Stay Eat Events Weather Beaches

Recording Apparently Mount St. Helens Eruption Heard on Oregon Coast

Published 05/18/23 at 8:22 PM
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

Latest Coastal Lodging News Alerts
In Seaside:
Includes exclusive listings; some specials in winter
In Cannon Beach:
Includes rentals not listed anywhere else
In Manzanita, Wheeler, Rockaway Beach:
Some specials for winter
In Pacific City, Oceanside:
Some specials for winter
In Lincoln City:
Some specials for winter
In Depoe Bay, Gleneden Beach:
Some specials for winter
In Newport:
Look for some specials
In Waldport
Some specials for winter
In Yachats, Florence
Some specials for winter
Southern Oregon Coast Hotels / Lodgings
Reedsport to Brookings, places to stay; winter deals

(Newport, Oregon) – On May 18, 1980, a part of southern Washington exploded. At 8:32 a.m., after weeks of jittery-inducing activity that was studied by scientists and publicized like crazy by local media, Mount St. Helens erupted with a major blast. The force killed 57 people, leveled tens of miles of forest and all manner of lands around it, and it sent ash hundreds of miles away. (Photo USGS)

It was also heard hundreds of miles away, reportedly, and there are definitely some recordings of it, sometimes from actual footage of the explosion itself. From out of the immediate vicinity, the noise is often described as a series of thuds. Some of this was the result of sound bouncing off the atmosphere and some of it was sound waves bouncing and careening off mountains in the Pacific Northwest.

Closer in, it was the crunchy kind of boom you'd expect. It's even a bit chilling. Numerous recordings are found on YouTube, all displaying that “thud” noise that everyone outside the blast area had described.

But was the blast heard on the Oregon coast?

HEAR THE RECORDING PURPORTEDLY FROM THE OREGON COAST

That is entirely possible. According to numerous news and geological sources, including The Oregonian, it was heard a good 150 miles away. One blogger named DaveInCamas has posted just such a recording, apparently done in Newport on that day. There is indeed that muffled thud noise, happening several times.

SEE / HEAR ERUPTION ON YOUTUBE

Was this one from the Oregon coast ever studied or confirmed? It does not appear so. Thus, Oregon Coast Beach Connection cannot verify the recordings' authenticity. It is, however, an interesting historical tidbit to think this would've been the beach region.

Today is 43 years since the eruption.

Oregon Coast Hotels in this area - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours

 

MORE PHOTOS BELOW






Booking.com

More of the Oregon coast below:

Courtesy Manuela Durson - see Manuela Durson Fine Arts 





More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....


Coastal Spotlight


Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Plane Skids Off Runway on S. Oregon Coast, Into Coos Bay Waters
All five were rescued and are okay

Some Minor Traffic Impact This Month on Oregon Coast Range, Near Nehalem
Highway 26 at Humbug Creek and Miami Foley Road. Travel tips

Two Oregon Coast Gigs Bring Fiddle Virtuosos and a Local Composer to Newport
Milo Graamans on May 13 at a special benefit; Fiddle Express on May 16. Newport events

Volunteers Needed for Garden Near Coos Bay: Help Out Oregon Coast Landmark at...
Inviting everyone to roll up their sleeves and join its Garden Volunteer Days. Coos Bay events, south coast events

Oregon Coast Whale Watch Week Begins Amid More Worries About Gray Whale Popul...
March 22 - 30, but you may see less in coming years. South coast events, Florence events, Astoria events, Seaside events, Cannon Beach events, Manzanita events, Rockaway Beach events, Tillamook events, Garibaldi events, Oceanside events, Pacific City events, Lincoln City events, Depoe Bay events, Newport events, Waldport events, Newport events, Yachats events

Cannon Beach Will Whoop It Up Over Return of Puffins to North Oregon Coast - ...
April 13 in Cannon Beach, get help spotting tufted puffins. Cannon Beach events

Washington Coast Cleanup on April 19 - Coinciding with Oregon Coast's SOLVE E...
From the Puget Sound to Long Beach, alongside Oregon's cleanup. Washington coast events, Seaside events

Oregon Coast Hiking Hotspot Closes Briefly: Saddle Mountain Near Seaside, Hwy...
Closure from May 6 to 10, some lane closures on Hwy 26. Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Astoria


Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted