Volcano in New Zealand

Mount Ruapehu volcano: eruption status today

Updated

No eruption of Mount Ruapehu is being reported right now Last eruption: 1964 or later; last significant eruption 1953 (NOAA NCEI).

Live status of Mount Ruapehu: whether it is erupting now, satellite hot spots, earthquakes around it, and what an eruption would mean for nearby cities and flights.

Status now
No open report
Last eruption
1964 or later last significant: 1953
Elevation
2,797 m 9,177 ft
Type
Stratovolcano
Earthquakes within 50 km
0 past 30 days (USGS)
Hot spots within 10 km
0 latest NASA FIRMS VIIRS data
Nearest city
Whanganui 85 km SSW

Open on the live map

Is Mount Ruapehu erupting right now?

There is no open NASA EONET event for Mount Ruapehu right now. NOAA NCEI dates its most recent eruption to 1964 or later, and the last eruption in its significant-eruption database was in 1953. Volcano observatories can raise alert levels before an eruption starts, so check the national observatory for the current alert level.

No satellite thermal hot spot was detected within 10 km of the summit in the latest NASA FIRMS data, so there is no sign of lava at the surface large enough for VIIRS to see (clouds can hide it).

Earthquakes near Mount Ruapehu

USGS has no earthquake within 50 km of Mount Ruapehu in the past 30 days. Outside the United States USGS mainly lists quakes above about M4, so small volcanic tremors recorded by the local observatory will not appear here.

About Mount Ruapehu

Mount Ruapehu is a stratovolcano in New Zealand, rising to 2,797 m (9,177 ft). NOAA NCEI classes its eruptive history as "Historical".

Stratovolcanoes are steep cones built from alternating lava and ash layers; their eruptions are often explosive, with ash columns that can reach cruising altitude.

The nearest large town is Whanganui, about 85 km SSW of the summit; 5 other cities lie within 250 km.

Flights and volcanic ash

2 major airports are within 400 km; the closest is Wellington (WLG), 237 km away. Volcanic ash melts in jet engines, so an explosive eruption can close airspace and cancel flights even far downwind.

Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAACs) issue the official ash advisories that airlines and air traffic control follow.

AirportDistanceDirection
Wellington (WLG)237 kmSSW
Auckland (AKL)262 kmNNW

Other volcanoes in New Zealand

New Zealand has 10 volcanoes on this site that erupted since 1900 or are active now. The closest other one is Ngauruhoe, 15 km away.

Nearby volcanoes

Volcanoes in New Zealand

More

Data: NOAA NCEI Volcano Locations, NASA EONET (open volcano events), USGS earthquakes, NASA FIRMS (VIIRS hot spots), Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program.