No, Mount Rainier is not erupting

A video posted earlier this morning appeared to show the volcano was venting; it turned out to only be a cloud.

By Ray Miller-Still • September 7, 2022 11:45 am
A webcamera on Mt. Rainier from Camp Shurman captured an image of a cloud passing the east side of the volcano's summit, which to some looked like Mt. Rainier was venting. Photo courtesy National Park Service

Despite a video apparently showing Mt. Rainier venting gas, the volcano is not erupting or showing signs of any volcanic activity.

A KOMO meteorologist shared a video on Twitter that appeared to show the Plateau’s most famous landmark emitting steam or other sort of gas near the peak around 9:45 a.m. The clip, of course, attracted a lot of attention, least from the United States Geological Survey and Mount Rainier National Park.

“This is a cloud on the top of #MountRainier,” the USGS Volcanoes Twitter page posted just minutes ago. “It’s not erupting or venting.”

“Mount Rainier is NOT erupting,” the MountRainierNPS Twitter account posted. “We have looked at the cloud that has caused concern from multiple webcams and have determined that it is a lenticular cloud.

The cloud, the post reads, is a lenticular cloud; it’s been reported that on-site volcanologists also confirmed there was no other unusual activity.

Though the volcano is not erupting at this time, the USGS used this incident to encourage people to prepare for an eruption in the future.

You can learn more about how to prep for an eruption at mil.wa.gov/volcano and mil.wa.gov/preparedness.