The MVO reported that during 3-10 November, volcanism continued at an elevated level and seismicity was slightly higher than the previous week. Dome growth continued and rockfalls occurred on the E side of the crater. Heavy rainfall on 4 and 8 November produced mudflows that traveled to the NW down the Belham River. During the 8 November rainfall, continuous rockfalls and low-energy pyroclastic flows traveled to the E down the Tar River valley. The pyroclastic flows generated ash clouds that rose to ~2 km a.s.l. and were blown to the N. On 13 November the Washington VAAC reported that a low-level (~1.5 km a.s.l.) ash plume that was blown to the N was visible in GOES-8 imagery.

Geological Summary. The complex, dominantly andesitic Soufrière Hills volcano occupies the southern half of the island of Montserrat. The summit area consists primarily of a series of lava domes emplaced along an ESE-trending zone. The volcano is flanked by Pleistocene complexes to the north and south. English's Crater, a 1-km-wide crater breached widely to the east by edifice collapse, was formed about 2000 years ago as a result of the youngest of several collapse events producing submarine debris-avalanche deposits. Block-and-ash flow and surge deposits associated with dome growth predominate in flank deposits, including those from an eruption that likely preceded the 1632 CE settlement of the island, allowing cultivation on recently devegetated land to near the summit. Non-eruptive seismic swarms occurred at 30-year intervals in the 20th century, but no historical eruptions were recorded until 1995. Long-term small-to-moderate ash eruptions beginning in that year were later accompanied by lava-dome growth and pyroclastic flows that forced evacuation of the southern half of the island and ultimately destroyed the capital city of Plymouth, causing major social and economic disruption.

Source: Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO)