# Mount St Helens triggers aviation warnings

> Winds whip up old volcanic ash from Mount St Helens, sparking aviation alerts.
- Title: Mount St Helens triggers aviation warnings · Dailymail
- Summary: Winds whip up old volcanic ash from Mount St Helens, sparking aviation alerts. Mount St Helens' volcanic ash, stirred by strong winds, poses aviation hazards…
- Keywords: mount st helens, volcanic ash, aviation warnings, us geological survey, cascades volcano observatory, volcanic activity, aviation safety, news, entertainment, Mount, Helens, triggers
- Source: Dailymail — https://dailymail.com/sciencetech/article-16214593/mount-st-helens-ash-warnings-washington.html?ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490&ns_mchannel=rss
- Published: 2026-10-16T14:28:08+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: mount st helens, volcanic ash, aviation warnings, us geological survey, cascades volcano observatory, volcanic activity, aviation safety, news, entertainment
## Aviation warnings issued
Urgent aviation warnings were issued after a dangerous cloud of volcanic ash was detected billowing from Mount St Helens.
## SIGMET alert
A SIGMET, a serious aviation weather alert, was issued late Thursday, lasting until early Friday, as satellite imagery and webcams captured a plume of ash drifting northwest of Washington State's notorious volcano, located south of…
## Ash cloud height
The volcanic ash cloud rose as high as 12,000 feet above sea level, posing a potential hazard to aircraft flying through the area.
## No recent eruption
Officials stressed that powerful winds had swept up old volcanic ash from the ground, creating a potential hazard for aircraft flying through the area.
## 1980 eruption impact
Mount St Helens experienced a major eruption on May 18, 1980, sending a plume of ash 2.5 miles into the sky, killing 57 people and destroying over 200 homes.
## USGS webcam footage
Images from the US Geological Survey's (USGS) web cameras captured plumes of ash engulfing the formation, creating the impression that it had suddenly reawakened.
## Weather system
A high-pressure weather system over the Pacific Northwest brought powerful winds sweeping across the Cascade Mountains, stirring up decades-old volcanic ash from Mount St Helens.
## USGS explanation
The agency explained that this phenomenon is not the result of recent volcanic activity and occurs during times of high winds and dry snow-free conditions in the Mount St Helens region.
## Volcano status
Mount St Helens remains at Aviation Color Code Green and Volcano Alert Level Normal, with no eruption in progress.
## Ash hazard
The USGS warned that suspended volcanic ash could be damaging to aircraft and human health due to its abrasive particles.
## 2024 seismic activity
In June 2024, Mount St Helens began rumbling with 350 earthquakes over five months, mostly less than magnitude 1.0.
## 2024 largest quake
The largest quake felt at the volcano was a magnitude 2.0 on May 31, 2024, located about 50 miles northeast of Portland, Oregon.
## 2025 seismic peak
In 2025, the number of earthquakes recorded per week reached a peak of 38 events, mostly happening around 4.6 miles below the crater floor.
## Magma recharge
Specialized equipment detected magma flowing through chambers deep underground, causing the volcano to recharge and triggering quakes.
## Seismic history
Similar sequences of increased quakes occurred in 1988-1992, 1995-1996, and 1997-1999, but none directly triggered an eruption.
## No immediate threat
The Cascades Volcano Observatory concluded there have been no significant changes in monitoring parameters, with no change in hazards at Mount St Helens.
## Key takeaway

Mount St Helens' volcanic ash, stirred by strong winds, poses aviation hazards after no recent eruption.