Remembering when Mount St. Helens exploded into our lives.
Updated
On the morning of May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted in southwest Washington. Scientists warned that some type of geologic event was imminent, based on seismic activity in the weeks and days beforehand. But no one anticipated the scale of the gigantic explosion, which blew 1,300 feet off the top of the 9,677-foot volcano, leveled trees across thousands of surrounding acres, and claimed 57 lives. Massive clouds of ash drifted eastward across the state, including the ominous canopy hovering above Beasley Hill and Ephrata (top photo). By noon, tons of ash rained down on the Columbia Basin, covering the ground with 2 to 3 inches of light gray silica that resembled powdered cement. It was a dry, dusty mess that stranded travelers, closed schools, trashed car engines, and altered farming practices as cleanup efforts continued through summer.
