Mt. Fitzherbert

Potential ash hazards: Wind forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), coupled with eruption models, show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift north-northeast.

Recent observations: Weather at the volcano is surprisingly good this morning. Although the Portland-Vancouver area is receiving much needed rain, the view of Mount St. Helens from Johnston Ridge is clear. Time-lapse photos from an array of cameras at the volcano show that growth of the lava dome is continuing. Points on the active part of the dome moved away from the vent at an average rate of about 1.5 feet per day during the past few weeks. That rate is similar to but slightly less than it was about a year ago. There has been no change in the background level of seismicity, which is dominated by glacier quakes and rockfalls from the dome and surrounding crater walls.