The ash plume from the Mount Tongariro eruption is expected to linger today.

The eruption at the Te Maari crater yesterday shot ash several kilometres into the air.

WeatherWatch.co.nz analyst Philip Duncan says because it was only a small eruption and the fact that New Zealand is so skinny, it doesn't take long for the ash to go out to sea.

"Most of this ash we think would have fallen quite close to the volcano, because there was very little in the way of wind yesterday, and overnight and this morning a similar sort of story. So there could be some lingering, very fine ash in the sky perhaps anywhere east of the volcano, out towards Hawke's Bay and the Pacific Ocean."

Scientists believe yesterday's small eruption on Mt Tongariro is over for now, but are closely monitoring the situation.

The eruption lasted fewer than five minutes although local earthquake activity continued for 15 minutes.

[link to nz.news.yahoo.com]