Newest Volcano Notice Including Pavlof

AVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice

Volcano: Pavlof (VNUM #312030)

Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL
Previous Volcano Alert Level: ADVISORY

Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN
Previous Aviation Color Code: YELLOW


Issued: Wednesday, January 21, 2026, 11:28 AM AKST
Source: Alaska Volcano Observatory
Notice Number: 2026/A51
Location: N 55 deg 25 min W 161 deg 53 min
Elevation: 8261 ft (2518 m)
Area: Alaska Peninsula

Volcanic Activity Summary:

The period of elevated seismic activity that prompted an increase in Pavlof's alert level on January 14 has not been observed in the last week. No eruptive activity or unusual surface temperatures have been observed in clear satellite and web camera images. The Alaska Volcano Observatory is returning the Aviation Color Code and Alert Level to GREEN/NORMAL to reflect these background conditions. Eruptions at Pavlof often occur with little or no precursory activity, and AVO will continue to monitor the volcano using seismic, infrasound, web camera, and satellite observations.

Recent Observations:
[Volcanic cloud height] None
[Other volcanic cloud information] None
[Lava flow/dome] None
[Lava flow] None

Hazard Analysis:
[Ash cloud] None observed

Remarks:

Pavlof Volcano is a snow- and ice-covered stratovolcano located on the southwestern end of the Alaska Peninsula about 953 km (592 mi) southwest of Anchorage. The volcano is about 7 km (4.4 mi) in diameter and has active vents on the north and east sides close to the summit. With over 40 historic eruptions, it is one of the most consistently active volcanoes in the Aleutian arc. Eruptive activity is generally characterized by sporadic Strombolian lava fountaining continuing for a several-month period. Ash plumes as high as 49,000 ft ASL have been generated by past eruptions of Pavlof, and during the March 2016 eruption, ash plumes as high as 40,000 feet above sea level were generated and the ash was tracked in satellite data as distant as eastern Canada. The nearest community, Cold Bay, is located 60 km (37 miles) to the southwest of Pavlof.

Contacts:

Matt Haney, Scientist-in-Charge, USGS mhaney@usgs.gov (907) 786-7497

Ronni Grapenthin, Acting Coordinating Scientist, UAFGI, rgrapenthin@alaska.edu (907) 378-5460

Contact AVO: https://avo.alaska.edu/contact

The Alaska Volcano Observatory is a cooperative program of the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys.