May 18th

By Ron Beasley

May 18th may not mean much to most but if you lived in the Pacific Northwest 28 years ago it is a day you will never forget.  It was a day that we witnessed something few do - a major volcanic eruption.

On Sunday May 18th, 1980 I had to work. I was employed by a large manufacturing facility that used a number of RF generators in the manufacturing process. As a result we could not get radio or television reception in the building. We heard rumors that something had happened at Mt St Helens throughout the day but because it was a Sunday few people were coming and going. I left work about 2 PM and headed home to NW Portland. I started down the east side of Portland's west hills and was greeted with an amazing view. When I got home I grabbed my camera and took the picture on the left.

  There were numerous smaller eruptions over the next few months but most could not be seen because it was overcast or dark. One eruption in July, 1980 occurred on a beautiful day and I took the picture on the left at about the same location as the picture above.

More can be found here.

You can click on the pictures for a larger image.

Comments

[anna missed]

I saw the same eruption from the top of a 4 story building in Seattle. Started as a tiny poof in the distance and within an hour it was a gray wall that covered the entire horizon. You could actually see huge clouds of ash expanding and billowing - from 96 miles away. An amazing sight to behold!

[Libby]

My Dad was living out there at the time. I still have a little vial of the ash somewhere.