MileCheckIs Mount St. Helens active right now?
Mount St. Helens is an active volcano, which means it has erupted recently in geologic time and could again. Active is not the same as erupting. The US Geological Survey's Cascades Volcano Observatory posts its current alert level at usgs.gov. Its last eruption ran from 2004 to 2008 and built a new lava dome in the crater.
What the alert levels mean
USGS uses four levels. They are normal, advisory, watch and warning. Normal means the volcano is in its usual quiet state. Small earthquakes under the mountain are common and don't by themselves mean an eruption is coming.
Can you see it today?
Being active and being visible are different things. Mountain Visibility shows whether St. Helens is clear from Portland, Vancouver, Longview and Castle Rock right now. See is Mount St. Helens visible right now.
Is the mountain out right now?
Mountain Visibility shows whether Rainier, Hood, St. Helens, Baker, Denali and other peaks are visible right now, from the cities that watch them.
Questions, answered
When did Mount St. Helens last erupt?
It erupted from 2004 to 2008, mostly by slowly building a lava dome. The large eruption was May 18, 1980.
Does Mountain Visibility track volcanic activity?
No. It shows whether the mountain can be seen. For activity, use USGS.