Written and compiled by Fred Jaicks.
Mt. St. Helens is an active volcano located in the county of Skamania in Washington in the United States. Named after Lord St. Helens, a British diplomat and friend of George Vancouver, the surveyor of the area in the 1800’s, Mt. St. Helens is part of the Cascade Volcano Arc in the Pacific Ring of Fire; this ring includes over 160 active volcanoes.
Mt. St. Helens is very well known for the pyroclastic flows and ash explosions. It became infamous for its 1980 eruption. At 8:32 am PST on May 18, 1980, Mt St. Helens erupted as one of the most destructive volcanic eruptions in U.S. history; 250 homes, more than 45 bridges, approximately 15 miles of railways, and over 180 miles of highway were ruined, and 57 people lost their lives as a result of the eruption.
Learn more about Mt. St. Helens and the science behind volcanic eruptions with the following resources: