Alaska Volcano Observatory | Shishaldin Alaska Volcano Observatory Home Volcanoes Webcams Webcams Ashcam GUI News Explore Data Explore Data References Webicorder Hazard Alert System Eruptions Geochem Locations Glossary Images Get Involved About AVO About AVO Staff Study Areas Alert Levels FAQ Shishaldin Description Current Activity Past Activity Images Maps Bibliography Prepare Ash Forecasting Facts Official Name: Shishaldin Volcano Seismically Monitored: Yes Color Code: YELLOW Alert Level: ADVISORY Elevation: 2857m (9373ft) Latitude: 54.7554 Longitude: -163.9711 Smithsonian VNum: 311360 Pronunciation: Your browser does not support the audio element. Nearby Towns: False Pass 23 mi (38 km) NE Pauloff Harbor 55 mi (88 km) SE Cold Bay 58 mi (93 km) NE King Cove 69 mi (111 km) NE Belkofski 80 mi (129 km) NE Distance from Anchorage: 679 mi (1093 km) Description From Miller and others (1998) [1] : "Shishaldin Volcano, located near the center of Unimak Island, is a spectacular symmetrical cone about 16 km in diameter at the base. The mountain, which rises to a summit 2857 m above sea level, is the highest peak in the Aleutian Islands and has a small summit crater from which a steady cloud of steam is emitted. The upper 2000 m is almost entirely covered by perennial snow and ice. It is flanked to the northwest by 24 monogenetic parasitic cones [2] . The Shishaldin cone is less than 10,000 year old and is constructed on a glacially eroded remnant of an ancestral soma and shield [2] , which in turn are underlain by volcaniclastic rocks of probable late Tertiary age [3] . Fournelle (1988) [2] suggests that the basement may consist, at least in part, of plutonic rocks." Name Origin Tebenkov (1852) named this volcano "So[pka] Shishaldinskaya," which was later transliterated to "Shishaldin Volcano." G.A. Sarichev reported its Unangam Tunuu name as "Agajedan (Grewingk, 1850). Wagner (1937) wrote that it was named Volcan de Fernandez, by Martinez (Orth, 1971). References Cited [1] Catalog of the historically active volcanoes of Alaska, 1998 Miller, T. P., McGimsey, R. G., Richter, D. H., Riehle, J. R., Nye, C. J., Yount, M. E., and Dumoulin, J. A., 1998, Catalog of the historically active volcanoes of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-0582, 104 p. title page PDF 52 intro and TOC PDF 268 KB eastern part - Wrangell to Ukinrek Maars PDF 972 KB central part - Chiginagak to Cleveland PDF 2,463 KB western part - Carlisle to Kiska PDF 956 KB references PDF 43 KB [2] Geology and petrology of Shishaldin volcano, Unimak Island, Aleutian Arc, Alaska, 1988 Fournelle, J. H., 1988, Geology and petrology of Shishaldin volcano, Unimak Island, Aleutian Arc, Alaska: The Johns Hopkins University Ph.D. dissertation, 507 p., 2 plates, scale unknown. [3] Reconnaissance geologic map of the Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska, 1978 McLean, H., Engelhardt, C. L., and Howell, D. G., 1978, Reconnaissance geologic map of the Cold Bay and False Pass quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-0323, unpaged, 1 plate. Current Activity August 12, 2026, 1:25 pm Unrest continues with minor seismic and infrasound activity detected during the past day. No activity was observed in cloudy satellite and webcam images. Sulfur dioxide emissions were observed in satellite data. 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 images to detect eruptions. Recent Updates Seismic and infrasound events continue Aug 12th, 2026 01:25:34 PM Seismic and infrasound events continue. Steaming from the summit crater. Sulfur dioxide gas emissions observed in satellite data. Aug 11th, 2026 01:01:29 PM Seismic and infrasound events continue. Minor steaming. Sulfur dioxide gas emissions observed in satellite. Aug 10th, 2026 01:15:54 PM Seismic and infrasound events continue. Sulfur dioxide gas emissions observed in satellite. Aug 9th, 2026 09:09:04 AM Seismic and infrasound events continue. Sulfur dioxide gas emissions observed in satellite. Aug 8th, 2026 09:53:21 AM Webcams Shishaldin [BRPK, 1320 ft] Cold Bay - SW Shishaldin [ISLZ, 2080 ft] Shishaldin [WTUG, 2087 ft] Webicorder RSAM Last 24 hours, 10 minute average. SSLS - Last 24 hours, 10 minute average. Color Code Timeline An explanation of color codes and alert levels can be found here. Loading Past Activity... Loading Images... Loading Maps... Loading Bibliography... Before an eruption Sign up for volcanic activty alerts from the Volcano Notification System (US Geological Survey) Ashfall & Preparedness Information Ashfall impacts & preparedness (US Geological Survey) Volcanic health hazards & impacts (International Volcanic Health Hazards Network) Ash Alert! Pamphlet (AK Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management) Volcanic Ashfall (AK Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Air Quality) During and After an Eruption National Weather Service Ashfall Warnings are posted here when in effect Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Ted Stevens Airport Flight Status (Anchorage) Fairbanks Airport Flight Status Other Useful Links Citizen Science: Ashfall collection instructions Citizen Science: IS ASH FALLING? Report your observations (yes or no!) Ash Forecasting Mathematical models developed by the USGS forecast various aspects of how a volcanic ash plume will interact with wind—where, how high, and how fast ash particles will be transported in the atmosphere, as well as where ash will fall out and accumulate on the ground. AVO runs these models when a volcano is restless by assuming a reasonable hypothetical eruption, to provide a pre-eruptive forecast of areas likely to be affected. During an ongoing eruption, AVO will update the forecast with actual observations (eruption start time and duration, plume height) as they become available. View the current airborne ash cloud models for Shishaldin Ashfall thickness forecast The Ash3d model was developed by the USGS to forecast how a volcanic ash plume will interact with wind and where ash will fall out and accumulate on the ground. AVO runs these models twice daily when a volcano is restless by assuming a reasonable hypothetical eruption altitude and duration. The map shows the model results of ashfall thickness for areas that are likely to be affected, if one were to occur. During an ongoing eruption, AVO will update the forecast with actual observations (eruption start time and duration, plume height) as they become available, and these plots will be automatically updated. The National Weather Service Anchorage Forecast Office will issue the official ashfall warning product and post them at weather.gov/afc THESE PRODUCTS MAY NOT BE CURRENT. During an actual eruption, see National Weather Service forecasts of ashfall:https://weather.gov/afc. Ashfall Forecast Click on the X on the graphic (upper right) to expand the map to show the map legend. Ashfall Start Time This map shows the modeled estimate of the time it would take for ashfall to begin following an eruption. It corresponds to the ashfall thickness forecast map shown above. This map uses the start time of either the twice-daily hypothetical model runs (time shown in the legend) or the actual eruption start time (if one were to occur). In the case of an actual eruption, the National Weather Service Anchorage Forecast Office will issue the official ashfall warning product that includes the ashfall start time and post them at weather.gov/afc THESE PRODUCTS MAY NOT BE CURRENT. During an actual eruption, see National Weather Service forecasts of ashfall:https://weather.gov/afc. Ashfall Start Times Forecast Click on the X on the graphic (upper right) to expand the map to show the map legend. USGS Volcano Notification Service Contact AVO Privacy Accessibility Information Quality FOIA This website is supported by the U.S. Geological Survey under Cooperative Agreement Grant G22AC00137 and G23AC00070. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey. ×