BRITONS have been warned of a cloud of sulfur dioxide already hanging over Britain after a volcanic eruption 800 miles away.
The Met Office confirmed that the SO2 plume was caused by major seismic activity on the Reykjanes peninsula, near Grindavik, Iceland on Thursday.
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Sulfur dioxide billows over Britain todayCredit: Windy.com
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A volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula near Grindavik in Iceland has caused a gas plumeCredit: Reuters
Sulfur dioxide is usually produced by burning coal or crude oil, but it is also released by volcanoes.
It can cause a range of symptoms from a sore throat to burning eyes or flu-like symptoms, including a runny nose and cough.
In cases where someone comes into direct contact with the gas over a period of time, it has been linked to lung conditions such as asthma and chronic bronchitis.
The most vulnerable, young children and the elderly, are advised to pay special attention to warnings about SO2.
Sulfur dioxide is believed to have first passed over the UK at around 4am.
However, air pollution levels were recorded as “low” and this does not appear to be a cause for concern.
A Met Office spokesman told The Sun: “A plume of sulfur dioxide originating from a volcano in Iceland is crossing the UK high in the atmosphere and will disperse to the south-east in the coming hours.
“The impacts of this sulfur dioxide were low, as it is high in the atmosphere and has little impact on ground-level air quality. Low surface-level concentrations mean air pollution levels remain low.
“Air pollution is currently low and is expected to remain so across the UK today.
“We continue to monitor any sulfur dioxide emissions originating from Iceland and current forecasts suggest little impact on UK surface air pollution in the coming days.”
With the continuation of wet and windy holidays for some
The Reykjanes peninsula has been hit by six volcanic eruptions since November last year.
A state of emergency was declared on May 29, 2024 after lava erupted from the Sundhnúkur crater line.
The site of the eruption was just a few kilometers northeast of Grindavik, a coastal town with a population of 3,800 people, which was evacuated.
Grindavik was previously evacuated in November 2023 after a series of earthquakes, which opened large cracks in the ground between the town and Sýlingarfell—a small mountain located to the north.
Before any recent eruptions, the Svartsengi volcanic system north of Grindavik was dormant for approximately 780 years.
Icelandic authorities declared a state of emergency during the eruption in November after hundreds of small earthquakes shook the Reykjanes peninsula — Iceland’s most populated region.
It comes after the Met Office revealed the exact date for the return of summer.
Weather maps are expected to turn orange as the numbers rise to 27C – but the showers will hit first.
As the effects of Storm Lilian continue to affect Britain, the start of the week – despite the rainy weather – will be slightly warmer than this weekend.
And as higher pressure moves out of Europe on Tuesday, it looks like brighter days are ahead.
On Tuesday, southern parts of England can brace for temperatures of 24C as winds ease and drier conditions set in.
Temperatures will then rise to 27C on Wednesday in London, while surrounding areas are expected to reach 26C.
The West Mids are forecast to reach 24C, with Northampton and Milton Keynes just 1C higher, the Met Office says.
Unfortunately, the warmer conditions will drop slightly by Thursday, but will still remain below 20 degrees in most parts.
Met Office meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth said: “Next week is looking much drier and more stable than this week.
“Since Tuesday, low pressure has been focused on the north and west of the UK.
Weather forecast for five days
Today
Clear start for many, but clouds from the west followed by rain and showers. The best of the drier weather in southern England. The feeling is quite fresh with a sharp wind and temperatures slightly below the seasonal average.
Tonight
Cloudy in Northern Ireland, central/southern Scotland and northern England, although with rain becoming patchy. Clear periods and variable cloud elsewhere with winds easing towards dawn. Milder than last night.
Monday
Showers spread to the western coastal areas, then rain reaches the northwest by evening. Elsewhere dry and breezy with partly cloudy skies and clear or sunny periods. Warmer than Sunday.
Outlook from Tuesday to Thursday
Heavy rain and strong winds move northwest on Tuesday, easing as they slowly move east over the next few days. Mostly dry and very warm in the southeast.
“But high pressure from Scandinavia will pick up warmer air during the week – bringing more settled weather to eastern and southern parts of the UK – which is likely to last into the first week of September.
“Therefore, any weather fronts coming to the northwest will run into this high pressure and stop where they are.
“By Friday, we will see high pressure likely to dominate a bit more widely across the UK.
“So that takes us to the very end of summer, which means we could start to see warmer air moving in from the south and east.
“That means it’s looking quite a bit warmer this week, so there will be some improvement before the summer is over.”
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The Reykjanes peninsula has been hit by six volcanic eruptions since November last yearCredit: EPA
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Eruptions release sulfur dioxideCredit: Reuters
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