Mount St. Helens 1980 Eruption

Mount St. Helens, 1982

On May 18, 1980, a major volcanic eruption occurred at Mount St. Helens, a volcano located in Skamania County, in the State of Washington. The eruption (a VEI 5 event) was the most significant volcanic eruption to occur in the contiguous 48 U.S. states since the much smaller 1915 eruption of Lassen Peak in California. It has often been declared as the most disastrous volcanic eruption in U.S. history. The eruption was preceded by a two-month series of earthquakes and steam-venting episodes.

Approximately 57 people were killed directly. Hundreds of square miles were reduced to wasteland, causing over a billion U.S. dollars in damage ($3.03 billion in 2017 dollars), thousands of animals were killed, and Mount St. Helens was left with a crater on its north side. Wikipedia 

Learn more about the Mount St. Helens 1980 Eruption through historical newspapers from our archives. Explore newspaper articles, headlines, images, and other primary sources below.

Articles and Clippings about the Mount St. Helens 1980 Eruption

"Mount St. Helens awakens": Cougar, Washington, prepares for potential major eruption 28 Mar 1980, Fri Statesman Journal (Salem, Oregon) Newspapers.comBefore-and-after photos showing damage to Mount St. Helens caused by the initial eruption in March 28 Mar 1980, Fri Spokane Chronicle (Spokane, Washington) Newspapers.com"Mt. St. Helens still erupting, scattering ash over 2 states" 31 Mar 1980, Mon The Vancouver Sun (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) Newspapers.com"Bulge" grows on Mount St. Helens weeks before the May 18 eruption 30 Apr 1980, Wed Times Record News (Wichita Falls, Texas) Newspapers.comExperts predict quiet weekend at Mount St. Helens, one day before the catastrophic eruption 17 May 1980, Sat Kitsap Sun (Bremerton, Washington) Newspapers.comMt. St. Helens 1980 eruption: "the sky is falling" (plus map of volcano location) Mon, May 19, 1980 – 11 · The Missoulian (Missoula, Montana) · Newspapers.comInitial reported deaths from 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens Mon, May 19, 1980 – 1 · Rapid City Journal (Rapid City, South Dakota) · Newspapers.comMt. St. Helens eruption coverage 1980 Tue, May 20, 1980 – 6 · The Billings Gazette (Billings, Montana) · Newspapers.comMt. St. Helens ash strands thousands Tue, May 20, 1980 – Page 41 · The Cincinnati Enquirer (Cincinnati, Ohio) · Newspapers.comMap of Mt. St. Helens ash "fallout" Tue, May 20, 1980 – Page 41 · The Cincinnati Enquirer (Cincinnati, Ohio) · Newspapers.comMt. St. Helens eyewitness accounts Thu, May 22, 1980 – 3 · The Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania) · Newspapers.comOfficials warn sightseers and searchers to stay away from Mount St. Helens disaster site 23 May 1980, Fri The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington) Newspapers.comMap and infographic detailing the conditions that formed Mount St. Helens 25 May 1980, Sun The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington) Newspapers.comU.S. Geological Survey director warns of potential future volcanic activity in the Cascade Range 11 Jun 1980, Wed The Hanford Sentinel (Hanford, California) Newspapers.comRanchers rescue cattle trapped by volcanic debris from Mount St. Helens eruption 19 Jun 1980, Thu Corvallis Gazette-Times (Corvallis, Oregon) Newspapers.comMount St. Helens eruption "has given scientists an unprecedented opportunity for research" 22 Jun 1980, Sun The Times-News (Twin Falls, Idaho) Newspapers.comMt. St. Helens not expected to erupt again despite tremors, July 1980 Fri, Jul 4, 1980 – Page 32 · Santa Cruz Sentinel (Santa Cruz, California) · Newspapers.comMt. St. Helens effect on climate Mon, Sep 22, 1980 – Page 59 · Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) · Newspapers.comMt. St. Helens damage cost Fri, Mar 27, 1981 – 13 · The Daily Spectrum (Saint George, Utah) · Newspapers.comMt. St. Helens a decade after the eruption Sun, May 13, 1990 – 279 · Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) · Newspapers.comMt. St. Helens "emits giant plume" October 2004 Sat, Oct 2, 2004 – Page 64 · The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) · Newspapers.comA timeline of Mt. St. Helens Sun, Feb 17, 2008 – Page 121 · The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) · Newspapers.com