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In the midst of this volcano ash-cloud there's one thing that I don't understand. If we can track the ash cloud via weather radar why can't pilots do the same and avoid the ash?

So I put in a quick call to a friend who flies commercial jets out of Birmingham. He explained that of course on board radar does spot the ash. But you can't tell if it's a rain cloud or an ash cloud from the radar display. The only way to be sure is when you fly into it and all your engines shut down.

Scientists in Australia are working on something to .

And while this is a huge alert volcanic ash clouds are not unknown in Europe. Pilots are often directed around Mount Etna in Italy for just this reason.

Even for scientists on the ground tracking volcanic ash clouds can be hard and they have to rely on weather satellites in orbit above the earth. Satellite data can be limited as the places we're interested in the weather aren't always the places you find volcanoes.

For the rest of us I'm afraid no big black volcanic clouds to be seen in the sky.

But the extra ash in the atmosphere should increase the scattering of light from the sun and intensify the colours we see in the sky at the end of the day. So expect some amazing sunsets.

There's also a chance this eruption could lead to a cooler summer as the ash and gases produced in the eruption reflect the sun's energy back into space.

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