By Wendy Anders

Just as residents of the San José metropolitan region were starting to get used to life without fresh ashfall, the Turrialba Volcano in Cartago rumbled back to life this morning at about 8:15, reported the National University’s Volcanology and Seismology Research Institute (Ovsicori-UNA).

Luckily this eruption, coming after about a two-week lull in ash emissions, is not as big as the several whoppers in the preceding two years that caused airport closures and flight cancelations; at least so far.

As long as the Turrialba is in this active phase, travelers in and out of the the international airport in Alajuela (SJO) and the Pavas regional airport in San José are wise to check their flight’s status before heading on their trip.

Significant ashfall in various districts of San José including Tibás, Guadalupe, San Pedro Montes de Oca, Pavas, as well as in Heredia, has been reported on the Ovsicori official Facebook page since early this morning.

The eruption, which was initially registered as reaching a height of about 200ms above the crater, appears to still be underway, so take safety precautions when outdoors, and also measures to keep ash out of your home.

Photos posted later in the morning on the Ovsicori website from their two cameras near the crater indicate the eruption gathered strength during the course of the morning.