FVXX21 KWBC 100250 VOLCANIC ASH ADVISORY STATEMENT ISSUED 0250 UTC 10 APR 2000 BY THE WASHINGTON VAAC . TUNGURAHUA 00-423 ECUADOR 0128S 7826W . BACKGROUND: TUNGURAHUA ECUADOR (1502-08) SUMMIT HEIGHT 16480 FT (5023 M) . SOURCES OF INFORMATION: GOES-8 VISIBLE...INFRARED AND MULTISPECTRAL IMAGERY...GEOPHYSICAL INSTITUTE. . ERUPTION DETAILS: STRONG SEISMIC SIGNALS...MORE INTENSE ASH AND GAS EMISSIONS LIKELY OCCURRING. . DETAILS OF ASH: COORDINATION WITH THE GEOPHYSICAL INSTITUTE AT 0200 UTC REVEALS THAT TUNGURAHUA HAS SEISMICALLY BECOME VERY ACTIVE TONIGHT. STRONG SEISMIC SIGNALS ARE REACHING LEVELS NOT SEEN IN RECENT TIMES AND SUGGEST THE THREAT OF A MAJOR ERUPTION AT ANY TIME. IN ADDITION THE VOLCANO CAN REPORTEDLY BE HEARD MAKING LOUD NOISES AT A DISTANCE OF 16 KM (9 NMI) FROM THE SUMMIT. . SATELLITE IMAGERY THROUGH 0215 UTC DOES NOT INDICATE ANY AREAS OF ASH. HOWEVER THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN THE REGION AND THIS SERIOUSLY IMPAIRING THE ABILITY TO EVEN DETECT ASH. REPORTS FROM THE GEOPHYSICAL INSTITUTE HOWEVER GIVE STRONG SUPPORT TO ASH LEAVING THE SUMMIT AND BECOMING EMBEDDED WITHIN THESE CLOUD DECKS. AT THIS TIME IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCURATELY INDICATE HOW HIGH THE ASH MAY BE. EXTREME CAUTION IS ADVISED. . TRAJECTORY: ANY ASH FROM THE SUMMIT TO FL250 IS EXPECTED TO MOVE TO THE WEST AT 10 TO 20 KNOTS. EXPECT ANY ASH IN THE FL250 TO FL450 LAYER TO MOVE TO THE SOUTHWEST AT 15 TO 30 KNOTS. . OUTLOOK: SEE SIGMETS AND VAFTAD. . THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY 10/0900 UTC. . REAL TIME SATELLITE IMAGERY ALONG WITH THIS AND OTHER VOLCANIC ASH ADVISORY STATEMENTS OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY A MAP DEPICTING ASH LOCATION ARE AVAILABLE AT INTERNET URL ADDRESS http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/washington.html (all lower case except /VAAC/) . PLEASE REFER TO SIGMETS FOR CURRENT WARNINGS. . ORRISON . NNNN