There She Blows

Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It lies 52 miles northeast of Portland, Oregon and 98 miles south of Seattle and 42 years ago, The landscape changed for ever in the PNW #OTD in 1980, Mt. St. Helens erupted. and raods were destroyed lifes lost and drastic changes came to Lewis County and Cowlitz Co.

The catastrophic explosion not only changed and destroyed lives, but devastated around 230 square miles of surrounding landscape. An estimated 7,000 animals, including bears, elk and deer, were also killed.

The volcanic ash cloud drifted east across the United States in three days and encircled Earth in 15 days, according to USGS. Lahars, or volcanic mudflows, filled rivers with rocks, sand, and mud, damaging 27 bridges and 200 homes.

In 1982, the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument was established for all to observe both the awesome destruction and the remarkable recovery of plants and animals