25 years ago today

On May 18, 1980 Mount St. Helens exploded in the most destructive eruption in United States history killing 57 people. The sound from the explosion was clearly heard over 690 miles away in Canada.
The force of the blast stripped the surrounding terrain down to the bedrock in an 8 mile radius. The lateral blast mowed down large evergreens up to 19 miles away. After the lateral blast a vertical blast sent volcanic ash thousands of feet in the air.

Measurable amounts of ash fell in 11 of the western states.

During the eruption the north face of the mountain fell away in the largest landslide in recorded history.
The summit of Mount St. Helens is now 1,314 feet lower than it was on the morning of May 18^th, 1980.

I can remember living in Newman Lake Washington not too far from Mount St. Helens. The scientists had been telling us that something was going on up there so my dad packed us up and sent us to California. I remember watching the eruption on the TV (the TV with the remote “clicker” that actually clicked… remember that?).
Anyway, after a week or two we were able to go back home. The ash looked like fresh snowfall, it was everywhere. We had to wear a mask whenever we went outside. It was dark all day long. What a crazy experience.

What an amazing display of power.

Mount St. Helens today. Courtesy of Google Maps/Satellite