42 for Loowit’s 42nd vol. 4: Menacing May
May had begun with an ominous quiet.
Ominous? Surely a restless volcano quieting down is a good thing!
Yeah, not when you’ve got one flank of the mountain growing a bulge like a demonic pregnancy and displaying worrying new thermal anomalies. Add in earthquakes and dramatic swelling, and you’re sure the volcano is ready to pop.
Geodimeter station at Toutle Canyon near Mount St. Helens. Skamania County, Washington. May 2, 1980. Caption and image credit: USGS
[Monty Python voice] Look at the bulge!
North side of Mount St. Helens bulge. Skamania County, Washington. May 7, 1980. Caption and image credit: USGS
And then phreatic eruptions started up again, showing that magma lurked at very shallow depths indeed.
Beginning of second series of phreatic eruptions of Mount St. Helens. Skamania County, Washington. Evening of May 7, 1980. Caption and image credit: USGS
They were quite scenic, and very exciting, but terrible omens to those who could read all the signs.
Phreatic eruption of Mount St. Helens. View from Coldwater II observation station, 1757 hrs. Skamania County, Washington. May 11, 1980. Caption and image credit: USGS
The explosions continued until May 15th, then paused. The crater lay quiet, aside from steaming fumaroles.
Mount St. Helens summit from north-northeast. Skamania County, Washington. May 17, 1980. Caption and image credit: USGS
Dave Johnston was able to sample gasses from a fumarole on the bulge on the last day. Everyone knew something major was likely to happen soon.
View from helicopter of David Johnston near crest of the bulge on the north side of Mount St. Helens, sampling gases from fumaroles. David is near the center of the picture. Skamania County, Washington. May 17, 1980.
Only one day more…
Featured image: Mount St. Helens from the west. Skamania County, Washington. May 17, 1980. Caption and image credit: USGS
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