Is The Yellowstone Volcano About to Erupt?

Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, the ground shakes and buckles under Yellowstone National Park. Steam bellows out of cracks in the ground, the earth groans, and mountains collapse. Almost as quickly, the park erupts into a fireball miles high, spewing out enough material to cover the American West in several feet of debris. The Yellowstone volcano has erupted and the signs have always been there, but they were hidden from us by those pesky scientists that shield us from the dreadful fate that awaits us.

Science fiction? One hundred percent.

While it’s true that Yellowstone National Park does sit atop a volcano capable of super volcanic eruptions, the idea that one could spring at us any day, without warning, is a total farce. Let’s break this claim down and look into the real science underpinning our understanding of the Yellowstone volcano.

The History of the Yellowstone Volcano

There have been three major ‘super volcanic’ eruptions in Yellowstone. The first and largest happened 2.1 million years ago, the second 1.3 million years ago, and the most recent 640,000 years ago. These eruptions were caused by a plume of material from the mantle deep within the Earth rising into the crust and breaking through. An interesting, yet little known fact, about this mantle plume is that it has been active for 16.5 million years! Although Yellowstone is the most famous host to this volcanic hotspot, it’s far from the only one. The Yellowstone hotspot has actually carved a 450 mile path of destruction across the United States from the Nevada/Oregon border to where it sits today in Northwest Wyoming. In fact, at least five major caldera complexes have been identified along the hotspots path, and it is estimated it has likely produced between 15 and 20 caldera forming eruptions.

Contrary to first impressions though, the hot spot is not moving. What is actually happening is that the North American plate is moving while the hotspot remains stationary. As the North American plate moves in a generally Southwest direction, the location of the hotspot appears to move Northeast across the continent. This trail of volcanic evidence ends in Yellowstone National Park.

According to the NPS, the magma chamber beneath Yellowstone is only 5-15% molten, meaning it is unclear if another super volcanic eruption at Yellowstone is even possible.

The last major eruption in Yellowstone was 640,000 years ago, but alas, this was not the last eruption. Yellowstone has experienced approximately 80 eruptions since the last ‘big one.’ Most of these eruptions have been nonexplosive lava flows from the Yellowstone volcano, which have actually filled in and diminished the footprint of the massive caldera the prior eruption created.

One of the few of these eruptions considered to be explosive created the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake, likely being similar in size to the eruption that created Crater Lake in Oregon. The last eruption of any kind in Yellowstone occurred 70,000 years ago and was a non-explosive lava flow.

A keen eye and a little back-of-the-napkin math reveals a concerning pattern in this data. It sure seems as though we might be due for an eruption. We might even be overdue! Hell itself could spring forth from the ground in Yellowstone any moment! Not so fast.

Geologists working for the United States Geological Service (USGS) and the National Park are quick to throw cold water on the idea that Yellowstone is overdue for an eruption. Volcanos, they’ll point out, do not run on any given schedule and are wildly unpredictable. According to the NPS, the magma chamber beneath Yellowstone is only 5-15% molten, meaning it is unclear if another super volcanic eruption at Yellowstone is even possible.

How do we know the Yellowstone Volcano Won't Erupt Soon?

If Yellowstone were to experience another volcanic eruption, even a simple magma flow, it would be preceded by observable signs regularly monitored by the USGS and Park Service. These signs would likely develop years, decades, or more before any eruptive event. In short, it’s not clear that Yellowstone will ever erupt again, an eruption is certainly not imminent, and if there were to be one there would be signs far in advance. Finally, the notion that scientists working in Yellowstone would conceal an imminent eruption is simply comical. The signs would be impossible to hide from the general public and much of the data concerning the monitoring of Yellowstone is publicly available. Concealing an imminent eruption of the Yellowstone volcano would be a task on the scale of, and likely exceeding, faking the moon landing. And if you don’t find that last point compelling go ahead and give us a call via the contact page up above. I’ve got some beachfront property in Arizona I’ll sell you on the cheap.

Concealing an imminent eruption of the Yellowstone volcano would be a task on the scale of, and likely exceeding, faking the moon landing.

Of course, all of this doesn’t make for a compelling plot-piece in a Hollywood blockbuster, and it’s terribly depressing for folks eagerly awaiting the apocalypse. Myths like this have a long shelf-life though, and its unlikely people will stop believing an eruption in Yellowstone is overdue, or imminent, or maybe it’s even already begun. Hopefully, though, you are now armed with the tools needed to push back against these claims or, if you’d prefer, quietly chuckle to yourself whenever you hear that volcanic annihilation is just around the corner.

Exploring Yellowstone in the Winter

January 30, 2024 No Comments

The vast majority of the park’s annual visitors come during the much milder summer months, leaving the park to the die-hard Yellowstone admirers throughout the winter. This absence of visitors makes exploring Yellowstone in the winter a unique and rewarding experience.