Exciting video from Chopper 7 shows the appearance of venting at Mount Rainier on Wednesday morning.
Video from the volcano initially showed what appeared as a single vent of steam rising from the volcano, and within an hour a significant amount of white clouds gathered at the peak.
According to USGS Volcanoes, the behavior is not unusual.
Mount Rainier is not erupting - the sort of behavior seen in this video is not unusual.
— USGS Volcanoes🌋 (@USGSVolcanoes) September 7, 2022
And in fact there are a number of USGS volcanologists at the volcano this week working on installing new monitoring equipment, so Cascades Volcano Observatory folks are on site to confirm!
The team at Mt. Rainier said it is not steam, but a cloud and they wanted to assure the public the volcano is not erupting.
According to NPS.gov, a new vent has not opened on the volcano. Data is not showing any unusual activity, and scientists are saying it is a lenticular cloud.
A lenticular cloud is formed when moist air is pushed up over the top of the mountain, forming a disc shaped cloud.
The Mount Rainier seismic network also shows no signs of unrest.
Mount Rainier geologists join with USGS in assuring the public that Mount Rainier is not erupting. -pw https://t.co/uLiJDbgT4X
— MountRainierNPS (@MountRainierNPS) September 7, 2022
Mount Rainier is NOT erupting. We have looked at the cloud that has caused concern from multiple webcams and have determined that it is a lenticular cloud. In addition, the USGS reports no indications of unusual seismic activity. ~pw
— MountRainierNPS (@MountRainierNPS) September 7, 2022
There is a cloud on the top of #MountRainier.
— USGS Volcanoes🌋 (@USGSVolcanoes) September 7, 2022
It's not erupting or venting. @MountRainierNPS https://t.co/kDN3YLJPdX#lenticularcloud pic.twitter.com/89iWukqxJQ
Mt. St. Helens just sitting there today, like, all y’all freaking out about clouds around Mount Rainier when St. Helens’ track record shows it has a much more likely chance of erupting again. We do have five active volcanoes in this state. pic.twitter.com/7cl3MMhWYd
— WA Emergency Management (@waEMD) September 7, 2022
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