Alaska Volcano Eruption May Be Imminent

Mount Spurr, an Alaskan volcano shuddering with small earthquakes for 10 months, could erupt soon.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) stated on February 7 that an eruption would “most likely” occur at the Crater Peak vent, not the Spurr summit.

Newsweek reached out to AVO via email for comment.

Why It Matters

If an eruption at the Crater Peak does occur, it could be “explosive” as past Crater Peak eruptions were, according to AVO, which said they were “often far-traveled ash clouds and ashfall can be expected if an eruption occurs.”

No nearby towns or cities would be in the path of Mount Spurr’s eruption. However, AVO scientist-in-charge Matt Haney told the U.S. Geological Survey that it could disrupt flights in the area.

What To Know

AVO scientists first recorded increased earthquakes under Mount Spurr, an ice- and snow-covered volcano located on the west side of Cook Inlet around 75 miles west of Anchorage, last April.

At this point, there were an average of 30 earthquakes per week, but as of early October, these had gone up to 125 per week. During this period, a total of 2,700 earthquakes have taken place, with the largest (2.9 magnitude) on January 2.

“The current unrest at Mount Spurr strongly suggests that new magma has intruded into the crust beneath the volcano,” AVO said, suggesting “an eruption is possible.

AVO is currently monitoring data to “track activity and detect changes that would precede an eruption,” it added.

Scientists looked at several scenarios, including the possibility of no eruption occurring and an eruption of the Crater Peak vent similar to those in 1992 and 1953.

“One or more explosive events lasting one or a few hours would produce ash clouds carried downwind for hundreds of miles, and the uninhabited area around Mount Spurr would be inundated by pyroclastic flows, mudflows (lahars), and ballistic showers,” AVO said.

What People Are Saying

AVO scientist-in-charge Matt Haney told the U.S. Geological Survey: “It’s had a higher-than-normal number of earthquakes for many months. But over the past month, that itself increased, and also the location of the earthquakes changed.”

What Happens Next

No one knows for certain whether an eruption will occur, but if it does, “additional seismic activity” such as “gas emissions, and surface heating, as well as changes to surface deformation” is expected.