Scientists warn that one of America’s most dangerous volcanoes is preparing for an eruption, and this is all we know about it.

The active volcano, Alaska’s closest to Anchorage, is expected to erupt shortly, according to experts.

The likelihood of Mount Spurr erupting was said to have increased earlier this month, with an estimated time of “within the next few weeks or months.”

What do we need to know about the possible occurrence, then?

Here is what the public has been told thus far by the scientists:

Why is an eruption of the volcano anticipated?

Since the volcano is meeting all of the typical indicators on their checklist, experts think it is about to erupt.

“It’s almost like we have a checklist of the usual signs that volcanoes give us before they progress to an eruption, and now we’re seeing all four of those are giving us those indicators,” said Matt Haney, the scientist in charge at the Alaska Volcano Observatory, in an interview with Alaska Public Media.

What is the location of Mount Spurr?

Mount Spurr is located about 80 miles west of Anchorage in a secluded area. Aside from the monitoring stations operated by the Alaska Volcano Observatory, there isn’t much infrastructure there, so if you wanted to go, you would have to rent a plane.

When will the eruption most likely occur?

Although it’s still unclear whether an eruption will occur at all, scientists now think it’s more likely than not.

“We haven’t calculated what that is in percentage terms, but it is thought to be more likely than this unrest subsiding,” Haney stated.

Will there be any alert prior to an eruption?

“Maybe” is the short answer. Scientists mark the likelihood of a volcano erupting using a color-coded system.

A volcano with a “yellow” warning is considered to be in advisory status and indicates that there have been indications of increased unrest.

The color orange above that indicates that it is more imminent but only poses a minor risk to nearby residents.

A red warning indicates that a dangerous eruption is either approaching or has already begun at a volcano.

Although it is currently impossible to predict when Mount Spurr will erupt, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) is keeping an eye on its activity and has given it a Level of Concern Color Code Yellow rating.

One of the most dangerous volcanoes in America is preparing for a significant eruption, according to scientists.
Mount Spurr is an 11,000-foot volcano in the Tordrillo Mountains, roughly 75 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska. Officials are also concerned that it might be on the verge of erupting.

They are’monitoring activity at Mount Spurr for signals indicating that the volcano is moving closer to an eruption,’ according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

Seismic activity is still “elevated with numerous small, shallow volcanic earthquakes detected beneath the volcano,” according to their report. Scientists discovered elevated levels of volcanic gases near the summit crater and the crater peak vent after observation flights passed over the volcano in early March.

According to Matt Haney, a scientist-in-charge at the Alaska Volcano Observatory, “that was what caught everyone’s attention at the observatory, because that’s the vent that came from the most recent eruptions.”

But there won’t be an eruption anytime soon. Because magma is rising closer to the surface, experts say they anticipate seeing more warning indicators first, such as increased steam activity and ground deformation. The officials stated that “if an eruption happened, it would be preceded by additional signals allowing warning.”

Nevertheless, residents of South Central Alaska are being urged to begin getting ready and educated about the potential risks of an eruption. For instance, nearby communities would be at risk from ashfall.

The immediate vicinity of the volcano would be impacted by additional dangers such as mudflows and pyroclastic flows, which are rapid flows of hot gas, ash, and rock.

Although there are no towns close to Mount Spurr, hikers and tourists frequently visit the area. The group wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that anyone thinking about visiting the area around Spurr should be aware of these risks and stay informed about Spurr activity. “And abide by any limitations that land and emergency managers may impose.”

After several months of increased activity, including minor earthquakes, the volcano’s alert level was upgraded from green to yellow in October 2024. Among them was the summertime creation of a tiny lake in the summit crater.

Mount Spurr has previously erupted multiple times. Ash was thrown 30,000 feet into the air during an eruption in 1953, raining down on Anchorage and closing the city’s main airport for two days.

Then, in the months of June, August, and September of 1992, there were three distinct eruptions. The most problematic explosion occurred in August, when three regional airports were shut down for 20 hours and Anchorage was covered in ash. As far as the Midwest, the ash caused air traffic problems as it drifted over the central region of the United States.