Icelandic Volcano Causes European Flight Cancellations

[allezfred]

Just in case anyone is planning to fly in, out or over the UK today, flights have been suspended until 8pm tonight.

Article

[RomyNL]

Amsterdam Airport is closing down as well...

[equatorial]

Iceland should be declared a rogue nation and part of Axis of Evil. First a bank collapse wiping out savings across Europe, now a volcano grounding European flights. Enough is enough! Memo to the UN: Discuss.

[GarrAarghHrumph]

Just in case anyone is planning to fly in, out or over the UK today, flights have been suspended until 8pm tonight.

Article

Flights are now suspended until 6am Friday morning, British time. It's possible it could go longer, and/or have sporadic cancellations as the ash clears. Scandinavian area flights are also impacted.

ETA: Now they're saying that it's possible all flights will also be cancelled on Friday. Possibly also Saturday.

Flights headed from the US to the UK have been turned back in mid-flight.

[GarrAarghHrumph]

Just in case anyone is planning to fly in, out or over the UK today, flights have been suspended until 8pm tonight.

Article

I've heard that the Irish airports have also cancelled flights in an out. Is that the case?

[Gil-Galad]

All flights over Netherlands, Belgium and Northern Germany cancelled.

[marbri]

Iceland should be declared a rogue nation and part of Axis of Evil. First a bank collapse wiping out savings across Europe, now a volcano grounding European flights. Enough is enough! Memo to the UN: Discuss.

Well you know there is no C in the Icelandic alphabet so when the British were asking for more Cash all we had to send them was some ash

[UMBS Go Blue]

Re: GarrArgh: Airports all over Europe are shutting down; a graphic at the bottom of Allezfred's article link shows how the ash plume is spreading all over Scandinavia, UK, and northern mainland Europe. Here's another graphic from the Guardian that's annotated with airport closings all over Europe.

FGRSK8 can opine far more informedly about weather and climatology than I can, but I'd assume if the ash cloud is significant enough (as in the Mount Pinatubo eruption), it would cause brilliant sunsets in Europe in the immediate near term, and could also lead to a temporary reduction in global temperatures that could have significant, wide-ranging short-term (several months to a year) effects for weather and climate in unknown nooks and crannies of the world. If indeed significant, the effects on climate would, in turn, have unknown yet profound economic effects.

From this random link:

For many years, climatologists have noticed a connection between large explosive volcanic eruptions and short term climatic change (Figure 7y-4). For example, one of the coldest years in the last two centuries occurred the year following the Tambora volcanic eruption in 1815. Accounts of very cold weather were documented in the year following this eruption in a number of regions across the planet. Several other major volcanic events also show a pattern of cooler global temperatures lasting 1 to 3 years after their eruption.

The link goes on to say how the 1992 Mount Pinatubo eruption did indeed result in lowered global temperatures for a year or so.

[allezfred]

I've heard that the Irish airports have also cancelled flights in an out. Is that the case?

Yes.

[skipaway]

Well you know there is no C in the Icelandic alphabet so when the British were asking for more Cash all we had to send them was some ash

Brilliant...

[Buzz]

Oh dear!

[marbri]

Brilliant...

I just paraphrased and plagiarized a local joke


eta...the last time this volcano went off it lasted two years and according to history whenever this one goes off Katla follows. Katla is the volcano most people there would worry about. Not that it matters much to people but maybe something to keep in mind if planning a last minute trip that there could be more disruptions over some time depending on where the wind blows. Amusing to me is the only airport open in Northern Europe at this time is the one in Reykjavik

[skipaway]

I just paraphrased and plagiarized a local joke

Still...thanks for telling it.

[genevieve]

FGRSK8 can opine far more informedly about weather and climatology than I can, but I'd assume if the ash cloud is significant enough (as in the Mount Pinatubo eruption), it would cause brilliant sunsets in Europe in the immediate near term, and could also lead to a temporary reduction in global temperatures that could have significant, wide-ranging short-term (several months to a year) effects for weather and climate in unknown nooks and crannies of the world. If indeed significant, the effects on climate would, in turn, have unknown yet profound economic effects.

Wow, that's amazing!

[UMBS Go Blue]

OK, not quite Pinatubo-magnitude yet according to another article I found. But if the volcano keeps on going, and triggers Katla, as marbri mentioned, then we might see some real climate effects.

But, yes, if there are measurable intermediate term climate effects (i.e. cold winters the next year or two), then you can easily imagine the consequences: more snowfall and/or coldness --> more demand for heating oil --> less people venturing out to shop in the cold --> lost productivity/GDP than what would have otherwise occurred, etc. etc.

ETA: Another article on (possible) climate impact.

[Nan]

Any guesses on how long this will impact flights going into and out of London?

[NancyNC]

I am stuck in London and depressed. I have been here all week on business and I'm really really ready to go home... Looks like I will have at least one day and possibly more for the sightseeing I rarely get to do during my trips here. But I want to go home!!!

[GarrAarghHrumph]

Any guesses on how long this will impact flights going into and out of London?

At least through Saturday, maybe longer?

[Nan]

At least through Saturday, maybe longer?

Certainly no more than a week, though, right?

I have a flight into London in about a month and if I miss this trip with my daughter, there will be no consoling her.

[GarrAarghHrumph]

Certainly no more than a week, though, right?

I have a flight into London in about a month and if I miss this trip with my daughter, there will be no consoling her.

It depends on how long the volcano goes, and the direction of the winds during that time. Right now they think maybe two days, but say it depends on what the volcano does next.