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May 1, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash. During such eruptions, changes in the level of activity can occur over days to months. The eruption could intensify suddenly or with little warning and produce explosions that cause hazardous conditions within several miles of the crater and farther downwind. Small lahars could suddenly descend the Toutle River if triggered by heavy rain or by interaction of hot rocks with snow and ice. These lahars pose a negligible hazard below the Sediment Retention Structure (SRS) but could pose a hazard along the river channel upstream.
- Potential ash hazards: Wind forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), coupled with eruption models, show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift northeast.
- Potential ash hazards to aviation: Under current eruptive conditions, small, short-lived explosions may produce ash clouds that exceed 30,000 feet in altitude. Ash from such events can travel 100 miles or more downwind.
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- Recent observations: This morning, cameras at Johnston Ridge Observatory are providing glimpses of the crater through intervening clouds. There have been no changes in background levels of seismicity or motion of the growing dome. Data from a GPS spider atop the dome, which fell over in early April and was righted on April 20, show that the rate of movement there has been constant since the spider was deployed in early February. Given a relatively wet weather forecast, no field work is planned for the remainder of this week.
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May 2, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift NNE.
- Recent observations: This morning, visibility is limited by a late season snow storm with expected snow levels dropping to 2500 to 3000 feet tonight. There have been no changes in background levels of seismicity or motion of the growing dome. Given the weather forecast, no field work is planned for the remainder of this week
May 3, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift to the northeast or east.
- Recent observations: The volcano is mostly obscured by clouds this morning. Seismicity remains at a low background level, suggesting that lava extrusion is continuing. Yesterday afternoon at Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center, clearings between intermittent snow showers provided picturesque views of the snow clad volcano, lava domes, and glacier.
May 4, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift SE.
- Recent observations: Clouds block views of the mountain this morning. Seismicity remains at a low background level, suggesting that lava extrusion is continuing.
May 5, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift SSE.
- Recent observations: Clouds parted this morning to reveal fresh snow on the mountain under a beautiful blue sky. Seismicity remains at a low background level suggesting that lava extrusion is continuing.
May 6, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift southeast.
- Recent observations: Clouds are obscuring views of the crater from Johnston Ridge this morning. Seismicity continues at a low background level typical of recent weeks. Slow growth of the lava dome continues.
May 7, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift southeast or east.
- Recent observations: The day has dawned clear at the volcano, which is visible in images from Johnston Ridge Observatory. There have been no changes in background levels of seismicity or motion of the active part of the lava dome. Weather permitting, crews will visit the volcano later this week to make routine observations and to repair or replace monitoring instruments.
May 8, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift north to northeast.
- Recent observations: Scientists are taking advantage of clear skies today to make observations and to perform routine maintenance on various stations. Within the crater, lava extrusion continues accompanied by occasional rockfalls.
May 9, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift northeastward.
- Recent observations: Field crews had a successful day in the crater yesterday, deploying three new instruments on the growing lava dome, one new instrument on the west arm of the crater glacier, repairing a field camera and doing maintenance work or field measurements at several other locations. Wispy vapor trails rose from the lava dome during the day but no significant plumes rose from the crater in the sunny but windy weather. Gas flights were postponed for a less windy day.
May 10, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift northeast.
- Recent observations: Scientists continue to monitor the slow rates of deformation and seismicity that accompany lava extrusion within the crater. A magnitude 2.2 earthquake occurred at 9:21 this morning.
May 11, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift northeastward.
- Recent observations: It's a beautiful, mostly sunny morning at Mount St. Helens, with views available from Johnston Ridge at the current time. Seismicity has continued to be low. New data are being transmitted from the GPS instruments installed on the west arm of Crater Glacier and the lava dome Tuesday.
May 12, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift north-northeast.
- Recent observations: A lava dome continues to grow within the crater accompanied by small earthquakes and rockfall activity. An earthquake of magnitude 3.0 and ensuing rockfall on Friday late morning sent dust up to the rim briefly. Two other smaller earthquakes (M1.1 and M2.2) have occurred in the past 24 hours.
May 13, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift northeastward.
- Recent observations: Low clouds obscure the mountain this morning, but with improving weather it should become visible by this afternoon. Seismicity remains low.
May 14, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any low-level ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would not drift beyond the flanks of the volcano, and any high level clouds would drift east-southeast to east.
- Recent observations: There are no changes in volcanic activity in the past 24 hours.
May 15, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift northeastward.
- Recent observations: Clear weather today should provide wonderful views of Mount St. Helens. Continued slow and steady growth of the dome is indicated by the movement of GPS spiders installed last week. This growth is accompanied by intermittent rockfalls, which may generate ash clouds that could rise above the crater rim. There has been no change in the background level of crater earthquakes.
May 16, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift northeastward.
- Recent observations: Low clouds partly obscure views of the crater from Johnston Ridge Observatory this morning. A shallow magnitude 2.7 earthquake occurred yesterday at 4:14 PM PDT. Sporadic micro earthquakes, frequent rockfalls, and slow, steady growth of the lava dome continue.
May 17, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift northeastward.
- Recent observations: The view into the crater from Johnston Ridge Observatory is clear this morning. Sporadic micro earthquakes, frequent rockfalls, and slow, steady growth of the lava dome continue.
May 18, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift northeastward.
- Recent observations: The 27th anniversary of the 1980 eruption finds clear views into the crater from Johnston Ridge Observatory. The mountain continues to rebuild itself with steady growth of the lava dome accompanied by occasional micro earthquakes and rockfalls.
May 19, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift northeastward.
- Recent observations: Views of Mount St. Helens from Johnston Ridge Observatory are partly obscured by clouds this morning. There have been no detectable changes in seismicity or deformation. A seismic station placed on the growing dome survived nearly an hour of shaking this morning, possibly from a series of nearby rockfalls.
May 20, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift northeastward.
- Recent observations: Mount St. Helens is socked in clouds this morning. Infrequent micro earthquakes and occasional rockfalls accompany continued slow growth of the lava dome.
May 21, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift first to the east southeast, then later in the day to the southeast.
- Recent observations: The mountain remains covered by clouds this morning. Small infrequent earthquakes and occasional rockfalls accompany continued slow growth of the lava dome. Field work is planned for tomorrow if the clouds clear.
May 22, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift predominantly southeast.
- Recent observations: Low clouds at the volcano have delayed planned fieldwork. The eruption continues as slow extrusion accompanied by small earthquakes and rockfalls, occasionally punctuated by larger earthquakes. There have been no significant changes in activity over the past 24 hours.
May 23, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift south or southeast.
- Recent observations: Clear weather this morning allows unobstructed views of the volcano from Johnston Ridge Observatory and elsewhere. Seismicity and growth of the lava dome are continuing at rates that are typical of recent months. Yesterday, field crews attended to monitoring instruments and made routine observations. Additional field work is planned later this week.
May 24, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift southeast.
- Recent observations: It is clear and sunny today at Mount St. Helens. The eruption continues as slow extrusion accompanied by small earthquakes, rockfalls, and occasional larger earthquakes. There have been no changes in activity over the past 24 hours.
May 25, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift mainly southeast or east. Winds at low elevations are forecast to be light and variable, so small dust plumes could drift into other sectors as well.
- Recent observations: The volcano is clear of clouds this morning and field crews are on their way there to continue where they left off on Tuesday. They plan to visit several monitoring stations and make routine observations in the crater. Seismicity and the rate of dome growth remain unchanged from recent levels.
May 26, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift predominantly to the east.
- Recent observations: It is partly cloudy at the volcano this morning. The eruption continues as slow extrusion accompanied by small earthquakes, rockfalls, and occasional larger earthquakes. Rates of seismicity and deformation remain unchanged from recent levels.
May 27, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift in the sector between southeast and northeast.
- Recent observations: The volcano is obscured by clouds this morning. Seismicity and dome growth continue at levels typical of recent weeks.
May 28, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift southeast.
- Recent observations: The mountain is obscured by clouds early this morning. Clearing is expected. Monitoring instruments show no change in earthquake activity or deformation from levels established over the past few months.
May 29, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift SSE early in the day, shifting toward the west later.
- Recent observations: It's a clear, breezy morning at the volcano. Warm winds are blowing dust from the crater walls and floor across the mouth of the crater, partially obscuring the view. Seismicity and dome growth continue at rates typical of recent weeks. Hot weather forecast for the next few days will likely increase the rate of snowmelt at higher elevations, but we do not anticipate any increased water outflow from the crater as a result.
May 30, 2007:
- Current Volcanic- Alert Level WATCH ; Aviation Color Code ORANGE :
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds rising above the crater rim today would drift north to northeast.
- Recent observations: Views of Mount St. Helens are excellent this morning under clear blue skies. A diffuse plume is drifting northeast above the crater rim this morning. Seismicity and dome growth continue at rates typical of recent weeks. Continued hot weather will most likely increase the rate of snowmelt at higher elevations.
May 31, 2007:
- Current status is Volcano Advisory (Alert Level 2); aviation color code ORANGE:
- Growth of the new lava dome inside the crater of Mount St. Helens continues, accompanied by low rates of seismicity, low emissions of steam and volcanic gases, and minor production of ash.
- Wind forecasts show that any ash clouds that rise above the crater rim early this morning would drift northeastward, but owing to shifting winds by this afternoon, such ash clouds would drift to the east-northeast.
- Recent observations: Mount St. Helens is clear today, and a diffuse plume drifts upward from the active part of the dome. Seismicity in the form of small earthquakes every few minutes indicates steady slow extrusion of lava.
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