Chances of U.S. volcano erupting have drastically increased
In this DML Report…
Scientists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) are tracking Mount Spurr, an 11,000-foot volcano 81 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska, which is showing signs of an imminent eruption. Seismic activity has spiked since April 2024, jumping from 30 earthquakes weekly to 125 by October, with a magnitude 3.7 quake hitting near Petersville, 30 miles northwest of the volcano on April 2. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has logged hundreds of smaller tremors in recent days, alongside increased gas emissions—sulfur dioxide levels nine times higher than December 2024 readings—and ground deformation, all pointing to magma movement beneath the volcano.
Mount Spurr’s last eruption in 1992, from its Crater Peak side vent, blanketed Anchorage—home to nearly 300,000 people—with an eighth of an inch of ash, shutting down the airport for 20 hours and costing $2 million in damages and cleanup. Experts, including AVO’s Matt Haney, predict a similar explosive event could occur within weeks to months, sending ash plumes up to 50,000 feet and triggering mudslides and avalanches racing down the volcano at over 200 mph—though no communities lie in their direct path. Anchorage officials raised the emergency planning level to Level 2 last week, prepping public safety agencies and boosting communication as the volcano’s unrest escalates.
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The next key indicator of an eruption would be a volcanic tremor, a sustained shaking signaling magma nearing the surface, which preceded the 1992 blast by three weeks. Gas emissions, detected since March 7 from both the summit and Crater Peak vent, confirm fresh magma intrusion, though an eruption isn’t guaranteed—past unrest in 2004-2006 fizzled out. If it blows, Anchorage could face ashfall disrupting air travel and health risks from breathing sharp volcanic particles, while the volcano’s remote location limits direct threats from debris flows. As of April 3, AVO continues close monitoring, with no precise timeline but clear signs Mount Spurr is edging closer to action.