Description: From McGimsey and others (2004): "On the morning of May 14, 1999, a NWS observer in Gulkana reported anomalous steam - with minor ash - emission at Wrangell Volcano. At approximately 9:30 AM ADT, a sudden, rapidly billowing, grayish and white cloud rose to about 3,000 feet above the north summit crater. The weather was clear with calm winds out of the south. The observer stated that at this time of year, on clear days, a small, wispy, steam plume is usually visible above Wrangell in the early morning, and dissipates by early afternoon. On this day, the plume developed quickly, was abnormally voluminous, and had a grayish color.
"We learned from interviewing a local pilot (Lin Ellis), flying a routine mail run, that he had also observed the activity at Wrangell while passing by the south-southwest flank at 10,000 feet ASL. Additionally, he noticed that more 'dirt' surrounded the north crater than usual, and, that on the upper part of the Chestnina Glacier - high on the southwest flank - blocks of ice were chaotically
jumbled (higher relief between blocks) and that the glacier surface was much more crevassed than he had ever previously seen. He also observed that of two known fumaroles located at about the 11,000-foot level (3,350 m) on the south flank that typically issue steam through ice holes, one was now surrounded by a sizeable patch of bare rock. This, too, was a new development since his
last recent flight over the area. Ellis further reported that he had seen no sign of flowage or melting events (high on flank), but that he had not flown over the lower reaches of the glacier.
"As of 5 PM, the NWS observer in Gulkana could still see a small steam plume and with binoculars could see that the snow around the summit area appeared to be light gray and that this was a definite color contrast and not an effect from shadows. AVO conducted follow-up phone calls to confirm that activity had returned to 'normal'.