[Darksheare]

I was 5, and remember reading about it.
And the news reports.
Helens has a 600 foot thick ice cap on her.
That's quite a bit of ice to be dealing with in an eruption.

[rdl6989]

Yes, the ash mixed with the ice/snow in 1980 creating "lahar flows" down the Toutle River.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

The ice cap and glaciers on Ranier is one of the chief concerns should that volcano blow. The eruption will melt the ice which will cause massive flooding. They fear all the homes in the area surrounding the volcano (that includes quite a ways out) will be destroyed.

From what I heard on the news last night, they suspect some sort of activity within the next couple of days. However, they said it is highly unlikely it would be anywhere near the magnitude of the 1980 blast. The last magma activity was in 1986. That was just a swelling, I believe, and then a settling.

My greater concern is that another blast could hasten the shifting of the Cascade fault. That's one earth quake that I don't want to be near to witness. Seattle will be a pile of rubble.