Mount St. Helens, Washington, USA, 1973

Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano in southwest Washington State.  This image was acquired September 15, 1973 by the Landsat 1 satellite. 

On May 18, 1980, a major volcanic eruption occurred at Mount St. Helens. The eruption was preceded by a series of earthquakes and steam-venting episodes, and an earthquake on May 18 caused the entire weakened north face to slide away, creating the largest landslide ever recorded. This allowed the high-pressure gas and steam to suddenly explode northwards.

You can see what the area looked like in 1983 after the eruption by visiting Mount St. Helens, Washington, USA, 1983. You can also visit the USGS Earthshots page to see more images that show the landscape change over time.