Introduction

View volcano information and the related ash forecast 

In this topic, you learn how to display volcano and ash forecast information on the map. 

We estimate that this will take 3 minutes to complete.

Detailed explanation 

Adding and interpreting the Current Volcano and Ash Forecast weather layers 

If your flight plans can be affected by volcanic activity, use the Current Volcanoes Forecast layer and the Ash Forecast layer separately or in combination.
 You can view the current ash forecast or view its expected behavior over several hours in the future.

Let's get oriented: You're monitoring a flight that passes over Peru and you want to check for volcanic activity. Your map is at a zoom level of 1,000 nm and is focused on North and South America.

Volcano and ash forecast information is provided as part of a regional weather subscription, so access the REGIONAL weather tab as your first step.

Click the Layers button.

Click the REGIONAL tab.

For the moment, enable the Current Volcanoes Forecast layer only.

You can enable both the Current Volcanoes Forecast and the Ash Forecast layers at the same time. 

Click the Current Volcanoes Forecast slider.

The Current Volcanoes Forecast layer displays the latest information in global volcanic activity. In this example, the volcanoes are depicted in gray. The gray color may indicate that the color code used in aviation was not provided by the reporting station. At different times, you may see other colors used:

 

Hover your mouse near a volcano symbol to view the name of the volcano and when an advisory was issued.If you click the symbol, the same information displays in the Weather pane.

Click highlighted symbol.

Close the Weather pane. 

Click the Close (X) button.

In this example of an orange-colored volcano symbol, you can see that the text advisory also indicates AVIATION COLOUR CODE: ORANGE:

Now, add ash forecast information to the volcano information you're already displaying. 

Click the Layers button.

Click the Ash Forecast slider.

In this example, ash forecast information has been added to the map for two volcanoes.

 After hovering your mouse over the southern Sabancaya volcano, hover over the northern volcano. 

Use this chart to interpret the heights at which ash is forecast to be present:
Ash at an unknown elevation may be depicted like this: .

As you saw with the volcano forecast layer, you can also click on the colored symbol to view more details in the Weather pane. 

Click highlighted colored shape.

The advisory text for this ash forecast is quite long. Use the scroll bar on the right to scroll through all the text as needed. 

Click the vertical scroll bar.

HINT 

You can triple-click on the text in the Weather pane if you want to copy the text to your clipboard (for use in a communication, for example). 

Click the Close (X) button.

Access the Ash Forecast layer again and review how to change the time for which the forecast displays. 

Click the Layers button.

Adjust the display to show the ash forecast for the next six hours. 

Click the + button.

Click the + button a second time to show the forecast for 12 hours in the future.  You can display the forecast for a maximum of 18 hours in the future.

Click the +  button.

Twelve hours out, the ash forecast for the Sangay volcano looks different.

As needed, click the symbol to view all the details in the Weather  pane.

Notice the updated time for the ash forecast on the ACTIVE LAYERS panel. 

Click highlighted symbol.

Close the Weather pane after you review the information you need. 

Click the Close (X) button.

SUCCESS 

Congratulations! You have successfully applied both volcano and ash forecast information to the map to assist in your flight tracking and monitoring.