Toxic gas cloud set to sweep across UK again in hours

The sulphur dioxide gas cloud that covered parts of the UK on Sunday is set to return early tomorrow, according to forecasters.

The plume, which came from the recent volcanic eruption in Iceland, passed over the country early yesterday morning, before heading south-east and into Europe.

Sulphur dioxide is a colourless gas with a strong smell which is released in coal burning and other refining or manufacturing processes but also comes from erupting volcanoes.

The gas can cause irritation to the throat, nausea, stomach pain and vomiting if breathed in at high levels.

However, the Met Office said it had been released high into the atmosphere and should have ‘little influence on ground-level air quality’.

Now it’s predicted the cloud will return and cover parts of the UK throughout Tuesday and Wednesday.

It will approach the country at around 6am on Tuesday and slowly cover the lower and middle parts of the UK, before clearing around 7pm on Wednesday, according to data from Czech weather portal Windy.

Speaking yesterday, a Met Office spokesperson said: ‘Impacts have been low from this sulphur dioxide, as it is high in the atmosphere and is having little influence on ground-level air quality.

‘We’re continuing to monitor any sulphur dioxide release originating from Iceland, with current forecasts suggesting little influence on UK surface air pollution in the coming days.’

A state of emergency was declared in Iceland over the eruption that began shortly after 9pm on Thursday after a series of strong earthquakes.

Footage shows red hot lava bubbling up and pouring out of the Sundhnúks crater row, in the south-west of the nation, near Grindavik.

One estimate by the country’s Met Office suggests ‘the lava flow travelled about 1km in 10 minutes’.

But authorities say the eruption’s effects remain localised with road closures but do not threaten the population.

The nearby town of Grindavik has been largely abandoned since late 2023 when nearly 4,000 residents were first ordered to evacuate after the volcano came to lifefor the first time in 800 years.

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