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October 1, 2006:
- 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 eastward.
- 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: Mount St. Helens quietly continues to extrude lava onto the south crater floor, with declining visibility and increasing winds as the dry clear weather of the past three weeks deteriorates. Rockfalls off of the dome continue, sometimes associated with earthquakes during the extrusion process.
- *** This line included in daily update but excluded for rest of month on this page.
October 2, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 eastward.
- Recent observations: Our instrumentation shows that lava continues to extrude onto the south crater floor, associated with sporadic, low level seismicity and periodic tilt of the crater floor. Viewing conditions remain good through today.
October 3, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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: Lava continues to extrude onto the south crater floor, associated with sporadic, low level seismicity and periodic tilt of the crater floor. Viewing conditions are good this morning with high overcast clouds.
October 4, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 southwest, west, or northwest.
- Recent observations: Extrusion of the new lava dome continues with relatively low seismicity levels and periodic tilt of the crater floor. Mount St. Helens was visible intermittently this morning on the US Forest Service webcam. Viewing conditions are mostly good this morning with some high clouds over the crater.
October 5, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 southwest this morning and south to southeast later in the day.
- Recent observations: Lava continues to extrude onto the south crater floor, associated with sporadic, low level seismicity and periodic tilt of the crater floor. Viewing conditions on the US Forest Service webcam are good this morning.
October 6, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 east to southeast early in the day and southeast and south later in the day.
- Recent observations: Lava dome extrusion continues at Mount St. Helens. No significant changes in seismicity, deformation, or rockfall activity have been detected in the past 24 hours. Views of the crater are obscured by clouds this morning.
October 7, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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: Lava continues to extrude associated with periodic tilt of the crater floor and primarily sporadic, low level seismicity. Yesterday through early this morning, 4 small earthquakes M2.2 to M3.2 have occurred beneath the crater floor. Viewing conditions are good this morning.
October 8, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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: Mount St. Helens is hidden by clouds this morning. Weather forecasts for Columbus Day indicate sunny weather and excellent opportunities to view the crater. Data from deformation-monitoring instruments located on the 1980-86 and 2004-2006 lava domes indicate that extrusion of the new lava dome continues, despite relatively low seismicity levels. Mount Rainier's M 4.5 earthquake at about 7:50 PM last night registered on the Mount St. Helens seismic network.
October 9, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 southwest.
- Recent observations: Excellent views into the crater are possible today, but gusty winds are kicking up a lot of dust and ash. A small steam plume is also visible. No significant changes in seismicity or ground deformation have been detected in the past 24 hours, and seismicity remains generally low.
October 10, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 southw! est toward the Portland-Vancouver area.
- Recent observations: High clouds are over the volcano this morning but should be clearing later; the crater is visible. Lava continues to extrude into the new lava dome, and dome growth continues to be accompanied by sporadic small earthquakes and small to moderate rockfalls. Viewing conditions should remain good through the day.
October 11, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 southw! est again today, toward the Portland-Vancouver area.
- Recent observations: The sky is clear over the volcano this morning; the crater is visible. Low-level seismicity continued through the night to this morning, accompanied by a few small rockfalls, as growth of the new lava dome continues. Viewing conditions should remain good through the day.
October 12, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 east.
- Recent observations: Bright, sunny, fall weather dominates the Pacific Northwest today. The USFS camera at the Johnston Ridge Observatory shows Mt. St. Helens to be clear with a light plume drifting over the crater rim. Dome growth is continuing accompanied by low-level seicmicity and occasional rockfalls. Field crews have been busy this week installing new instruments and preparing the telemetry network for the coming winter. Fine viewing conditions are expected to hold through the day.
October 13, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 east and southeast.
- Recent observations: It's clear and sunny at the mountain today with a light plume drifting off to the southeast. There were no significant changes in monitored parameters overnight and dome growth is continuing. The pattern of low seismicity punctuated by occasional larger rockfall signals which has been characteristic of the last several weeks continues unabated. No field work is planned for today.
October 14, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 southeast.
- Recent observations: Sunny weather and good viewing are predicted at the volcano today. Lava continues to extrude into the new lava dome, and dome growth continues to be accompanied by small earthquakes and sporadic, small to moderate rockfalls.
October 15, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 east-northeast.
- Recent observations: Clouds and rain cloak the mountain today generally obscuring views. Fleeting glimpses into the crater may be possible as passing bands of precipitation clear the area. Inclement weather is expected to continue through tomorrow. No significant changes in monitored parameters have been observed in the last 24 hours. The eruption continues unchanged in style or severity.
October 16, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 E to ESE in t! he early part of the day. By late this afternoon, low level winds will have shifted and would blow ash to the S and SE, and upper level winds would send ash to the SSW.
- Recent observations: Heavy clouds obscure the crater this morning. Lava continues to extrude into the new lava dome, and dome growth continues to be accompanied by small earthquakes and sporadic small rockfalls.
October 17, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 southward in the morning and south-southeastward in the evening.
- Recent Observations: Using the U.S. Forest Service webcam, the crater area was visible above a low cloud deck this morning. A passive steam was rising to about rim height and dissipating toward the south. Lava continues to extrude into the new lava dome, and dome growth continues to be accompanied by small earthquakes and sporadic small rockfalls.
October 18, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 southeastward.
- Recent observations: The crater area was visible this morning through the US Forest Service webcam. Fresh snow is visible down to the Step area at the mouth of the crater. Lava continues to extrude into the new lava dome, and dome growth continues to be accompanied by small earthquakes and sporadic small rockfalls.
October 19, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 southeastward.
- Recent observations: Mount St. Helens is obscured by clouds today. Seismicity levels remain low, and deformation rates are also low, as they have been for weeks. Continued growth of the dome was verified last week when visibility was good, and the seismicity and deformation indicate that lava is still being extruded onto the south crater floor.
October 20, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 southeastward.
- Recent observations: With the exception of the occasional M1 to M2 earthquake, Mount St. Helens is remarkably quiet this morning, continuing seismicity and deformation trends established over the past few months. Viewing is currently impossible because of cloud cover, and our instrumentation indicates that extrusion of lava continues.
October 21, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 southward.
- Recent observations: The low level of seismicity created by small earthquakes as lava is extruded onto the south crater floor of Mount St. Helens continues, punctuated by the occasional rockfall from the growing dome. Viewing conditions today are excellent.
October 22, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 westnorthwest in the morning and northeast in the evening.
- Recent observations: A magnitude 3.5 earthquake at 3:13 Saturday afternoon shook loose the top of the highest of the new lava spines, spine 7. The small collapse and avalanche of dome rock generated a short-lived ash plume that rose approximately 2000 feet over the west crater rim and rapidly dissipated. Lava continues to slowly extrude into the southern crater area and is accompanied by small earthquakes and occasional small rockfalls and avalanches. Viewing conditions today are clear.
October 23, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 southeast in the morning and to the east in the evening.
- Recent observations: Lava continues to slowly extrude into the southern crater area and is accompanied by small earthquakes and occasional small rockfalls and avalanches. Viewing conditions this morning are clear from Johnston Ridge.
October 24, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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: Clouds and rain obscure the view of the volcano from the Johnston Ridge Observatory today. The eruption continues largely aseismically and slowly, accompanied by small earthquakes and rockfalls. Monitoring data indicate no significant changes in the eruption over the past 24 hours.
October 25, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 southeast
- Recent observations: The snow dusted volcano is visible from Johnston Ridge this morning but is partially obscured by low clouds. The eruption continues slowly accompanied by small earthquakes and rockfalls. Monitoring data indicate no significant changes over the past 24 hours.
October 26, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 east.
- Recent observations: Conditions are favorable for viewing the mountain today and it is presently in clear view from Johnston Ridge with only partial cloud cover in the crater and over the upper flanks. Weather conditions are expected to improve during the day. The eruption continues as slow extrusion accompanied by small earthquakes and rockfalls, occasionally punctuated by larger earthquakes such as an M3.4 at 2:13am local time this morning. Ongoing monitoring indicates no significant changes in activity over the past 24 hours.
October 27, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 eastward.
- Recent observations: The volcano is intermittently visible from Johnston Ridge this morning. Low clouds in the area are forecast to give way to sunny skies later today. Lava extrusion accompanied by small earthquakes and rockfalls is continuing. There have been no significant changes in activity during the past 24 hours.
October 28, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 eastward.
- Recent observations: Sunny weather affords clear views of Mount St. Helens from the Johnston Ridge Observatory VolcanoCam. Remote instruments indicate that lava dome extrusion continues with low seismicity and intermittent rockfalls. No significant changes in eruptive activity have been noticed in the past 24 hours.
October 29, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 eastward this morning shifting to southeastward by this afternoon.
- Recent observations: Low clouds preclude visual observations of the volcano this morning. Remote monitoring instruments indicate that extrusion of the new lava dome continues with low seismicity and intermittent rockfall activity. Yesterday at 2:40 PM local time (21:40 UTC), a M3.2 earthquake occurred accompanied by a rockfall that produced a plume which filled the volcano's crater to just above rim height before dissipating.
October 30, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 southward to southeastward.
- Recent observations: The volcano is clear this morning. As indicated by remote monitoring instruments, lava dome extrusion continues amidst low seismicity and intermittent rockfall activity. No significant changes in the eruption have been noted in the past 24 hours.
October 31, 2006:
- Current Volcano 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 to southeast.
- Recent observations: Clear skies today are making it possible for helicopter-supported field crews to operate and do needed equipment maintenance.
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