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Journalism of Courage
If the skies are clear as forecast, volcano watchers who turn out for the reopening of the Johnston Ridge Observatory on Friday will get a spectacular view of a hulking 300-feet fin-shaped slab of rock that’s been rapidly growing since last November in Mount St Helens’ crater. It’s jutting up from one of seven lobes of fresh volcanic rock that have been pushing their way through the surface of the crater since October 2004.
Mount St Helens’, located in the Cascades of Washington, has been quietly erupting since a flurry of tiny earthquakes began in late September 2004. Scientists initially mistook the quakes as rainwater seeping into the hot interior of the older lava dome.
But it soon became clear that magma was on the move, confirmed by the emergence of fire-red lava between the old lava dome and the south crater rim a few weeks after the seismic activity began.
The volcano has continued pumping out lava ever since. Eventually, scientists expect the volcano will rebuild its conical peak. ‘‘Given the way things are going now, there’s no hint of any catastrophic eruptions,’’ USGS geologist Tom Pierson said. ‘‘At any time, however, things can change.’’
