How a Mount Rainier eruption could impact Seattle vs. the South Sound
Washington state is home to five volcanoes that are considered a “very high threat,” according to a recent U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) volcanic threat assessment report.
They are considered a threat because of their activity and proximity to people.
Though it doesn’t have a history of explosive eruptions, Mount Rainier is the third-highest risk volcano in the U.S. It also has the highest number of people in the downstream hazard zone, around 300,000 people.
So what would happen if Mount Rainier erupts? Would Seattle be directly affected by an eruption?
“The biggest [misconception] I've seen is an overestimation of hazards, such as an assumption that a Mount Rainier eruption will cause widespread destruction in Seattle,” Brian Terbush, Washington State Emergency Management Division volcano program coordinator, explained on Reddit.
Terbush said volcano hazard maps are a good tool to see hazards related to specific volcanoes, including where lahars might flow. A lahar is a river of meltwater mixed with rocks and debris that flows from the slopes of a volcano into river valleys.
As for any ash dropping on Seattle, Larry Mastin with the USGS said it’s unlikely the winds would be blowing toward the city, but if they were, “you might get a centimeter or two of ash.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/how-a-mount-rainier-eruption-could-impact-seattle-vs-the-south-sound/ar-AABuqo9
= new reply since forum marked as read
