Everybody saw the eruption coming. Nobody could have predicted how bad it would be.
The devastating eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980, was a global event in more ways than one: As ash from the Northwest volcano circled the Earth, images of the natural disaster circulated in newspapers and TV broadcasts around the world. Those images, the towering plumes of ash and terrible floods, became burned into our collective consciousness.
It’s easy to forget, however, about the two months of anticipation that precipitated the big event.
From March to May 1980, Mount St. Helens dominated The Oregonian’s front pages as the volcano shuddered and shook, spewed forth giant boulders and puffed enormous plumes of ash. The consensus was that an eruption was coming, but nobody knew whether it would be days, months or years before it happened.
Mount St. Helens, long known for its pretty silhouette and serene scenery, took on a new personality. The volcano “awakened,” it “cleared its throat,” it “hurled” debris. Volcano watchers noted its daily temperament and theorized about its power. In the end, the eruption itself was given a persona, a terrible disaster that killed dozens of people and “decapitated” the mountain.
Reading through the news coverage that spring is like paging through a gripping drama. Knowing the ending only makes the lead-up more powerful. When a bulge forms on the north side of the mountain, it’s a horrifying bit of foreshadowing. When local residents protest the evacuation orders the day before the big eruption, you want to beg them to get as far away as possible. When the moment finally comes, all the pieces finally fall into place.
Here are The Oregonian headlines and stories that kept the Pacific Northwest on the edge of its seat.
March 27, 1980: “Eruption possible as quakes ease”
Mount St. Helens has been shaking with “almost continuous tremors” though the severity has been decreasing. The pattern seems identical to action that has presaged volcanic eruptions in Japan. One scientist calls it “the classic early stages of an eruption.” The Federal Aviation Administration restricts the airspace around the mountain.
March 28, 1980: “Mount St. Helens spews out ash as sleeping volcano awakens”
Mount St.Helens sends a spray of steam and ash into the air, and a crater forms at the main summit. Scientists begin flocking to the mountain. At this point, geologists are divided about whether it would be an explosive or mild eruption. Evacuations begin immediately.
March 29, 1980: “Volcano belches forth boulders”
The volcano spews smoke more than a mile into the air and sends boulders flying nearly 1,000 feet. A cloud of ash falls as far as 45 miles away. Eruptions occur every 30 minutes, like clockwork. Geologists worry about pyroclastic flows.
March 30, 1980: “New crater forms on Mount St. Helens”
After clouds clear, spotters discover a second crater on the mountain. A “little blue flame,” likely hot gasses are seen at the bottom of the new crater. Quaking has increased but is milder – the volcano is “continuously pulsing.” One geologist says St. Helens is “going through a throat-clearing process.”
March 31, 1980: “St. Helens spews block of ice”
An “eerie blue lightning” is seen between the two craters. Chunks of ice five feet across fly from the volcano. A sharp earthquake triggers an avalanche on the mountain. Ash falls as far as Mount Hood. Portland city officials are concerned about the water supply.
April 2, 1980: “Lava peril grows: Volcano blows debris to 20,000 feet”
Eruptions and earthquakes continue to intensify, with plumes of ash now reaching 20,000 feet. Geologists say magma is close to the surface. The two craters have begun to merge. The south edge of Spirit Lake rises half an inch as St. Helens swells.
April 3, 1980: “Quakes suggest major eruption on way”
Geologists say a lava eruption is likely to occur, as seismic activity changes. St. Helens spews 60-foot “lobes of ash” down the mountain. Officials warn locals of complications of ash fall. The mountain is now six feet shorter.
April 5, 1980: “Mountain shudders continuously for 35 minutes”
“Harmonic tremors” inside the volcano are lasting longer and happening more frequently. The appearance of the mountain’s summit has already drastically changed. Researchers say that a lava eruption could be days or weeks away – if one happens at all.
April 11, 1980: “Volcano’s activity called ‘low amplitude’ ”
Eruptions continue but have now become “low-amplitude events.” The region is settling in for a long wait to see what happens with St. Helens. Scientists are “baffled” as to what might happen next. Daily press briefings are halted.
April 14, 1980: “Climbers seen near top: Volcano puts on half-hearted show”
People are seen crossing the evacuation zone to climb Mount St. Helens as minor eruptions continue. Volcano watchers flock to viewpoints around the area, though they don’t see much action. Geologists say small eruptions could last decades.
May 1, 1980: “View into throat of volcano awes visitors”
Geologists take media up to the edge of the crater in a helicopter, as minor tremors continue. Susan Hobart, reporting for The Oregonian, writes a gripping first-person account of the awesome terror that came with a “stare down the throat of an active volcano.”
May 9, 1980: “Magnitude 5 quake jolts spewing peak”
Mount St.Helens returns to life with a big earthquake. One geologist says, “We’re right back where we were a month ago.” Scientists notice a growing bulge on the north face of the mountain, growing at a rate of four to five feet per day.
May 18, 1980: “Volcano area opened for brief visit”
The story moves inside The Oregonian as property owners plan to form a convoy to protest an evacuation order set up two weeks prior that blocked access within 12 miles of the mountain. Washington Gov. Dixy Lee Ray relents, and directs state police to escort the convoy through the roadblock. A business owner on Spirit Lake wants the evacuation order lifted permanently as Memorial Day approaches. The event isn’t front page news, as nobody expects the volcano to explode.
May 19, 1980: “Eruption decapitates St. Helens; at least 9 die; Spirit Lake gone”
Stunning, historic front-page coverage from The Oregonian reporters Les Zaitz and Steve Jenning reports the confusion and destruction after the north side of St. Helens explodes in “volcanic fury,” triggering devastating mudflows, floods and “other land-changing forces.”
Eruptions began “literally ripping the peak apart,” following an initial explosion that was heard 150 miles away. The entire region is covered in ash, “turning dawn into a mid-day night.” Cars stall on the road as their air filters clog. Power outages sweep the region as ash-laden limbs fall on power lines. Officials urge people to stay indoors. Dozens are missing and nine are confirmed dead.
It would be months before the full scale of the devastation became clear.
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