MOUNT RAINIER
GEOLOGY & WEATHER
Hello guest! [ Log In ]
Welcome to morageology.com!
Welcome to
morageology.com
Use this bar to navigate the site
Good Morning!
Friday, October 04, 2024
Today is day 278 of 2024 and
day 4 of Water Year 2025
Welcome to morageology.com! This site is an externally-accessible clearing house of static, real-time, non-real-time, and archived Mount Rainier geologic and geomorphic data used for geohazard awareness and mitigation. All data provided on this site are publicly-accessible non-sensitive scientific information collected by geologists at Mount Rainier National Park. Individual datasets are provided here for informational use only and are not guaranteed to be accurate or final versions - all data should be considered provisional unless otherwise noted.
TODAY'S DEBRIS FLOW HAZARD
10-DAY FORECAST TREND:
HHLLLLMMHLL
LATEST PARADISE WEATHER
As of: 10/04/2024 04:00 AM

50.4° F
Wind: W (268°) @ 9 G 16 mph
Snow Depth: 0 in (0% of normal)
24-hour Precip: 0.00 in

[ Observation | Forecast ]
LATEST LONGMIRE WEATHER
As of: 10/03/2024 03:00 PM

65.3° F
Snow Depth: 3 in (0% of normal)
24-hour Precip: 0.00 in

[ Observation | Forecast ]
WINDY.COM PRECIPITATION RADAR
MOUNT RAINIER VICINITY
FORECASTED SNOW PACK
AT PARADISE (5,400')
[ More Info ]
Tahoma Creek along the West Side Road after the 2019 debris flows (from a photo by Scott Beason on 08/07/2019)
LATEST EARTHQUAKES:
Earthquakes in the last 30 days near Mount Rainier
:
39

LAST 5 EARTHQUAKES:

  1. Thu, Oct 03, 2024, 22:10:33 GMT
    13 hours 51 minutes 6 seconds ago
    13.058 km (8.114 mi) W of summit
    Magnitude: 0.5
    Depth 7.6 km (4.7 mi)
    View More Info

  2. Thu, Oct 03, 2024, 22:05:09 GMT
    13 hours 56 minutes 31 seconds ago
    13.338 km (8.288 mi) W of summit
    Magnitude: 0.7
    Depth 8.0 km (5.0 mi)
    View More Info

  3. Thu, Oct 03, 2024, 21:56:22 GMT
    14 hours 5 minutes 17 seconds ago
    13.198 km (8.201 mi) W of summit
    Magnitude: 2.2
    Depth 7.5 km (4.7 mi)
    View More Info

  4. Wed, Oct 02, 2024, 16:52:31 GMT
    1 day 19 hours 9 minutes 9 seconds ago
    12.335 km (7.664 mi) E of summit
    Magnitude: 0.4
    Depth 4.8 km (3.0 mi)
    View More Info

  5. Tue, Oct 01, 2024, 08:54:41 GMT
    3 days 3 hours 6 minutes 59 seconds ago
    14.432 km (8.968 mi) W of summit
    Magnitude: 0.2
    Depth 7.4 km (4.6 mi)
    View More Info

MISC:
Currently, this site has approximately
22,717,966
total data points in its database!
 
1 RANDOM PUBLICATION AND THE 5 LATEST PUBLICATIONS ADDED TO THE DATABASE:
  1. Walder (1986) Hydraulics of subglacial cavities
    A theoretical model is developed to describe the steady-state behavior of interconnected, water-filled cavities at the glacier bed. Physically plausible cavities should contain constrictions along the flow path, with flow in the wider sections being relatively sluggish. Mean flow rates in cavities may be at least one order of magnitude less than in channels incised into the basal ice (R channels). Melting due to viscous dissipation - the process that allows R channels to exist - probably plays a minor or negligible role, as compared to glacier sliding, in determining the size of cavities. Furthermore, a system of subglacial cavities should not show a tendency for localization of flow in a few main conduits, as does an R-channel system. If water pressure rises to within several bars of overburden pressure, the rate of cavity closure by creep falls below the rate of cavity opening by sliding and melting, with cavities then becoming unstable. Subsequent evolution of the drainage system should depend upon the total melt-water flux. Circumstances may arise in which cavities and channels act as conduits for melt water; such a configuration would probably show unusual transient behavior.
  2. Kramer et al. (2024) Recent expansion of the Cascades Volcano Observatory geophysical network at Mount Rainier for improved volcano and lahar monitoring
    The U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) recently expanded its continuous geophysical monitoring at Mount Rainier, an active stratovolcano in Washington state. CVO monitors volcanoes in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho to characterize volcanic systems and detect unrest. Mount Rainier has a history of large lahar occurrences in the Holocene, including at least one that may not have been associated with volcanic activity. Pierce County, Washington, is one of the areas most at risk from large lahars. In the 1990s, CVO collaborated with Pierce County to install the Rainier lahar detection system (RLDS), an automated system designed to detect large lahars in high‐risk drainages and mitigate hazards to heavily populated areas. The system was designed to detect lahars within 5–10 min of their occurrence and alert authorities of the need to evacuate populated low‐lying areas before lahar arrival. In addition, CVO and the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) maintained and expanded a network of seismic and geodetic monitoring stations on and near the edifice to provide adequate volcano monitoring capabilities. Since 2016, CVO has worked to upgrade the existing RLDS and to expand its capabilities into other drainages around Mount Rainier. This expansion includes installation of 25 new broadband seismic stations with many including infrasound along high‐risk drainages, as well as support for equipment upgrades at existing PNSN and CVO volcano monitoring sites. All stations transmit continuous, near‐real‐time data with dramatically improved spatial coverage for volcano monitoring and lahar hazard mitigation compared to the previous system.
  3. (2024) Mount Rainier National Park climate futures summary
    Climate change is already threatening resources, assets, and visitors in national parks, and, increasingly, park decisions require consideration of plausible climate change implications and potential adaptations. This climate futures summary for Mount Rainier National Park describes both recent changes in climate and plausible climate futures to help inform and support a broad range of climate assessments and climate adaptation efforts and activities.
  4. Driedger et al. (2024) Lawetlat'la—Mount St. Helens—Land in Transformation
    This poster provides an overview of Mount St. Helens’ eruption history and emphasizes the continuous transformation of the volcanic landscape and its ecosystems. After each eruption, the landscape and ecosystems are not so much restored as they are morphed into new forms and patterns.
  5. Driedger et al. (2024) Following the tug of the audience from complex to simplified hazard maps at Cascade Range volcanoes
    Volcano-hazard maps are broadly recognized as important tools for forecasting and managing volcanic crises and for disseminating spatial information to authorities and people at risk. As scientists, we might presume that hazards maps can be developed at the time and with the methods of our discretion, yet the co-production of maps with stakeholder groups, who have programmatic needs of their own, can sway the timing, usability, and acceptance of map products. We examine two volcano hazard map-making efforts by staff at the U.S. Geological Survey. During the 1990s and early 2000s scientists developed a series of hazard assessments and maps with detailed zonations for volcanoes in Washington and Oregon. In 2009, the National Park Service expressed the need for simplified versions of the existing hazard maps for a high-profile visitor center exhibit. This request created an opportunity for scientists to rethink the objectives, scope, content, and map representations of hazards. The primary focus of this article is a discussion of processes used by scientists to distill the most critical information within the official parent maps into a series of simplified maps using criteria specified. We contextualize this project with information about development of the parent maps, public response to the simplified hazard maps, the value of user engagement in mapmaking, and with reference to the abundance of guidance available to the next generation of hazard-mapmakers. We argue that simplified versions of maps should be developed in tandem with any hazard maps that contain technical complexities, not as a replacement, but as a mechanism to broaden awareness of hazards. We found that when scientists endeavor to design vivid and easy-to-understand maps, people in many professions find uses for them within their organization’s information products, resulting in extensive distribution.
  6. Iverson and George (2024) Numerical modeling of debris flows: A conceptual assessment: Advances in debris-flow science and practice
    Real-world hazard evaluation poses many challenges for the development and application of numerical models of debris flows. In this chapter we provide a conceptual overview of physically based, depth-averaged models designed to simulate debris-flow motion across three-dimensional terrain. When judiciously formulated and applied, these models can provide useful information about anticipated depths, speeds, and extents of debris-flow inundation as well as debris interactions with structures such as levees and dams. Depth-averaged debris-flow models can differ significantly from one another, however. Some of the greatest differences result from simulation of one-phase versus two-phase flow, use of parsimonious versus information-intensive initial and boundary conditions, use of tuning coefficients versus physically measureable parameters, application of dissimilar numerical solution techniques, and variations in computational speed and model accessibility. This overview first addresses these and related attributes of depth-averaged debris-flow models. It then describes model testing and application to hazard evaluation, with a focus on our own model, D-Claw. The overview concludes with a discussion of outstanding challenges for development of improved debris-flow models and suggestions for prospective model users.

View More Publications...

LATEST UPDATES AND SITE NEWS:
August 5, 2019 Tahoma Creek Debris Flow
Posted on Wed, Aug 14, 2019, 17:00 by Scott Beason. Updated on Wed, Aug 14, 2019, 17:00

The 32nd recorded debris flow in Tahoma Creek occurred on August 5, 2019, between 6:44 PM PDT (8/6/2019 01:55 UTC) - 8:10 PM PDT (8/6/2019 03:10 UTC), as observed on the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network's (PNSN) Emerald Ridge (RER) seismograph. The event began as a sudden and significant change in the primary outlet stream from the terminus of the South Tahoma Glacier. This change caused a surge of water to go over loose, steep and unconsolidated sediment-rich areas just downstream of the terminus. Debris flow deposits were observed approximately 4 miles downstream at the Tahoma Creek Trail trailhead (an area affectionally known in the park as 'barrel curve'). The event is still being investigated... a good photo set (with a few videos) is available here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mountrainiernps/sets/72157710161403356/. If you would like to view more information about the event, click here: http://www.morageology.com/geoEvent.php#145. If you were in the area of the South Tahoma Glacier or Tahoma Creek on the evening of August 5 and/or morning of August 6, and have any interesting observations, please send them to Scott Beason.

New Camp Schurman weather station added!
Posted on Tue, Jul 23, 2019, 14:17 by Scott Beason. Updated on Tue, Jul 23, 2019, 14:17

A new weather station has been added to morageology.com. Click the following link to see hourly data from Camp Schurman on the NE side of Mount Rainier's volcanic edifice at 9,500 feet: http://waterdata.morageology.com/station.php?g=MORAWXCS.

Longmire RSAM Down
Posted on Wed, Jul 10, 2019, 05:00 by Scott Beason. Updated on Wed, Jul 10, 2019, 05:00

The Longmire (LON) seismograph has been reporting ground vibrations from a construction project in the area near the seismograph. In order to prevent erroneous debris flow alerts, the RSAM (debris flow detection) analysis has been disabled. The system will be restored once the construction project has been completed.

LATEST CASCADES VOLCANO OBSERVATORY WEEKLY UPDATE:

CASCADES VOLCANO OBSERVATORY WEEKLY UPDATE
U.S. Geological Survey
Friday, January 5, 2024, 1:47 PM PST (Friday, January 5, 2024, 21:47 UTC)


CASCADE RANGE (VNUM #)
Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL
Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN

Activity Update: All volcanoes in the Cascade Range of Oregon and Washington are at normal background activity levels. These include Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Adams in Washington State and Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, Three Sisters, Newberry, and Crater Lake in Oregon.

Past Week Observations: During the past week, small earthquakes were detected at Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens. All monitoring data are consistent with background activity levels in the Cascades Range.



The U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory and the University of Washington Pacific Northwest Seismic Network continue to monitor Washington and Oregon volcanoes closely and will issue additional notifications as warranted.

Website Resources

For images, graphics, and general information on Cascade Range volcanoes: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/cvo
For seismic information on Oregon and Washington volcanoes: http://www.pnsn.org/volcanoes
For information on USGS volcano alert levels and notifications: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcano-notifications-deliver-situational-information



CONTACT INFORMATION:

Jon Major, Scientist-in-Charge, Cascades Volcano Observatory, jjmajor@usgs.gov

General inquiries: vhpweb@usgs.gov