in Europe. Within the first 3 days the Institute of Earth Sciences rated the ash discharge at 750 tons per second. The ash plume had reached over 6 miles. It's now at about 1 mile. Thousands of people are still stranded at airports. Every once and a while a huge chunk of magma the size of a car will shoot out.

Eyjafjallajokull is the name of the volcano. So far there is no evidence of the volcano reawakening. The plume at its highest was 9 km. Another volcano called Katla may or may not be reawakened by the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull. Katla was by far more fierce than Eyjafjallajokull. Meteorologists are standing by to make sure neither Katla or Eyjafjallajokull erupt again.

The volcano is located under a glacial ice cap. This makes the magma cool faster. This causes explosions and plumes of grit that could damage plane engines. In Iceland, the winds have blown the ash to farmland. Farmers have been struggling to board up windows and secure cattle. All crops are probably ruined.