White Island volcano (New Zealand): ash emissions prompt Aviation Colour Code rise to Orange

Over the past week, large, steam-rich white plumes have been visible in the webcams in Whakatāne and Te Kaha.
During the weekend, small amounts of ash were detected in the plume by the MetService satellite imagery, and a faint haze was also observed from the coast.
On several days last week, satellite data recorded sulfur dioxide emissions, which may have been noticeable to coastal residents as sulfur odours during northerly winds.
Steam, gas, and ash emissions continue to fluctuate, as they have over the past few months. This activity aligns with moderate to heightened unrest, so the Volcanic Alert Level remains at Level 2.
However, due to recent observations of volcanic ash emissions, the Aviation Colour Code has been raised to Orange.
Source: Geonet New Zealand volcano activity update 24 February 2025