Aerial footage from Mt Ruapehu shows steam pouring off the volcano's crater lake as the water temperature continues to rise.
The footage captured by GNS Science on Wednesday morning shows steam evaporating off almost all parts of the lake.
It comes a day after a steam plume rose around 1.5km above the lake for about 45 minutes on Tuesday morning.
It comes after a steam plume rose around 1.5 kilometres above the lake on Tuesday morning. (Source: 1News)
There has been elevated volcanic unrest on the mountain for the last six weeks and in the last week it has recorded its strongest tremor in 20 years.
Geoff Kilgour, a volcanologist with GNS Science, told Breakfast the plume was another example of the volcano showing signs of unrest.
READ MORE: Ruapehu won't move out of Volcanic Alert Level 2 for some time
He explained a steam plume is generated when the crater lake is warm but the air around it is still.
No seismic or acoustic activity accompanied the plume's appearance, indicating it was not generated by strong activity in the lake.
Geoff Kilgour, a volcanologist with GNS Science, says they are continuing to watch the volcano closely. (Source: 1News)
The crater lake temperature is now around 39C.
Kilgour said magma is pushing towards the crater lake, so further changes in Ruapehu's chemistry and temperature will be seen. More sulphur dioxide will also be present in the volcano's gas emissions.
GNS Science can't predict an eruption, but Kilgour said Ruapehu is clearly heating up and unrest is building as the tremors do.
More steam plumes could also be seen over the coming weeks and months under suitable weather conditions.
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