vulcanic ash in UK skies

[nytecam]

As reported a few minutes ago on BBC TV Breakfast News airports in Scotland and Northern Ireland are closed due to high stratopheric ash from a vulcano in Iceland drifting south over UK airspace - all UK flights are affected.

Perhaps related I was out observing from the patio at dusk last night scoping Venus Mercury Mars and Saturn and the sky was an unusual and murky colour. Anyone else noticed any sky effects?

Close all your windows and doors to avoid beathing the stuff - only joking

[posie]

Seriously though nytecam, I wondered about 'breathing the stuff', Do you know if it will get into our lungs, or indeed even affect any wildlife?..

[loripo]

The news clip I saw was talking about it affecting the engines and air intake on planes, so I was wondering how 'nasty' it would get too. Also tried to find a satellite view but can't see one yet.

[posie]

ITV news said that rain brings it down and when it dries out it can affect people with existing problems......that says it all !

[dampflippers]

Originally Posted by loripo

The news clip I saw was talking about it affecting the engines and air intake on planes, so I was wondering how 'nasty' it would get too. Also tried to find a satellite view but can't see one yet.

Volcanic ash from Iceland closes British airports - Yahoo! Travel UK
Met Office: Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres
Met Office : Invent - Weather: Map view Slide the slider along to see the clouds move.

[lol geoff]

It's like 9/12 here today it's incredibly quite here under the flight path for London City airport. I've only heard one helicopter and it's nice to see blue sky above with no aeroplane graffitti.

[Cowgirl]

My cars been covered in dust the last couple of days, I'd presumed it was farmers frantically working the ground as we've had a few dry days but now I wonder. Could it have been ash? It didn't look like ash, more like sandy dust but you never know....

[dampflippers]

EUMETSAT IPPS animation - Meteosat 0 degree Ash Iceland
Play around with this too.

[artdemole]

Sky channels have been freezing up last night.The ash clouds could be affecting signal.

[werdnal]

My brother in law is supposed to be flying into Heathrow on Sunday from Australia. MIL rang them earlier to see if they had heard about all the flight cancellations here, but being so far away, news hadn't reached them yet. Hoping it might be all back to normal by then, but several "experts" on the radio and TV reports have suggested it can sometimes hang around for days, especially if we have no rain to disperse it.

They are suggesting that sunsets will be quite spectacular for a while. Must have a look later.