FVXX21 KWBC 170700 VOLCANIC ASH ADVISORY STATEMENT ISSUED 0700 UTC 17 MAY 2000 BY THE WASHINGTON VAAC . TUNGURAHUA 00-578 ECUADOR 0128S 7826W . BACKGROUND: TUNGURAHUA ECUADOR (1502-08) SUMMIT HEIGHT 16480 FT (5023 M) . SOURCES OF INFORMATION: GOES-8 INFRARED AND MULTISPECTRAL IMAGERY. WIND FORECAST FROM THE 17/0000 UTC AVIATION MODEL. MAY 16 GEOPHYSICAL INSTITUTE REPORT. GUAYAQUIL METEOROLOGICAL WATCH OFFICE SIGMET. ERUPTION DETAILS: NEARLY CONTINUOUS GAS AND OCCASIONAL ASH EMISSIONS. . DETAILS OF ASH: A SIGMET FROM THE GUAYAQUIL MWO INDICATES THAT AT 17/0140 UTC VOLCANIC ASH WAS OBSERVED OVER THE VOLCANO. THE MAY 16 REPORT FROM THE GEOPHYSICAL INSTITUTE NOTED THE PRESENCE OF ASH UP TO ABOUT FL230 MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST. NO ASH CAN BE DETECTED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY THROUGH 17/0615 UTC DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE WEATHER CLOUDS IN THE AREA. . TRAJECTORY: UPPER AIR PATTERNS SUGGEST THAT ANY ASH AT ABOUT FL230 WOULD MOVE TOWARD THE WEST OR NORTHWEST AT APPROXIMATELY 15 KNOTS. . OUTLOOK: SEE SIGMETS AND VAFTAD. . THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY 17/1300 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. . NNNN