Alaska volcano expected to erupt soon

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(CNN) -- In the shadows of Mount Redoubt, Alaskans are calmly waiting for the volcano to erupt -- an event that could occur at any time.
Alaska's Mount Redoubt volcano spews ash and steam during an eruption in 1989.


Alaska's Mount Redoubt volcano spews ash and steam during an eruption in 1989.

"The level of seismic activity" has "increased markedly" in recent days at the 10,197-foot peak located about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, the state's most populous city, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

"We don't have a crystal ball," said Peter Cervelli, a research geophysicist with the observatory, which is aggressively monitoring the volcano.

But "we expect based on the past behavior of this volcano that this activity is going to culminate in an eruption."

The activity has consisted "of a combination of discrete, relatively small earthquakes and periods of more continuous volcanic tremor," Cervelli said.

Scientists raised the alert status Sunday to a "watch" level, the second-highest, based on seismic activity detected January 23.......

Has Yellowstone quietened down since its recent peak of activity? From all the talk a few weeks ago I thought the end of the world was nigh. Alaska we can live without; its only got snow, Sarah Palin and a few Russians flying over - but Sarah's got her eye on those.