US EditionMount St. Helens Isn't Erupting, so Why Does It Look Like It Is? NWS Explains
- On September 16, 2025, strong winds around Mount St. Helens in Washington lifted ash left from the 1980 eruption, creating visible plumes in the air.
- This ash resuspension occurred because a persistent high-pressure dome funneled gusty easterly winds through the Columbia River Gorge, stirring decades-old volcanic deposits.
- Authorities including the USGS and National Weather Service clarified that the volcano is not erupting, and the ash does not result from new volcanic activity but from historic deposits.
- The USGS reported that strong winds from the east to southeast near Mount St. Helens have stirred up volcanic ash remaining from the 1980 eruption, cautioning that this reawakened ash poses potential risks to both aircraft and human health.
- Since volcanic activity at Mount St. Helens is stable with no increase in alert status, the recent ash presence is due to weather conditions lifting older deposits rather than indicating new volcanic events.
16 Articles
16 Articles
No, Mount St. Helens isn’t erupting again. It’s just stirring up leftover ash 45 years after ‘the big one’
For a moment, it seemed like a blast from the past: a plume over Mount St. Helens on Tuesday looked like the volcano might be erupting again. But fortunately, this was not an eruption — just a wind-whipped encore decades in the making.
Why is ash swirling around Mount St. Helens?
What is that coming out of Mount St. Helens? Is it ash? The National Weather Service (NWS) in Portland assured everyone that although ash is circulating, the mountain is not erupting. Strong winds from the east are pushing out the 1980s volcanic ash. A webcam of the mountain can be seen here. Morning everyone. 1st: Mt. Saint Helens is NOT erupting. Volcanic Ash from the 1980s is being lofted back into the air from the strong east winds. Want mo…
Mount St. Helens isn't erupting, so why does it look like it is? NWS explains
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Mount St. Helens may look like it’s erupting, but it’s not. According to the National Weather Service, strong eastern winds on Tuesday have caused volcanic ash from the ‘80s to blow into the air. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KOIN Severe Weather Alerts SIGN UP NOW From a distance, the amount of ash makes i…
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