Volcano: Shishaldin (VNUM #311360)
Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL
Previous Volcano Alert Level: ADVISORY
Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN
Previous Aviation Color Code: YELLOW
Issued: Monday, November 2, 2026, 1:29 PM AKST
Source: Alaska Volcano Observatory
Notice Number: 2026/A821
Location: N 54 deg 45 min W 163 deg 58 min
Elevation: 9373 ft (2857 m)
Area: Aleutians
Summary: Unrest continues to slowly decline towards background levels with current activity not expected to lead to eruption.
Volcanic Activity:
Unrest at Shishaldin Volcano has declined slowly over the last 4 months. Current activity is near background for this volcano, and does not indicate increased likelihood of an eruption. Reflecting these conditions, the Aviation Color Code and Volcano Alert Level are being lowered to GREEN and NORMAL.
The current period of unrest began in August 2025 with increased sulfur dioxide emissions, seismic tremor, and infrasound signals consistent with explosions deep in the vent. This activity peaked between December 2026 and June 2026 with signals consistent with magma rising to shallow levels in the conduit. At no point was lava or eruptive activity observed at the surface.
The decline in activity observed in the last 4 months is consistent with magma withdrawing to deeper levels under the volcano. Shishaldin Volcano remains an active open-system volcano, with steam and gas emissions, as well as low level seismicity and infrasound still seen. Future eruptions will occur at the volcano, and these can occur with little to no warning.
Local seismic and infrasound sensors, web cameras, and a geodetic network are used to monitor Shishaldin Volcano. In addition to the local monitoring network, AVO uses nearby geophysical networks, regional infrasound and lightning data, and satellite data to detect eruptions.
To view information about Shishaldin Volcano: https://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Shishaldin.php
Remarks:
Shishaldin Volcano, located near the center of Unimak Island in the eastern Aleutian Islands, is a spectacular symmetric cone with a base diameter of approximately 10 miles (16 km). A 660 ft. (200 m) wide funnel-shaped summit crater typically emits a steam plume and occasional small amounts of ash. Shishaldin is one of the most active volcanoes in the Aleutian volcanic arc, with at least 54 episodes of unrest including over 26 confirmed eruptions since 1824. Most eruptions are relatively small, although activity during July–November, 2023 generated ash columns that reached between 30,000 ft (9 km) and 46,000 ft (14 km) above sea level.
Contacts:
Matt Haney, Scientist-in-Charge, USGS mhaney@usgs.gov (907) 786-7497
David Fee, Coordinating Scientist, UAFGI dfee1@alaska.edu (907) 378-5460
Contact AVO: https://avo.alaska.edu/contact
The Alaska Volcano Observatory is a cooperative program of the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys.
VOLCANO OBSERVATORY NOTICE FOR AVIATION (VONA)
WMAK01 PAVO 022229 VONA DTG: 20261102/2229Z VOLCANO: SHISHALDIN 311360 PSN: N5445 W16358 AREA: ALASKA SOURCE ELEV: 9373FT AMSL NOTICE NR: 2026/02 CURRENT COLOUR CODE: GREEN PREVIOUS COLOUR CODE: YELLOW SVO: ALASKA VOLCANO OBSERVATORY ACT STS: RE-SUSPENDED VA ONSET: NIL DUR: NIL VA CLD HGT: NO VA CLD PRODUCED HGT SOURCE: NO VA CLD PRODUCED MOV: NO VA CLD PRODUCED CTC: AVO DUTY SCIENTIST TEL +1-907-786-7497 RMK: ALERT LEVEL LOWERED. DECREASED UNREST TO NEAR BACKGROUND LEVELS. NO ERUPTION. STEAM AND GAS EM WILL CONTINUE, BUT NO ERUPTION EXP. NXT NOTICE: A NEW VONA WILL BE ISSUED IF COND CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY OR IF THE COLOR CODE CHANGES NNNN
Hazard Notification System (HANS) for Volcanoes at volcanoes.usgs.gov/hans2/