Must be Bush's fault!!!
It's Bush again. And Rove. Just like with the hurricanes.
Gearing up for the 25th Anniversary eruption?
Mount St. Helens Swarm Activity
Special information statement of Sep 24, 2004 10am PDT
U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory, Vancouver, Washington
University of Washington Dept. of Earth and Space Sciences, Seattle, Washington
Since about 2 am PDT on the morning of 09/23 an earthquake swarm has been occurring at MSH. Through 5 P.M. PDT about 200 small (less than magnitude 1) earthquakes have been located at Mount St. Helens and many smaller events have also been recorded through this morning. The earthquakes are occurring at shallow depths (less than 1 kilometer, or 1/2 mile) mostly under the lava dome that formed between 1980 and 1986. Such earthquakes are common at St. Helens, but a swarm with this many earthquakes has not been recorded for several years, most recently on November 3-4, 2001. The probability of small landslides and debris flows in the crater may be enhanced during these periods. Such events could affect areas several kilometers (miles) north of the crater on the Pumice Plain. The probability of small steam explosions that hurl rocks a few hundred meters (yards) may also be increased during periods with increased shallow earthquakes. The cause of such shallow swarms is uncertain, but may reflect increased ground water levels with the onset of autumn rain.
Prior to the 2001 swarm, the last period of increased earthquake activity at Mount St. Helens occurred in the spring and summer of 1998 when hundreds of earthquakes per month, most smaller than M=2, were detected at depths as great as 9 kilometers (6 miles). An intrusion of magma, or molten rock, deep under the volcano and resulting increased gas pressure in the conduit that leads to the lava dome likely caused this increase in earthquakes. The current swarm is different in that the events are typically much smaller and shallower. We see no evidence that an intrusion of magma similar to that of 1998 is underway. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will issue additional Updates as warranted.
Daily updates of earthquake data and other information can be found on the WEB at URL: http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/MSH/CurrentActivity
Just heard on the local news here in the PNW
Mt. St. Helen's is officially closed to hikers and tourists.
Expecting a water blow which can send boulders flying.
Pic updates once every five minutes. What is really interesting is that this site has been DOWN for a couple of years and was rushed back online about the same time as that swarm of quakes started up!
Someone expecting something perhaps?!?!?!
I remember posting this thread last year right before the eruptions in October.
Well, she's at it again... four quakes greater than 3.0 in the last 26 hours, while not necessarily indicative of anything, it is a measurable change in activity.