Mt. St. Helens timeline

  • 12:30 p.m. The Start

    small explosion that starts the eruption process
  • 10:30 a.m.

    People don't listen to warnings after little craters form big cracks on the volcano.
  • 12:30 p.m.

    Scientists fear a bigger eruption is due.
  • Whole day

    The bulge on the side of the volcano continues to grow exponentially.
  • 10:15 a.m.

    they declared a state of emergency, tourists started pouring in, then.
  • 10:30 a.m.

    bulge starts growing on side of volcano because of a clog in the main chamber,
  • 5:00 p.m.

    There was an earthquake that felt to be around a 4.5 magnitude.
  • 8:00 a.m.

    local people think crisis is past and want to get in their homes. They sign waivers to go home and get stuff.
  • Starts day of the eruption

  • 8:30 a.m

    One mile beneath Mt. St. Helens, a 5.0 earthquake goes off starting the eruption.
  • 8:32 a.m.

    the mountain erupts
    25 seconds later, the north side opens and super-heated gas shoots more than 12 miles north.
  • 8:33 a.m.

    gas shoots out and effects 230 sq miles, volcano crumbles, lightning in the ash.
  • 8:40 a.m.

    shock waves start coming and hit people.
  • 8:55 a.m.

    melted toxic water rushes towards towns.
  • 9:01 a.m.

    volcano explodes again with a force of 10 mega-tons
  • 10:10 a.m.

    ash reaches multiple parts of Washington over 200 miles away
  • 11:00 a.m.

    fresh magma and ash still pouring out.
  • 5:30 p.m.

    eruption finally starts to subside.
  • 3 days later- 2:30 p.m.

    more ash shoots out of volcano
  • 1 week later

    ash continues to spill out and 68,000 acres of timber are destroyed.
  • August 27, 1982

    Mt. St Helen's is declared a national monument.