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 to the south-southeast.

Recent observations: Three years ago at 2 a.m. PDT seismometers at Mount St. Helens recorded the start of an earthquake swarm that heralded the reawakening of the volcano after an almost-18-year-long slumber. Today the eruption continues, with the total erupted volume exceeding that of the “old dome” formed by eruptions in 1980-86. Seismicity, deformation, and extrusion rates are all significantly lower than those encountered during the first months of the eruption in 2004, but seismicity remains above background levels and time-lapse images show that new lava continues to reach the surface. Clouds are currently hiding the 3-year-old eruption from view of cameras at the Johnston Ridge Observatory, but a partly-cloudy forecast gives reason for hope of improving viewing conditions as the day matures.