Temperatures Are Rising at Mt. St. Helens

MT. ST. HELENS, Wash. — New thermal images reveal that parts of the lava dome in Mt. St. Helens’ crater are getting hotter and scientists said Monday that an area on the south side of the dome appeared perforated, as if magma has been hammering at the surface.

“What’s happened in the last day is the magma is not just pushing up but pushing out. We no longer have just isolated vents. Instead, the whole area is pushing up, the gas is the fuse, just oozing out,” John Pallister, a U.S. Geological Survey geologist, said. He said scientists believed the magma, or molten rock, was less than half a mile below the surface.

Fast-moving magma would cause greater concern because explosive gases wouldn’t have time to dissipate.

The alert level remains at “volcano advisory.”

Willie Scott, a U.S. Geological Survey geologist, said earlier Monday that temperatures in some spots of the lava dome could be as high as 200 to 300 degrees Celsius -- roughly 400 to 570 degrees Fahrenheit.

The mountain gave off more steam Monday, with a cloud slowly drifting up hundreds of feet from the rim of the crater as the sun rose, much like Sunday’s emission.