Published on 21 February 2025
On February 8, 2025, Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) reported that Mount Etna had begun exhibiting “signs of unrest above its background level.” That’s unsurprising for the frequently unruly Sicilian peak, one of the most active stratovolcanoes in the world. But the fiery explosions, disruptive ash clouds, and long lava flows that ensued stood out as being unusually spectacular to many Etna watchers.
Lava coursed down the snowy slopes of Europe’s tallest volcano in February 2025.
The OLI (Operational Land Imager) on the Landsat 8 satellite acquired this image of an ongoing eruption on February 13. The natural-color scene is overlaid with an infrared signal to distinguish the lava’s heat signature on Etna’s snowy slopes.
On the day the image was acquired, INGV reported that Etna’s explosive activity was decreasing but that weak ash emissions were ongoing. A lava flow extended approximately 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the Bocca Nuova crater down the mountain’s southwestern flank. A volcanic plume was also visible drifting to the northeast, away from the 3,357-meter (11,014-foot) peak.
The presence of ash prompted authorities to raise the aviation color code to orange on February 13. On other days during this eruption, it was elevated to red, the highest level of concern. The airport in nearby Catania diverted flights amid hazardous conditions, according to news reports.
Since Etna stirred to life this time around, crowds of hikers and even some skiers flocked to its slopes to witness the fiery displays and lava flows melting through snow. The eruption was ongoing as of February 18, with weak ash emissions and decreasing explosive activity.
Source:
NASA. (2025, February 20). River of Fire on Mount Etna. Earth Observatory.