USGS raises eruption alert on Mount St. Helens

University of Washington, Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network ^ | sep 29 2004 | usgs

[paladinkc]

Increased seismicity overnight prompted raising the alert level to Volcano Advisory (Alert Level 2) at 10:40 A.M., PDT, this morning.

[paladinkc]

Throughout the day the seismic energy level has remained at an elevated with a rate of 3-4 events per minute including an increase in the number of events between Magnitude 2 and 3. All earthquake locations are still shallow and in or below the lava dome. In addition, initial data from the GPS instrument on the lava dome that was repaired Monday morning suggest that the site moved a few inches northward Monday and Tuesday, but has since been stable. Such movement is not surprising in light of the high seismicity levels. A USGS field crew continued their deployment of GPS equipment today in order to monitor any ground movement on the lava dome, crater floor, or lower slopes of the volcano. Another gas flight this morning produced a result of no significant volcanic gas detected, as was the case on Monday. Two press conferences were held at CVO to update the media. Tomorrow’s field work includes continued GPS deployments.

The current hazard outlook is unchanged from that outlined in this morning’s Volcano Advisory. Updated wind forecasts from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration coupled with an eruption model indicate that the wind direction will shift from northwesterly to northeasterly tonight. Therefore any ash clouds produced tonight will drift southwestward.

Confusion at this morning’s press briefing at CVO regarding Alert Levels resulted in numerous calls to emergency management agencies from the public about which is the correct level. We are at Alert Level Two—Volcano Advisory.

[zzen01]

It's Clinton's Fault!

[PokeyJoe]

no no no

Bush lied, there were no WMD.

Mt. St. Helens is erupting because of Global warming and because rich people don't pay enough taxes.

(did I leave anything out? Hlliburton? Bush didn't win the popular vote?)

[Izzy Dunne]

Here's a live webcam of MSH. It's dark now, but if anybody sees a glow, pay attention!
I use GeekTool to keep this picture on my desktop. So I can see it erupt (or not). http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanocams/msh/images/mshvolcanocam.jpg

[Izzy Dunne]

I don't know how you could forget Bush's friends in the ahl bidness. That's why this is happening.

[Lancer_N3502A]

I live 60 miles north of St. Helens. I know it's hoping against hope, but I hope that a huge flaming lava bomb flies north and takes out Evergreen College.

[dc-zoo]

OMG.. I'm looking at your webcam image and the mountain's gone! Did she already blow?! :)

[Ichneumon]

Uh oh, the volcano seems to be filling the sky with a dense cloud of little green and purple streaks -- that can't be a good sign...

[hyperpoly8]

We told you it was going to blow, before we told you it wasn't.

[megatherium]

I live 60 miles north of St. Helens. I know it's hoping against hope, but I hope that a huge flaming lava bomb flies north and takes out Evergreen College.

Good grief! Yes, the Evergreenies are a bunch of long-haired leftist freaks. But it is such a beautiful campus. Where I teach looks like a big parking lot by comparison (a commuter school in the midwest). <laughing>

[mhking]

The National Volcano Service has issued a....VOLCANO ADVISORY... Conditions are right for the formation of volcanoes and volcanic activity....

Just damn.

If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[Lancer_N3502A]

I wanna turn Evergreen into a parking lot...or a gun range...hehe

[Frank_2001]

Those scoundrels must have been drilling in the area, the evil vibrations peeled the bark off old-growth forests, frightened elk into sterility, and shook up Mother Earth's magma;))))

[missyme]

What about our ASTEROID!!!! NO ONe is talking about it and it's hurling tonite..

[Nick Danger]

the GPS instrument on the lava dome that was repaired Monday morning

I admire the guts of whoever did that.

[rdl6989]

Thanks, I probably wouldn't have watched the webcam tonight but the idea about a glow is great. I got a BIG scare today when I pulled it up on my computer and saw the low clouds and fog. I thought for a minute that it was erupting then.

[djf]

Turn the dang spotlights on!

Seriously, I checked the webcam this morning about 2 am and you could barely make out the outline of the mountain. But we had a beautiful, brilliant full moon last night, I probably could have sat on my front porch and read by it.

I regularly watch the seismograms for all the mts here. St.H has been showing, for at least two months prior, a continuous low level harmonic that rarely subsided at all.

She's gonna go this time.

[hchutch]

Yeah... there's only ONE way I'd do that sort of thing.

[Howlin]

Check this out tomorrow:

http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanocams/msh/

It's a live cam.

[Camachee]

seismicity

Is that a word?