Sheveluch eruption produces ash to 9 km (30 000 feet) a.s.l., possible light ashfall in nearby districts, Russia
An explosive pulse at Sheveluch volcano, Kamchatka, Russia, around 04:54 UTC on January 28, 2026, sent ash to about 9 km (30 000 feet) above sea level, with a plume drifting west over the Kamchatka Peninsula. Tokyo VAAC advisories through 12:00 UTC indicate continuing ash, with tops between 6 km (19 700 feet) and 7 km (23 000 feet) after the initial 9 km (30 000 feet) eruption.
Ash rising above Sheveluch volcano, Kamchatka, Russia, on January 28, 2026. Credit: Yu. V. Demyanchuk, Institute of Volcanology and Seismology FEB RAS / Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)
An explosive–extrusive eruption continues at Russia’s Sheveluch volcano today, with ongoing lava-dome growth and strong gas–steam emissions.
A short explosion detected at 04:54 UTC on January 28 ejected ash to about 9 km (30 000 feet) above sea level and produced a plume extending roughly 15 km (9 miles) to the west. Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) maintains the Aviation Color Code at Orange and notes that ash bursts to 12 km (39 400 feet) remain possible during the current phase.
Tokyo VAAC Volcanic Ash advisory issued at 06:00 UTC described an eruption time near 04:50 UTC with ash reaching 9 km (30 000 feet) and moving west at about 65 km/h (40 mph). By 12:00 UTC, ash emissions had observed tops near 6 km (19 700 feet) to 7 km (23 000 feet), drifting west and southwest.
According to Danila Chebrov, Director of the Geophysical Service of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the eruption does not pose special hazards at this stage. Chebrob said Sheveluch “erupts constantly, practically never calming down,” and is characterized by short-lived emissions. He added that a moderate ashfall is possible but “nothing like the one in 2023,” concluding that “there are no particular concerns.”
The Kamchatka regional branch of the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported possible light ash fall in the Ust-Kamchatsky, Milkovsky, Bystrinsky and Tigilsky districts.
This morning’s activity follows several energetic pulses within the past week. On January 27 around 23:00 UTC, satellite data showed ash rising to 6.5–7 km (21 300–23 000 feet) with a plume reaching about 110 km (68 miles) to the west. On January 23, KVERT briefly raised the code to Red after ash rose to about 10 km (32 800 feet) before downgrading to Orange less than two hours later as no new ash was detected and a detached cloud continued northeast.
Background monitoring indicates a sustained extrusion regime at both the Young Sheveluch dome and the “300 years of RAS” area, with frequent thermal anomalies consistent with a hot, growing dome that episodically produces ash-rich explosions when portions collapse or pressurized gas escapes.
The operational hazard remains ash to typical cruise altitudes, posing a risk to international and regional aviation along west-trending routes from the volcano.
References:
1 KVERT Volcanic Activity Notice, January 28, 2026 – KVERT – Institute of Volcanology and Seismology FEB RAS
I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules.