Tag Archives: Volcanoes

The Pacific Northwest’s most active (undersea) volcano is getting a little frisky

Hundreds of miles west of Oregon, the Axial Seamount appears to be heading to another eruption. The most active volcano in the Pacific Northwest is the Axial Seamount. It’s located 300 miles west of Astoria, Oregon, and a mile under the ocean. It’s erupted three times in the past 25 years. And now after a […]
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‘The Evergreen’: Remembering the Mount St. Helens eruption and people who died on the mountain

Everyone who was in the Pacific Northwest on May 18, 1980 has some kind of story about the Mount St. Helens eruption. OPB producer Ian McCluskey recently revisited that fateful day with some people who remember it very well for both personal and professional reasons. We talk with Ian about unearthing lost stories from Mount […]
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Ocean Heat Has Shattered Records for More Than a Year. What’s Happening? 

State Library Ed. Note: If you cannot access this story directly from the source, state employees can access this New York Times story HERE via the State Library’s subscription to the US Newstream database. Alternatively, state employees can contact us for access: LibraryHelp.SLO@slo.oregon.gov or 503-378-8800.

These Oregon, Washington volcanoes are considered some of the most hazardous in the U.S.

While the Pacific Northwest has shown no recent signs of an impending volcanic eruption, the region remains one of the more hazardous areas in the U.S. for volcanic activity. In early November, experts with the U.S. Geological Survey announced that Mount St. Helens was not at risk of erupting after more than 400 earthquakes were […]
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Mount St. Helens records 400 earthquakes deep within, signaling ‘recharging’ but nothing of concern

More than 400 earthquakes have been detected beneath Washington’s Mount St. Helens in recent months, though there are no signs of an imminent eruption, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Most of the quakes over a three-month span beginning in mid-July were less than magnitude 1.0 and too small to be felt at the surface, […]
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Parkdale Lava Flow: This rarely visited lava mound is one of OR’s most hidden gems

Could the Parkdale Lava Flow become a regional tourist attraction? Two hours east of Portland on the outskirts of the Mount Hood National Forest, a 7,700-year-old mound of lava rocks rises 164 feet above the Hood River wine country. Stretching more than 4 miles long and 4,000 feet wide, the picturesque pile of blocky andesite […]
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PSU researcher looks at how volcanic eruptions might impact climate change disaster management – OPB’s Think Out Loud

There’s a lot that researchers still don’t know about volcanoes. But they do expect volcanic eruptions to coincide more often with other natural disasters, like floods and wildfires, as the climate continues to warm. Research from Portland State University shows that the increasing frequency of extreme weather events means they’re more likely to occur at […]
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Predicting volcanic eruptions 43 years after the Mount St. Helens blast

Forty-three years ago today, Mount St. Helens erupted, triggering a magnitude 5 earthquake and spewing ash, mud and debris across southwest Washington. The explosion killed 57 people and changed the mountain’s landscape forever. The eruption wasn’t a total surprise. Months before, a series of small earthquakes and steam-venting alerted scientists that a major blast was […]
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Deep-sea volcano off the Oregon Coast helps scientists forecast eruptions

Instruments placed on the Axial Seamount measure volcanic activity and provide helpful clues. The scientific instruments on the sub — called bottom pressure recorders — will help reveal the inner workings of the Axial Seamount. And they could help us understand volcanic risk closer to home. Source: Deep-sea volcano off the Oregon Coast helps scientists […]
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Life Was Built Around Snow. What Happens When It Vanishes?

State Library Ed. Note: If you cannot access this story directly from the source, state employees can access this New York Times story HERE via the State Library’s subscription to the US Newstream database. Alternatively, state employees can contact us for access: LibraryHelp.SLO@slo.oregon.gov or 503-378-8800.