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| Iceland volcanic ash cloud set to reach UK | Iceland volcanic ash cloud set to reach UK |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| An ash cloud from the Grimsvotn volcano in Iceland is expected to reach the UK by the early hours of Tuesday morning, the Met Office has said. | An ash cloud from the Grimsvotn volcano in Iceland is expected to reach the UK by the early hours of Tuesday morning, the Met Office has said. |
| It does not necessarily mean there will be airspace closures but makes flight disruption more likely, it said. | It does not necessarily mean there will be airspace closures but makes flight disruption more likely, it said. |
| The cloud is predicted to affect parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. | The cloud is predicted to affect parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. |
| The event comes a year after ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano spread across Europe, causing huge disruption. | The event comes a year after ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano spread across Europe, causing huge disruption. |
| The Met Office, which runs Europe's Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre, earlier said there was a possibility of ash moving across the UK towards the end of the week. | The Met Office, which runs Europe's Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre, earlier said there was a possibility of ash moving across the UK towards the end of the week. |
| But a spokesman said the weather was much more changeable than at the time of last year's eruption and there was a lot more uncertainty. | But a spokesman said the weather was much more changeable than at the time of last year's eruption and there was a lot more uncertainty. |
| 'Better prepared' | 'Better prepared' |
| The Civil Aviation Authority and the UK's air traffic control service Nats said they were monitoring the situation closely. | The Civil Aviation Authority and the UK's air traffic control service Nats said they were monitoring the situation closely. |
| Foreign Secretary William Hague, speaking before a meeting of EU counterparts in Brussels, said he did not expect a blanket closure of UK airspace. | |
| "I think we are far better prepared and we'll have far better information and intelligence which allows us to adjust things without necessarily the blanket bans on flights which we saw last year, but of course it depends on how the situation develops," he said. | "I think we are far better prepared and we'll have far better information and intelligence which allows us to adjust things without necessarily the blanket bans on flights which we saw last year, but of course it depends on how the situation develops," he said. |
| The Grimsvotn volcano began erupting on Saturday with ash rising to 20km (12 miles) but, although still active, is now not as powerful with a plume of 13km (8 miles). | The Grimsvotn volcano began erupting on Saturday with ash rising to 20km (12 miles) but, although still active, is now not as powerful with a plume of 13km (8 miles). |
| By the early hours of Tuesday morning the cloud is expected to cover a vast crescent across the North Atlantic from northern Russia to the British Isles. | By the early hours of Tuesday morning the cloud is expected to cover a vast crescent across the North Atlantic from northern Russia to the British Isles. |
| During last year's eruption UK airspace was shut down completely by the authorities as a precaution but this time airlines will make their own decisions about whether it is safe to fly. | During last year's eruption UK airspace was shut down completely by the authorities as a precaution but this time airlines will make their own decisions about whether it is safe to fly. |
| The National Airspace Crisis Management Executive is meeting every six hours to assess the situation. | The National Airspace Crisis Management Executive is meeting every six hours to assess the situation. |
| Different scale | Different scale |
| Icelandic air traffic control has created a no-fly zone around the volcano and cancelled all domestic flights. The country's main international airport, Keflavik airport, has been closed. | Icelandic air traffic control has created a no-fly zone around the volcano and cancelled all domestic flights. The country's main international airport, Keflavik airport, has been closed. |
| The Grimsvotn volcano lies beneath the ice of the uninhabited Vatnajokull glacier in south-east Iceland. The latest eruption is its most most powerful eruption in 100 years. | The Grimsvotn volcano lies beneath the ice of the uninhabited Vatnajokull glacier in south-east Iceland. The latest eruption is its most most powerful eruption in 100 years. |
| However, University of Iceland geophysicist Pall Einarsson said the eruption was on a different scale to the one last year. | However, University of Iceland geophysicist Pall Einarsson said the eruption was on a different scale to the one last year. |
| "It is not likely to be anything on the scale that was produced last year when the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted," he said. | "It is not likely to be anything on the scale that was produced last year when the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted," he said. |
| "That was an unusual volcano, an unusual ash size distribution and unusual weather pattern, which all conspired together to make life difficult in Europe." | "That was an unusual volcano, an unusual ash size distribution and unusual weather pattern, which all conspired together to make life difficult in Europe." |
| The ash particles from this eruption are said to be larger than last year and, as a result, fall to the ground more quickly. | The ash particles from this eruption are said to be larger than last year and, as a result, fall to the ground more quickly. |
| Iceland has been badly affected by the current eruption, with ash falling across the country including the capital Reykjavik. | Iceland has been badly affected by the current eruption, with ash falling across the country including the capital Reykjavik. |
| Tourists have been evacuated from the country's main national parks and farming has been hit. | Tourists have been evacuated from the country's main national parks and farming has been hit. |
| Are you planning to fly in or out of the UK or to Iceland? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you planning to fly in or out of the UK or to Iceland? Send us your comments using the form below. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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