Mount Spurr, located approximately 75 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska, is exhibiting signs that may indicate an upcoming eruption, according to officials from the Alaska Volcano Observatory.
For the past 10 months, the region has experienced what is described as “volcanic unrest,” characterized by an increase in seismic activity.
As of February 6, the observatory reported a rise in the average number of weekly earthquakes beneath the volcano from 30 to 125 since April.
In total, over 2,700 earthquakes have been recorded during this unrest, with the most significant tremor registering a magnitude of 2.9 on January 2.
Should an eruption occur, it is anticipated that it would likely originate from the Crater Peak vent, which has a history of erupting in 1953 and 1992.
Those previous eruptions were brief and explosive, generating ash columns that ascended up to 65,000 feet above sea level and affecting the surrounding areas of South Central Alaska.
Based on existing monitoring data, the observatory currently views the likelihood of an eruption as equal to the chance of no eruption.
However, an eruption at the summit of Mount Spurr is considered less probable, given that it has not occurred in over 5,000 years.
As of February 12, the Alaska Volcano Observatory has raised Mount Spurr’s alert level to “advisory,” which indicates heightened activity beyond normal conditions.
Officials warn that if an eruption is imminent, additional signs such as increased seismic activity, gas emissions, surface heating, and alterations in surface deformation will likely occur.
These indicators may provide a warning several days to a few weeks before a potential eruption, although this timeframe is not guaranteed.
