Mount St. Helens is not erupting, USGS reassures public

Mount St. Helens is not erupting

On September 16, 2025, the USGS had to reassure the public that Mount St. Helens was not erupting after large plumes of what looked like smoke rose from above the historic mountain peak. While it was volcanic ash in the air above the volcano, it was 45-year-old ash from the 1980 eruption kicked up by strong winds.

The USGS said:

Strong easterly-southeasterly winds in the vicinity of Mount St. Helens have picked up loose volcanic ash deposited during the 1980 eruptions and are carrying it to the west-northwest. The resuspended ash has been reported by commercial pilots in the area.

This phenomenon is not the result of recent volcanic activity and occasionally occurs during times of high winds and dry snow-free conditions in the Mount St. Helens area. No eruption is in progress and Mount St. Helens remains at Aviation Color Code GREEN and Alert Level NORMAL. Resuspended volcanic ash should be considered hazardous and could be damaging to aircraft and health.

The future for the volcano

Fortunately, the National Weather Service forecast calls for the winds to die down for the rest of the week.

But Mount St. Helens is still considered an active volcano. In fact, it’s the most active volcano in the lower 48 states. And it has erupted since the massive 1980 event. The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network said:

Mount St. Helens again erupted in 2004-2008, when it produced only minor explosive activity but a series of spectacular lava spines with a cumulative volume of almost 100 million cubic meters that doubled the size of the lava dome. Tremors and millions of small earthquakes accompanied both of the recent eruptions. Since early 2008 no eruptions have taken place and the lava dome has shrunk in height as its steep sides crumble into a broader, more symmetrical shape.

So, no, Mount St. Helens isn’t erupting right now. But scientists believe it will again in the future.

Bottom line: Mount St. Helens is not erupting. On September 16, 2025, locals saw a ghost of the 1980 eruption as strong winds blew old ash into the air.

Via USGS