Mt. Adams Records Record Number of Tremors (Since 1982)

They’re considered part of what is called the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a large loop of volcanoes that run from CA, through WA, up the Pacific Ocean and across to Japan.

  Mt. Adams records record number of seismic tremors

6 earthquakes were recorded at or under Mt. Adams in September, which is the most since the US Geological Service began keeping records on the peak in 1982.  The Pacific NW Seismic Network recorded the quakes at its monitoring center, which is located 7 miles from the summit of the mountain.

They measured 0.9 to 2.0, were not felt on the surface, but generally they only record 1 or 2 a year.

USGS released a statement that read in in part:

“Currently, there is no indication that the level of earthquake activity is cause for concern, and the alert level and color code for Mount Adams remain at GREEN/NORMAL.”

Monitoring of all the active volcanoes in WA began shortly after Mt. St. Helens blew up on May 18th, 1980.  The other volcanoes that are considered active or semi-active besides Adams and St. Helens are Mt. Rainier (last erupted in 1842), Glacier Peak which is 70 miles NE of downtown Seattle (last erupted 300 years ago), and Mt. Baker which is located 30 miles east of Bellingham.  It last erupted in 1880, but has shown recent modern activity.

Mt. Adams last erupted, according to the USGS, about 1,000 years ago.

In 1975 Baker had a period of significant heat increases, and ice melting in it’s Sherman Crater, due to magma moving underneath the volcano.  It steamed and spewed a little, but did not have enough energy or pressure to erupt.

Adams is the 2nd tallest volcano in the state, and is considered by the USGS as a high-threat” volcano.  It’s located about 50 miles west, slightly southwest of Yakima. But, due to its configuration and the surrounding areas, a major blast or eruption could cause significant flows of muddy water, ash, and ice downstream.

USGS says despite the activity, there’s no evidence to suggest an eruption is imminent.