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Mount St. Helens, Washington
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October 2004

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Compiled from Mount St. Helens Activity Information Archives
Entries have been edited from the original.

October 1, 2004:

8:00 A.M., PDT
The alert remains at a Volcano Advisory.
The seismic energy level remains elevated with a rate of 3-4 events per minute and earthquakes as large as magnitude 3.3. All earthquake locations are still shallow and in or below the lava dome.
Data from a single GPS instrument on the east side of the lava dome suggest that total movement is ont the order of 7 cm (<3 inches) since Monday. Such movement is not surprising in light of the high seismicity levels.
A USGS field crew collected additional data from GPS equipment deployed to monitor any ground movement on the lava dome, crater floor, or lower slopes of the volcano.
A gas flight Thursday again failed to detect any significant volcanic gas, as was the case on Monday and Wednesday.
Today, field crews will use a thermal- imaging device (FLIR) to look for any thermal anomalies on the dome, and will install additional seismometers on the flanks of the volcano to enhance our ability to detect earthquakes.
We are examining images of cracks on the crater glacier to determine how they are related to the current activity.
A press conference will be held Friday at CVO at 9:30 am to update the media.
The current hazard outlook is unchanged from that outlined in Wednesday's Volcano Advisory.
Confusion regarding Alert Levels resulted in numerous calls to emergency management agencies from the public about which is the correct level. We are at Alert Level Two — Volcano Advisory.
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Mount St. Helens Information Statement,
October 1, 2004, 12:45 P.M., PDT

"This Information Statement describes a new feature that has developed in the crater of Mount St. Helens over the past few days. Photographs taken by scientists during gas flights show that an area of about 5 to 10 acres on the crater glacier, just south of the 1980-86 lava dome, has risen up to several tens of feet (exact amount is not known) and has become increasingly crevassed (cracked). The crevasses are up to several feet wide and perhaps tens of feet deep. We think that this localized deformation is caused by a portion of the south side of the lava dome and crater floor pushing upward in a piston-like motionand lifting overlying snow, glacier ice, and rock debris that is tens to several hundred feet thick. Because there is no sign of steaming or rapid melting, we infer that old, cold dome rock is in contact with the glacier and not new lava, which would be hot enough to cause steaming. This morning a USGS scientist from the Alaska Volcano Observatory is flying over the crater with an instrument that measures surface temperatures of the dome and crater floor.

This deformation accompanies the intense seismic activity of the past week and suggests that the dome has been weakened sufficiently that forces at depth are large enough to allow upward displacement of part of the dome and crater floor. Evidence from GPS instruments on the flanks of the volcano indicate that this deformation is limited to a relatively small area between the lava dome and south crater wall and that other sites are stable."

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Amendment made at 12:45 P.M.
" This area is the source of the steam and ash emission that began shortly after noon. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will issue additional updates as warranted."
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Mount St. Helens Information Statement,
October 1, 2004, 1:45 P.M., PDT

"Mount St. Helens remains at Alert Level 2—Volcano Advisory.

Shortly before noon today, Mount St. Helens emitted a plume of steam and minor ash from an area of new crevasses in the crater glacier south of the 1980-86 lava dome. This area was described in the prior Information Statement issued at 12:45 P.M. The event lasted from 11:57 to 12:21 PDT and created a pale-gray cloud that reached an altitude of about 9700 ft (from pilot reports). It drifted southwestward, where nearby residents should receive no more than a minor dusting of ash. USGS scientists making thermal measurements witnessed the emission and noted that the clouds were not particularly hot. Blocks of rock and ice ejected by the event fell in the crater and rim areas. The emission was accompanied by an abrupt drop in seismicity, which remains at low levels.

Similar events are possible in the future. We will monitor the situation closely over the next several hours anddays in order to determine the outlook for future behavior. Additional updates will be issued as needed."

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7:00 PM, PDT
Current status is Alert-Level 2-Volcano Advisory
The increasingly energetic seismic swarm of the past week culminated in a small 25-miunute-long eruption around noon today from a vent just south of the lava dome. The vent opened in a portion of the glacier that had become increasingly crevassed and uplifted over the past few days. This deformation was probably driven by piston-like uplift of a portion of the lava dome and crater floor. The eruption sent a steam and minor ash plume to an altitude of about 10,000 ft. It drifted southwestward accompanied by minor ashfall in areas close to the volcano. Seismicity dropped to a low level for several hours after the eruption, but is gradually increasing with earthquakes (maximum Magnitude about 3) occurring a rate of 1-2 per minute. We infer that the system is repressurizing. As a result, additional steam-and-ash eruptions similar to today’s could occur at any time.
Field crews in a helicopter took thermal images of the dome and crater both during and several hours after the eruption. Results will be available tomorrow. Another crew began deployment of two broadband seismometers that will provide useful data for in-depth scientific studies. Today’s explosion disabled both the seismometer and GPS instrument on the lava dome.
Updated wind forecasts from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration coupled with an eruption model indicate that the wind direction will be variable from the north to east so that any ash clouds produced tonight will drift southwestwardly or westwardly.

October 2, 2004:

7:30 A.M.
Current status is Alert-Level 2-Volcano Advisory
Yesterday the increasingly energetic seismic swarm of the past week culminated in a small 25-miunute-long eruption around noon from a vent just south of the lava dome. Seismicity dropped to a low level for several hours after the eruption, but quickly increased with earthquakes reaching a peak around 11 pm last night. Currently earthquakes are occurring at a rate of 1-2 per minute with maximum earthquake magnitudes about M3. All earthquake locations remain shallow. The current level of seismic energy release is slightly above where it was prior to the eruption yesterday. We infer that the system has repressurized. As a result, additional steam-and-ash eruptions similar to yesterdays’s could occur at any time.
Yesterday field crews in a helicopter took thermal images of the dome and crater both during and several hours after the eruption. Temperatures were consistent with those expected from the steam explosion and well below magmatic temperatures. Another flight for thermal imagery will occur this morning. A deformation crew will be in the field today to collect data. Yesterday's gas flight detected no magmatic gases in the area of the eruptive vent, but did detect some carbon dioxide (CO2) from a small fumarole on the NW face of the dome. The amount of CO2 will probably be too small to quantify. At times the flight crew thought they smelled a weak sulfurous odor in the vicinity of this fumarole, but the sensors did not detect any SO2 or H2S.
Updated wind forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration coupled with an eruption model indicate that the wind direction are from the east so that any ash clouds produced today will drift westwardly.
There will be a press conference at CVO this morning at 9:30 am.
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Mount St. Helens Notice of Volcano Alert,
October 2, 2004, 2:00 p.m., PDT

"A notice of Volcano Alert (Alert Level 3) was issued today at 2:00 p.m. PDT

Immediately after the small steam emission at 12:15, seismic activity changed from principally rock breakage events to continuous low-frequency tremor, which is indicative of magma movement. We are increasing the alert level to Volcano Alert the highest alert level indicating that an eruption could be imminent.

The cause and outcome of the accelerating unrest is uncertain. Explosions from the vent could occur suddenly and without further warning. During such explosions the dome and crater floor are at greatest risk from ballistic projectiles, but the rim of the crater and flanks of the volcano could also be at risk. Explosions would also be expected to produce ash clouds that rise several to tens of thousands of feet above the crater rim and drift downwind. Currently wind forecasts from the National Weather Service, combined with eruption models, show that ash clouds will move to the northwest. If ash emissions are large, drifting ash could affect downwind communities. Minor melting of the glacier could trigger debris flows from the crater that are large enough to reach the Pumice Plain. There is very low probability that downstream communities would be impacted by these hydrologic events. .

We continue to monitor the situation very closely and will issue additional updates as warranted, whether activity escalates or returns to background levels."

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7:00 P.M.
Current status is Volcano Alert (Alert Level 3); aviation color code RED
At 2 pm today, we increased the alert level to Volcano Alert due to a change in the character of seismic signals (50-minute-long tremor) that occurred immediately after the small steam emission at 12:15. Since the tremor stopped, seismic character has changed back to the type of earthquakes we have detected since the beginning of the volcanic unrest. Earthquakes are occurring at a rate of 1-2 per minute with maximum earthquake magnitues of about M3. All earthquake locations remain shallow.
Today field crews took additional thermal images of the dome and crater. Deformation crews were in the field retrieving data from GPS instruments. Results are not yet available from today's late gas flight .
Currently wind forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), combined with eruption models, show winds this evening will be from the east and southeast and any ash clouds will drift to the west and northwest.
We continue to monitor the situation very closely and will issue additional updates as warranted.
Press conferences will be held tomorrow at the Supervisor's Office of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The morning press conference is at 9:30 am.

October 3, 2004:

8:00 A.M.
Current status is Volcano Alert (Alert Level 3); aviation color code RED
Overnight (about 3 am) there was a tremor burst that lasted about 25 minutes. No eruptive plume was detected as a result of this tremor. Following the tremor, seismic activity dropped, but now is at a level similar to that before the tremor burst. Earthquakes are occurring at a rate of 1-2 per minute with maximum earthquake magnitudes of about M3. All earthquake locations remain shallow.
During yesterday’s gas flight, scientists saw an increase in the number of fumaroles on the lava dome and detected some carbon dioxide. The total amount awaits further data reduction. Scientists also reported intermittently the smell of hydrogen sulfide (rotten-egg smell) over the crater. Data from the GPS instruments on the flanks of the volcano show no significant changes. Results from the FLIR (thermal imagery) data to date show no significant thermal anomalies in the crater or on the dome.
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7:40 P.M.
Current status is Volcano Alert (Alert Level 3); aviation color code RED
At 2 pm yesterday, we increased the alert level to Volcano Alert due to a change in the character of seismic signals (50 minute long tremor) that occurred immediately after a steam emission at 12:16 P.M., recognition of ongoing uplift of the crater floor, and reports of sulfur gas odor. In addition, we believe that there is a significantly increased probability that gas-rich magma is moving toward the surface. After another period of tremor starting at 2:57 A.M. this morning, seismicity returned to discrete earthquakes. Seismic activity decreased gradually until about 2:00 P.M. then increased again, reaching levels comparable to those prior to steam and ash eruptions. M3 earthquakes are occurring at a rate of about one every 5 minutes. All earthquake locations remain shallow.
Yesterday’s gas sensing flights detected significant concentrations of carbon dioxide north and west of the dome. No significant levels of sulfur gasses were detected. Hydrogen sulfide odors detected by helicopter crews are attributed to steam emissions. These low levels of hydrogen sulfide are likely the result of boiling of the hydrothermal system.
Results from GPS measurements indicate no significant deformation of the outer flanks of the volcano. However, visual observations and photographic analysis show large-scale uplift (10’s of meters) of part of the glacier and a nearby segment of the south flank of the lava dome. This suggests rise of magma to shallow levels. Additional steam and ash eruptions could occur at any time. There is also an increased probability of larger magnitude and more ash-rich eruptions.
Today field crews took additional thermal images of the dome and crater and conducted gas sensing, infrared and geologic observation flights. Deformation crews retrieved data from GPS instruments and lowered a new GPS station from a helicopter onto the dome. In addition, two telemetered microphones are now operating to detect explosions.
Wind forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), combined with eruption models, show winds this evening will be from the east and southeast and any ash clouds would drift to the west and northwest.
We continue to monitor the situation closely and will issue additional updates and Alert Level changes as warranted.
Press conferences will continue to be held at the Headquarters office of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The morning press conference is at 9:30 AM.

October 4, 2004:

7:00 A.M.
Current status is Volcano Alert (Alert Level 3); aviation color code RED
Overnight seismic activity increased until a steam (and possibly ash) event occurred about 10:40 P.M. Observers at Coldwater Ridge could see the steam plume, which barely made it to the crater rim, in the moonlight. Since then, the seismicity has been significantly lower as after prior steam-and-ash events. Earthquakes are occurring at a rate of about 1 per minute and the largest since the steam event have been in the magnitude 2s. All locations remain shallow.
Results from GPS measurements indicate no significant deformation of the outer flanks of the volcano. However, visual observations and photographic analysis show large-scale uplift (10’s of meters) of part of the glacier and a nearby segment of the lava dome. Yesterday a field crew installed a new GPS instrument on the dome and also measured the distance from the Johnston Ridge Observatory to the dome.
Yesterday’s gas flight continued to detect carbon dioxide and low levels of hydrogen sulfide.
Two telemetered microphones are now in operation to detect explosions.
Today we will receive a remotely operated video camera that will be installed on the crater rim from the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Today field crews will work at installing additional seismometers on the flanks of the volcano and will continue to harden the GPS sites and download data. Time permitting, additional flights to acquire thermal imagery and gas measurements will occur.
Wind forecasts from the NOAA, combined with eruption models show winds today will be from the east and southeast and any ash clouds would drift to the west and northwest.
We continue to be concerned that additional steam-and-ash eruptions could occur at any time. The principal hazard from these types of events is for ash reaching altitudes that could affect aviation. If the current unrest continues there is also an increased probability of larger magnitude and more ash-rich eruptions.
We continue to monitor the situation closely and will issue additional updates and Alert Level changes as warranted.
Press conferences will continue to be held at the Headquarters office of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Press conferences are held at 9:30 A.M. and 2:30 P.M.
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7:00 P.M.
Current status is Volcano Alert (Alert Level 3); aviation color code RED
This morning visitors to Mount St. Helens witnessed a 40-minute-long steam-and-ash emission starting at 9:43 PDT. Steam clouds carrying minor ash billowed out of the crater to an altitude of 10,000 to perhaps 12,000 feet. The event did not generate earthquakes or an explosion signal. We infer that hot rock was pushed up into the glacier, melted ice, and generated the steam. Part of the vent for today’s and other steam and ash emissions of the past few days is now covered by a boiling lake. The emission occurred during a time of gradually increasing seismicity, which dropped slightly after the emission, but continued to increase gradually through the afternoon. Another period of smaller steam and ash bursts occurred between 2:10 and 2:40 P.M. Visual observations show that the area of uplift, which includes part of the glacier and a nearby segment of the south flank of the lava dome, continues to rise. We infer that magma is at a very shallow level and could soon be extruded into the vent or elsewhere in the deforming area. Additional steam and ash emissions are likely and could occur at any time without warning. Conditions suggest that there is also an increased probability of larger-magnitude and more ash-rich eruptions in coming days.
Yesterday’s gas-sensing flight detected slightly lower concentrations of carbon dioxide in the crater, but for the first time the airborne instruments detected the presence of hydrogen sulfide. Wind conditions during today’s flight should permit the first estimation of the rate of gas flux.
Today field crews took additional thermal images of the dome and crater and conducted gas-sensingand geologic-observation flights. Two additional GPS stations were lowered by helicopter onto the 1980-86 lava dome to aid in measuring deformation of the dome.
Wind forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), combined with eruption models, show winds this evening will be from the west and any ash clouds will drift eastward. By tomorrow morning the wind will shift to the south and any ash clouds will drift northward.
We continue to monitor the situation closely and will issue additional updates and Alert Level changes as warranted.
Press conferences will continue to be held at the Headquarters office of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The morning press conference is at 9:30 AM.

October 5, 2004:

7:00 A.M.
Current status is Volcano Alert (Alert Level 3); aviation color code RED
Yesterday visitors to Mount St. Helens witnessed a 30-minute-long steam-and-ash emission starting at 9:43 a.m. PDT and a 10- minute-long steam-and-ash emission starting at 14:10 p.m. PDT. The larger one dusted roads to the the SE of the volcano with ash. Maximum thickness of the ash at 8 km (about 5 miles) was 0.2 mm (less than 1/8 of an inch). Neither event generated earthquakes or an explosion signal. We infer that hot rock was pushed up into the glacier, melted ice, and generated the steam. Part of the vent for yesterday’s and other steam and ash emissions of the past few days is now covered by a bubbling lake. Since yesterday's emissions, earthquake energy has slowly increased to previous high values.
Visual observations show that the area of uplift, which includes part of the glacier and a nearby segment of the south flank of the lava dome, continues to rise. Thermal surveys of the dome confirms the deformation. Hot cracks (40-50° C; about 100-120° F, well below magmatic temperatures) in the dome are opening, and dome rocks are avalanching off the dome into the lake and onto the south crater floor. The north flank of the dome appears thermally stable.
Yesterday’s gas-sensing flight detected carbon dioxide, often in association with hydrogen sulfide peaks and occasional sulphur dioxide peaks, at numerous sites around the dome and crater floor.
Today field crews will take additional thermal images of the dome and crater, conduct gas-sensing and geologic-observation flights, and continue hardening GPS sites. Two additional GPS stations were lowered by helicopter onto the 1980-86 lava dome yesterday to aid in measuring deformation of the dome.
Wind forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), combined with eruption models, show that morning winds will are from the south and west and any ash clouds will drift northward and easterly.
We continue to monitor the situation closely and will issue additional updates and Alert Level changes as warranted.
Press conferences will continue to be held at the Headquarters office of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The morning press conference is at 9:30 AM.
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6:45 p.m, PDT
Current status is Volcano Alert (Alert Level 3); aviation color code RED
This morning the rate of seismicity was at a high, sustained level when, shortly after 9:00 a.m. PDT, the most vigorous steam and ash emission of the current period of unrest began. The emission originated from the same vent as have others this past week, as well as from another nearby new vent in the intensely deforming area on the south side of the 1980-86 lava dome. For more than one hour, steam clouds billowed from the crater. The ash content varied with intensity of steam jetting from the vent. For the first time, ash content was sufficient that it was detected by National Weather Service Doppler Radar. Steam and ash clouds reached about 12,000 feet and drifted north-northeastward. Ash forecasts warned downwind residents. Media reports indicate that a light dusting of ash fell in Morton, Randle, and Packwood, Washington, towns about 30 miles from the volcano. Nearby traffic on U.S. 12 stirred up the ash, slightly reducing visibility. We have no reports of ash falling at greater distances.
The rate of seismicity dropped during and the emission and has stayed at relatively low rates. We infer that magma is at a very shallow level and could soon be extruded from a vent in the deforming area. Additional steam and ash emissions are likely and could occur at any time without warning. Conditions suggest that there is also an increased probability of larger-magnitude and more ash-rich eruptions in coming days.
Results of field work are pending. Crews worked on GPS and seismic stations and made thermal and visual observations during and after the steam and ash emission.
Wind forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), combined with eruption models, show winds this evening will remain southerly and any ash clouds will drift north-northeastward.
We continue to monitor the situation closely and will issue additional updates and Alert Level changes as warranted.
Press conferences will continue to be held at the Headquarters office of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The morning press conference is at 9:30 AM.

October 6, 2004:

7:00 A.M.
Current status is Volcano Alert (Alert Level 3); aviation color code RED
Seismicity overnight has remained at very low levels. After the vigourous steam-and-ash emission of yesterday morning, seismicity dropped with individual events becoming smaller. By about 5 p.m. PDT yesterday, individual events became rare and as of 11:00 p.m., seismicity has been stable at a low level.
Yesterday, field crews continued to harden GPS sites for the approaching winter and retrieved data. The GPS sites on the dome survived the steam-and-ash emission and data are being received and processed at the observatory. The station on the northern flank of the dome, shows a trend of northward displacement totaling 2 cm in the last three days. This is the same sense of movement recorded by the nearby station that was destroyed by the first steam-and-ash emission on 1 October. Data from the other two stations on the dome, which were installed on 4 October are currently being analyzed. Data from GPS instruments on the outer flanks of the volcano show no movement of the outer flanks.
No gas measurements were made yesterday. A seismic crew installed an additional broadband seismometer on the northwest flank of the volcano which will help show a broader range of seismic energy release. With the help of the U.S. Forest Service, field crews installed an antenna mast for a VSAT uplink which will improve our ability to retrieve data from the field.
It began raining at the mountain at about 7:30 p.m. PDT. By about 9:30 p.m. about 0.1 inch of rain had fallen. Overnight, the acoustic flow monitoror (AFM) in the crater indicated that several small debris flows had moved past the site. By midnight, higher flows were recorded at a station on the pumice plain, but none were large enough to trigger an automatic alert. We expect these types of flowage events to recur during intense rainstorms.
Wind forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), combined with eruption models, show winds this morning are from the west-southwest such that any ash clouds will drift to the east-northeast.
We continue to monitor the situation closely and will issue additional updates and Alert Level changes as warranted.
Press conferences will continue to be held at the Headquarters office of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The morning press conference is at 9:30 AM. If activity remains low, we will do a show-and-tell of some of the instruments were are using to monitor the volcano at the press conference.
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Past Alert Level: Volcano Alert (Alert Level 3); aviation color code RED
New Alert Level: Volcano Advisory (Alert Level 2); aviation color code ORANGE
October 6, 2004 9:15 A.M., PDT

" Following yesterday morning’s steam-and-ash eruption, seismicity dropped to a low level and has remained low. Low-level tremor observed following the eruption is also gradually declining. Lack of earthquake and rockfall signals suggest that deformation of the uplift area on the south side of the 1980-86 lava dome has slowed. Brief visual observations this morning from Coldwater Visitor Center showed weak steam emissions from the crater. We infer that the vigorous unrest of the past few days has lessened and that the probability of an imminent eruption that would endanger life and property is significantly less than at any time since Saturday, October 2, when the alert level was raised to Volcano Alert (Level 3). Therefore, we are lowering the alert level to Volcano Advisory (Alert Level 2).

Such decreases in the level of unrest, which may reflect a decrease in the rate of magma movement, have been common at Mount St. Helens during eruptions in 1980-86 and also at similar volcanoes elsewhere. Episodic changes in level of unrest over periods of days to weeks, or even months, are possible. We don’t think that the current episode of unrest is over and we expect fluctuations in the level of unrest to continue during coming days and months. Everyone should be aware that escalation in unrest and perhaps an eruption could occur suddenly or with very little warning. There may be little time to raise the Alert Level before a hazardous event occurs. Therefore, we continue to monitor the situation closely and will issue additional updates and changes in Alert Level as warranted."

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6:00 p.m, PDT
Current status is Volcano Advisory (Alert Level 2); aviation color code ORANGE
The low rate of seismic activity that followed yesterday’s steam and ash emission continued through last night, but rose slowly between about 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., before leveling off at a slightly higher level. Earthquakes are presently occurring at a rate of about one per minute with a maximum magnitude of about 1.0. No thermal observations were possible today owing to low clouds and rain, but late this afternoon scientists were able to get brief views of the vents and the area of intense uplift on the south side of the 1980-86 lava dome. They saw only weak puffs of steam coming from vents. They were able to confirm that the top of the area of intense uplift is at or slightly above the highest point on the lava dome, which suggests that some uplift has occurred during this period of low seismicity. They were also able to observe areas affected by the small lahars that spilled out of the crater and onto the Pumice Plain during last night’s rain storm. Lahars flowed a short distance toward both Spirit Lake and the North Fork Toutle River. Another crew worked on installation of broad-band seismometers on the lower flanks of the volcano.
Information received today indicates that a light dusting of ash from yesterday’s event affected the eastern part of Mount Rainier National Park, about 70 miles north-northeast of Mount St. Helens.
As a result of the intense unrest of the past 10 days, we infer that magma is at a very shallow level. During times of unrest, Mount St. Helens and similar volcanoes elsewhere typically go through episodic changes in level of unrest over periods of days to weeks, or even months. Such changes are in part driven by variations in the rate of magma movement. We expect fluctuations in the level of unrest to continue during coming days. Escalation in the degree of unrest and perhaps an eruption could occur suddenly or with very little warning. There may be little time to raise the alert level before a hazardous event occurs. Therefore, we continue to monitor the situation closely and will issue additional updates and changes in alert level as warranted.
Wind forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), combined with eruption models, show winds this evening will remain westerly and any ash clouds will drift eastward to northeastward.
Press conferences will continue to be held at the Headquarters office of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The morning press conference is at 9:30 AM.

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03/23/05, Lyn Topinka