Did Mount St. Helens Appear to Erupt on Tuesday?

Mount St. Helens put on a show on Tuesday in Washington state, creating concerns that the monster volcano was erupting again. What caused the ash to lift from the volcano? Read on for the explanation.

Winds Send Ash from Mount St. Helens Flying

It appeared as if Mount St. Helens was going through another eruption stage on Tuesday. However, the old ash left from the 1980 eruption was simply sent into the air due to strong easterly winds.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the wind gusts that swept across the massive crater of Mount St. Helens and the nearby southern Cascade Mountains were strong enough to kick up the old ash left from the 1980 eruption. The ash was sent thousands of feet into the air, creating the appearance that the volcano was once again erupting.

The USGS was quick to point out that the appearance of the ash was not a sign of renewed volcanic activity. The agency stressed that both the alert level and the aviation color code were still at green. This is the lowest possible setting, indicating that activity is normal.

The panic ensued when images distributed by the USGS and Portland's National Weather Service (NWS) field office showed the thick plumes of ash falling downward. Satellite was also able to pick up the ash in images. Meanwhile, pilots reported that the ash was hovering up to 10,000 feet in the air.

It is not unusual for Mount St. Helens to produce resuspended volcanic ash. The historic 1980 eruption sent a massive column of ash and gas up to 15 miles into the atmosphere. The eruption triggered a landslide, resulting in 57 fatalities, making it the deadliest and most destructive volcanic eruption in the U.S.

The fine rock particles are still in place along the flanks and the insides of Mount St. Helens. The right conditions are able to send the flakes flying, even decades later.

Forecasters said that is what happened on Tuesday when a large area of high pressure tethered over the Pacific Northwest created hot, dry, and windy conditions. It was a toasty day in both Seattle and Portland with temperatures well into the 80s. With so much of Washington and Oregon under the designation of a severe drought, it did not take much wind to send the ash scattering.

The resuspended volcanic ash is not inherently dangerous. However, its presence can negatively impact air quality levels. In addition, the ash can cause visibility to drop.