Massive U.S. Eruption Possible in ‘Weeks’

The land of the midnight sun could soon see fire in the sky.

A remote but powerful Alaskan volcano is keeping scientists on edge, as growing seismic rumblings beneath the icy peak suggest something serious may be brewing. Mount Spurr, a giant stratovolcano just 78 miles southwest of Anchorage, is flashing early warning signs that it could roar back to life for the first time in over three decades.

Experts at the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) have been closely monitoring the massive peak since October after a troubling combination of earthquakes, gas emissions, and snowmelt began appearing near the summit.

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Back in March, the AVO issued a startling advisory saying an eruption could happen within “weeks to months.” That warning raised eyebrows nationwide, particularly given how explosive Spurr’s history has been.

Fast-forward to April, and while scientists say the immediate threat of eruption may have lessened slightly, the volcano remains restless—dangerously so. According to AVO scientist-in-charge Matt Haney, “We don’t have the full suite of data sets that, in an ideal case, we would be drawing upon to make our interpretation.”