Originally Posted by
longtime lurker
Given the wind direction, cancellations may be more severe this time. CO, DL and NW have already cancelled all of their flights to ANC today. The Anchorage Daily News is reporting that trace amounts of ash might fall in Anchorage.
Strange they were reporting that. I've been following AVO and NWS updates all morning, and NEVER was there a mention of possible ash fall in Anchorage. 30,000-foot level winds were blowing towards Anchorage, but no ash fall was ever predicted. Bad guess by a non-expert reporter, methinks.
Special statement from the NWS:
WWAK81 PAFC 262014
SPSAER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
1210 PM AST THU MAR 26 2009
AKZ101-270000-
ANCHORAGE-
INCLUDING...ANCHORAGE...EAGLE RIVER...INDIAN...EKLUTNA
1210 PM AST WED MAR 26 2009
...NO ASHFALL IS EXPECTED IN ANCHORAGE...
LOW LEVEL ASH CLOUDS FROM THIS MORNING'S ERUPTIONS OF MOUNT REDOUBT
ARE TRACKING SOUTHEASTWARD TOWARD THE SOUTHWESTERN KENAI
PENINSULA...WHERE ASHFALL ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT THROUGH 4 PM
THIS AFTERNOON. HIGH LEVEL ASH CLOUDS UP ABOVE 30000 FEET ARE
HEADED FOR ANCHORAGE AND WILL AFFECT AVIATION. HOWEVER...ASH AT
THESE LEVELS TYPICALLY WILL NOT FALL TO THE GROUND. THEREFORE...NO
ASHFALL IS EXPECTED IN THE ANCHORAGE AREA.