 The volcano last erupted in 1859, but its most famous activity occurred on January 20, 1835, when it produced the largest historical eruption in Nicaragua.Ash from the 1835 eruption has been found in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica.According to an analysis by Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature, the 1835 eruption caused a temporary decrease in the average land temperature of Earth of about 0.75 degrees C.

It has not erupted since 1859, only an instant in terms of geological time.