Perhaps heralding a slow news day, news outlets across the country have lept on the news that Mount Redoubt might be about to blow.  Any minute now!

Mount Redoubt's volcano erupted with very little notice in 1989, causing most air traffic to be re-routed, and a fine layer of ash to be deposited all across Cook Inlet.  (I say "most" air traffic because a KLM jet ignored or didn't receive warning in time, and flew right through the ash plume over Talkeetna.  Although the pilot was able to bring the jet's engines back online and everyone arrived safely at the airport, it was a pretty scary experience.  The Anchorage Daily News has a vivid account of the near-crash experience in <a href="http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/672551.html">today's article on Redoubt</a>.)

Volcanic activity is fairly common in the Aleutians, and in unpopulated areas across the world.   Mount Redoubt captures the national attention because it's fairly close to an urban population.  I remember when Redoubt blew in 1989, we could see the ash plume from Anchorage (although just barely).

A fine dusting of ash fell over everything, and we were warned to change the air filters in our cars, and to wash said cars with caution, as they were essentially covered in a dusting of glass slivers.  For a few days, everyone wore paper dust masks.  Life quickly went back to normal.  It wasn't nearly the Jerry Bruckheimer experience that many people might expect.

By all evidence, Mount Redoubt will probably blow sometime in the next few days.  Alaskan residents should brace themselves for the media onslaught!  Oh, and buy a new air filter for your car, while you're at it.