When was the last time mount saint helens erupted?

Question

When was the last time mount saint helens erupted?

Answer 1

1981, my mother-in-law sent me a glass ornament made from the ashes.

Answer 2

Major eruption in 1981

Smaller eruption about 3-5 years ago was beleived to be the next big one, but it calmed down after a week or so.

Answer 3

The latest eruption that started in 2004 was officially listed as over less than a month ago (changed from 'Advisory' to 'Normal').  The last noted activity was 5 months ago.

Article:  Mt. St. Helens Returns To Slumber

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/MSH/...

You can find all the information you want on this last eruption here (including photos, seismographs, and movies):

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/MSH/...

If you want current Mt. St. Helens info in general, then go here:

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/MSH/...

You may also see the volcano live (updates every 5 minutes) at the VolcanoCam website:

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

Answer 4

The volcano has been in continuous eruption since October 2004, but this eruption has in large part consisted of a gradual extrusion of lava forming a dome in the crater.

Mount St. Helens is most famous for its catastrophic eruption on May 18, 1980,[1] which was the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States.

Magma reached the surface of the volcano about October 11, 2004, resulting in the building of a new lava dome on the existing dome's south side. This new dome continued to grow throughout 2005 and into 2006. Several transient features were observed, such as the "whaleback," which comprised long shafts of solidified magma being extruded by the pressure of magma beneath. These features are fragile and break down soon after they are formed. On July 2, 2005, the tip of the whaleback broke off, causing a rockfall that sent ash and dust several hundred meters into the air. [46]

Mount St. Helens showed significant activity on March 8, 2005, when a 36,000-foot (11,000 m) plume of steam and ash emerged — visible from Seattle.[47] This relatively minor eruption was a release of pressure consistent with ongoing dome building. The release was accompanied by a magnitude 2.5 earthquake.

Another feature to emerge from the dome is called the "fin" or "slab." Approximately half the size of a football field, the large, cooled volcanic rock was being forced upward as quickly as 6 feet (2 m) per day.[48][49] In mid-June 2006, the slab was crumbling in frequent rockfalls, although it was still being extruded. The height of the dome was 7,550 feet (2,301 m), still below the height reached in July 2005 when the whaleback collapsed.

On October 22, 2006, at 3:13 p.m. PST, a magnitude 3.5 earthquake broke loose Spine 7. The collapse and avalanche of the lava dome sent an ash plume 2,000 feet (610 m) over the western rim of the crater; the ash plume then rapidly dissipated.



The volcano continuously steams as seen here in late 2007.On December 19, 2006, a large white plume of condensing steam was observed, leading some media people to assume there had been a small eruption. However, the Cascades Volcano Observatory of the USGS does not mention any significant ash plume.[50] The volcano has been in continuous eruption since October 2004, but this eruption has in large part consisted of a gradual extrusion of lava forming a dome in the crater.

On January 16, 2008, steam began seeping from a fracture atop the lava dome. Associated seismic activity is the most noteworthy since 2004. Scientists have suspended activities in the crater and the mountain flanks, but the risk of a major eruption is deemed low.[51] During the end of January, the eruption paused; no more lava was being extruded from the lava dome. On July 10, 2008 it was determined that the eruption had ended after more than six months of no volcanic activity.