Magnificent pictures. The South American vulcanologists expect this caldera volcano to erupt continuously for some weeks and to increase in intensity.
Already they report the plinian column to have reached 100,000 feet at one point.
Although the climate effect may be limited to SH this winter, and not occlude ocean heating much, it may further delay GW. Pobrecitos.

Large volcanic eruptions can easily influence the world's climate (cooling) for a period of time, causing a decrease in solar energy reaching the earth, as the tiny particles of ash remain in the high atmosphere and reflect the sunlight. I talked with Jim, who is also well versed in geology and geography, and he also feels that this particular eruption will probably be too small in size to have a large scale impact on the climate.

REPLY: Brett, I sincerely hope you and your buddy are correct. As my first thought when seeing this eruption on the news was "Mt. Pinatubo screwing up the summer of 1992 (the summer that wasn't), i.e. a 60 degree rainy miserable summer here in the northeast!" Of course, our panic monger friends are probably doing backflips over the thought of something like this. Even though the earth is doing a good job on it's own in cooling itself. And not needing any help from a volcano, or new authoritarian taxes.

Cool pictures.

It will be interesting to see if stratospheric temperatures spike like they did after the eruptions of El Chicon and Pinatubo. Reply: Yes, I agree

Great more global cooling, but maybe the Global Warming nuts can find a way this will cause warming, the ash will absorb heat and also cover glaciers somewhere and cause them to melt....But global warming probably caused this, there has never been an earthquake until global warming started.

Great photos! They really put things into perspective. No matter how much CO2 or CH4 the liberals think that we are dumping into the atmosphere to ruin the planet, it is next to nothing as compared to what goes on in the natural world.

Speaking of methane, for public service recognition week, the managers where I work will be serving the workforce hot dogs and beans for lunch tomorrow, so there will probably be an increase in methane production during the afternoon.

This will give the AGW proponents a convenient excuse when their projected warming doesn't occur. But 10 years from now it's going to get really hot!!

Seems that every time they open their mouth
something comes along and does the total opposite

There was a story just out about Antarctica melting.

Oiz,

"Even though the earth is doing a good job on it's own in cooling itself. And not needing any help from a volcano, or new authoritarian taxes."

I agree that taxes will not help the earth cool, but a volcano is pretty natural. I would say that volcanoes (volcanoes? volcanos?. . . volcani?) are part of the earth's process.

UAH data out for April. Globally the coldest year since 1997. Consistent for NH, SH, and US. Not much divergence between the hemispheres.
http://vortex.nsstc.uah.edu/data/msu/t2lt/uahncdc.lt

I wonder how much the volcano will cool down May? Enough for Hansen to make a press release about his personal double whammy - La Nina + Chaiten? Woe is Jim. How bad can it get?

But..... I thought we were supposed to be at a tipping point, where the earth was going to melt into a formless blob of mercury.

A couple of links for the slow learners amongst us, who have trouble understanding how changes in the sun affect the earth.

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/06may_carringtonflare.htm

and this

http://www.lavoisier.com.au/papers/articles/ArchibaldMarch2008.pdf

Given the location of the volcano (lower latitudes) I think it is doubtful that it will have much affect on the planet's overall temperature one way or the other.

Significant cooling would likely require a several eruptions where the ash cloud flattens at the tropopause. This one eruption is inconsequential.

Thor,

Significant cooling would likely require a several eruptions where the ash cloud flattens at the tropopause. This one eruption is inconsequential.

Where did you get this info? Are you privileged to info that only you can get? Link please.

As of yesterday the eruption, which is continuous if not its intensity, has topped 100,000 ft. on 4 occasions already.

Thor doesn't seem to know his atmospheric feets.

As of today SERAGEOMIN, a Chilean govt. bureau, has estimated ejected mass at 2km^3, or a VEI of 5. That's St. Helens size and climbing.

Reply: Thanks for the update Gary.

As of today SERAGEOMIN, a Chilean govt. bureau, has estimated ejected mass at 2km^3, or a VEI of 5. That's St. Helens size and climbing.

REPLY: Great!!! Just wonderful!!! Get ready for another summer of 92. I knew I should have never put away my winter coats.

Volcanos. Further evidence that Glo-BULL Warming is a CROCK!!!!!!