Think Mount St. Helens’ is trying to tell us something?
Yeah, when a volcano that erupted with such force as to completely destroy half of its own structure and devastate miles of the surrounding terrain starts pushing up a hunk of rock at a rate of 4 to 5 feet per day, you just know that’s something ill blows in the wind. As of this morning’s report, it was about 300 feet high and headed up.
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 slab of rock that’s rapidly growing 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.
The fin-shaped mass is about 300 feet tall and growing 4 feet to 5 feet a day, though it occasionally loses height from rockfalls off its tip, said Dan Dzurisin, a geologist at the U.S. Geological Survey.
You can check out the image at the story linked. It’s been over 25 years since the eruption there killed 57 people. I certainly hope the folks there now aren’t taking any chances.
