How dangerous is Mount Rainier?
Although Mount Rainier has not produced a significant eruption in the past 500 years, it is potentially the most dangerous volcano in the Cascade Range because of its great height, frequent earthquakes, active hydrothermal system, and extensive glacier mantle.
Mount Rainier has 26 glaciers containing more than five times as much snow and ice as all the other Cascade volcanoes combined. If only a small part of this ice were melted by volcanic activity, it would yield enough water to trigger enormous lahars (debris flows and mudflows that originate on a volcano). Mount Rainier's potential for generating destructive mudflows is enhanced by its great height above surrounding valleys.
Learn more: USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory
Related Content
How would an eruption of Mount Rainier compare to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens?
What is the greatest hazard presented by Mount Rainier?
How many eruptions have there been in the Cascades during the last 4,000 years?
How far did the ash from Mount St. Helens travel?
How dangerous are pyroclastic flows?
Do earthquakes large enough to collapse buildings and roads accompany volcanic eruptions?
Why is it important to monitor volcanoes?
How can we tell when a volcano will erupt?
What are some benefits of volcanic eruptions?
Can an eruption at one volcano trigger an eruption at another volcano?
How Do Volcanoes Erupt?
How would a volcanic eruption affect your Tribe?
Volcanic eruptions are rare, but when they occur, they can profoundly affect nearby communities. In order to determine which communities are at risk, and in order for those communities to mitigate their risk, communities need to know whether they are in or near volcano hazard zones and have basic information about the hazards within those zones....
Gardner, Cynthia A.; Bard, Joseph A.
When volcanoes fall down—Catastrophic collapse and debris avalanches
Despite their seeming permanence, volcanoes are prone to catastrophic collapse that can affect vast areas in a matter of minutes. Large collapses begin as gigantic landslides that quickly transform to debris avalanches—chaotically tumbling masses of rock debris that can sweep downslope at extremely high velocities, inundating areas far beyond the...
Siebert, Lee; Reid, Mark E.; Vallance, James W.; Pierson, Thomas C.
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
When erupting, all volcanoes pose a degree of risk to people and infrastructure, however, the risks are not equivalent from one volcano to another because of differences in eruptive style and geographic location. Assessing the relative threats posed by U.S. volcanoes identifies which volcanoes warrant the greatest risk-mitigation efforts by the U....
Ewert, John W.; Diefenbach, Angela K.; Ramsey, David W.
Lahar—River of volcanic mud and debris
Lahar, an Indonesian word for volcanic mudflow, is a mixture of water, mud, and volcanic rock flowing swiftly along a channel draining a volcano. Lahars can form during or after eruptions, or even during periods of inactivity. They are among the greatest threats volcanoes pose to people and property. Lahars can occur with little to no warning, and...
Major, Jon J.; Pierson, Thomas C.; Vallance, James W.
U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program—Assess, forecast, prepare, engage
At least 170 volcanoes in 12 States and 2 territories have erupted in the past 12,000 years and have the potential to erupt again. Consequences of eruptions from U.S. volcanoes can extend far beyond the volcano’s immediate area. Many aspects of our daily life are vulnerable to volcano hazards, ...
Stovall, Wendy K.; Wilkins, Aleeza M.; Mandeville, Charles W.; Driedger, Carolyn L.
Mount Rainier: living safely with a volcano in your backyard
Majestic Mount Rainier soars almost 3 miles (14,410 feet) above sea level and looms over the expanding suburbs of Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. Each year almost two million visitors come to Mount Rainier National Park to admire the volcano and its glaciers, alpine meadows, and forested ridges. However, the volcano's beauty is deceptive - U.S....
Driedger, Carolyn L.; Scott, William E.
Geologic hazards at volcanoes
Most volcano hazards are associated with eruptions. However, some hazards, such as lahars and debris avalanches, can occur even when a volcano is not erupting.
Myers, Bobbie; Driedger, Carolyn L.
This dynamic planet: World map of volcanoes, earthquakes, impact craters and plate tectonics
Our Earth is a dynamic planet, as clearly illustrated on the main map by its topography, over 1500 volcanoes, 44,000 earthquakes, and 170 impact craters. These features largely reflect the movements of Earth's major tectonic plates and many smaller plates or fragments of plates (including microplates). Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are awe-...
Simkin, Tom; Tilling, Robert I.; Vogt, Peter R.; Kirby, Stephen H.; Kimberly, Paul; Stewart, David B.
Debris-flow hazards caused by hydrologic events at Mount Rainier, Washington
At 4393 m, ice-clad Mount Rainier has great potential for debris flows owing to its precipitous slopes and incised steep valleys, the large volume of water stored in its glaciers, and a mantle of loose debris on its slopes. In the past 10,000 years, more than sixty Holocene lahars have occurred at Mount Rainier (Scott et al., 1985), and, in...
Vallance, James W.; Cunico, Michelle L.; Schilling, Steve P.
Volcano hazards from Mount Rainier, Washington, revised 1998
Hoblitt, R.P.; Wilder, J.S.; Driedger, C.L.; Scott, K.M.; Pringle, P.T.; Vallance, J.W.
What are volcano hazards?
No abstract available.
Myers, Bobbie; Brantley, Steven R.; Stauffer, Peter; Hendley, James W.
Volcanoes!
Volcanoes is an interdisciplinary set of materials for grades 4-8. Through the story of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, students will answer fundamental questions about volcanoes: "What is a volcano?" "Where do volcanoes occur and why?" "What are the effects of volcanoes on the Earth system?" "What are the risks and the benefits of living...
Which U.S. volcanoes pose a threat?
USGS Volcanic Threat Assessment updates the 2005 rankings.
EarthWord–Lahar
Which sounds more dangerous, lava or mud? The answer may surprise you...
May is Volcano Preparedness Month in Washington State
May is Volcano Preparedness Month in Washington, providing residents an opportunity to become more familiar with volcano hazards in their communities and learn about steps they can take to reduce potential impacts.
EarthWord–Subduction
It’s not flirting for submarines, but this week’s EarthWord does feature the ocean...
EarthWord–Tephra
Look! In the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane! Wait, run, it’s this week’s EarthWord!
PubTalk 2/2018 — USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory
Title: The USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory - Research, monitoring, and the science of preparing society for low-probability, high-consequence events
- Volcanoes in the Cascade Range erupt twice per century on average, with eruptions often lasting for years.
- Although eruptions are generally not as high-consequence as large earthquakes, they are still
Damage from Nevado del Ruiz Lahar
In November 1985, a lahar (volcanic mudflow) originating from Nevado del Ruiz volcano inundated the town of Armero, destroying all infrastructure in its path and killing 23,000 people. VDAP was developed in response to this tragedy. Photograph credit: USGS/VDAP
Mt. Rainier Lahar Hazard Map
Volcano hazard map showing the extent of lahar hazards in towns and valleys surrounding Mt. Rainier in Washington. Image credit: USGS
Photograph of Mount Rainier and Orting, Washington
Photograph of Mount Rainier and Orting, Washington, as seen from a ridge to the west. Orting is one of many communities that are in lahar-prone areas below the flanks of Mount Rainier.
Field Work on Mount Rainier
Researcher Amanda Kissel pauses by a lake in Mt. Rainier National Park.
View of Mount Rainier
A view during the 2015 Climate Boot Camp site visit to discuss landscape response to climate change at Mount Rainier, Washington.
Mount Rainier Looms over the Puyallup Valley, Washington
Mount Rainier volcano looms over Puyallup Valley, near Orting, Washington.
Volcano Web Shorts 2: Debris Flows
Debris flows are hazardous flows of rock, sediment and water that surge down mountain slopes and into adjacent valleys. Hydrologist Richard Iverson describes the nature of debris-flow research and explains how debris flow experiments are conducted at the USGS Debris Flow Flume, west of Eugene, Oregon. Spectacular debris flow footage, recorded by Franck Lavigne of the
Pinatubo Lahar Damage
Lahar devastation after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo, Philippines.
Mount St Helens Lahar
Bridge destroyed by lahar in North Fork Toutle River during eruption of Mount St. Helens, May 18,1980. Credit: Richard Waitt, USGS.