Volcano in New Zealand

Tongariro volcano: eruption status today

Updated

No eruption of Tongariro is being reported right now Last eruption: 1964 or later (NOAA NCEI).

Live status of Tongariro: 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
Elevation
1,978 m 6,490 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 100 km SSW

Open on the live map

Is Tongariro erupting right now?

There is no open NASA EONET event for Tongariro right now. NOAA NCEI dates its most recent eruption to 1964 or later. 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 Tongariro

USGS has no earthquake within 50 km of Tongariro 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 Tongariro

Tongariro is a stratovolcano in New Zealand, rising to 1,978 m (6,490 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 100 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 Auckland (AKL), 250 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
Auckland (AKL)250 kmNNW
Wellington (WLG)251 kmSSW

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, 0 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.