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when did mount st helens erupt

Mount St. Helens’ most famous modern eruption occurred on May 18, 1980, at 8:32 a.m. local time.

Quick Scoop: Key Facts

  • Main answer: It erupted catastrophically on May 18, 1980.
  • Time: The major blast started around 8:32 a.m. on a Sunday.
  • Location: Mount St. Helens is in Washington State, USA, in the Cascade Range.
  • Impact: The eruption caused the largest recorded landslide on Earth and killed 57 people.

Was That the Only Eruption?

  • In 1980 there was a build‑up: small earthquakes and steam blasts started in March before the big May 18 event.
  • After May 18, the volcano continued with additional, smaller eruptions later in 1980 and then off and on in the years after.

If someone asks, “When did Mount St. Helens erupt?” they almost always mean the huge 1980 disaster, which reshaped the mountain’s entire north side.

TL;DR: Mount St. Helens’ major, historic eruption was on May 18, 1980, at 8:32 a.m. in Washington State.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.