Videos

In addition to the December 2024 update, Mike Poland, scientist-in-charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, presents YVO’s top five geologic stories from Yellowstone National Park in 2024. 

USGS Scientist, Bob deGroot, briefly explains what happened during the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that occurred offshore of Mendocino, CA, on December 5, 2024.

The event occurred in an area called the Triple Junction, where the Pacific, Juan de Fruca, and North American tectonic plates meet.

USGS Scientist, Bob deGroot, briefly explains what happened during the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that occurred offshore of Mendocino, CA, on December 5, 2024.

The event occurred in an area called the Triple Junction, where the Pacific, Juan de Fruca, and North American tectonic plates meet.

The hydrothermal explosion in Biscuit Basin stole all the headlines. But did you know there was a smaller hydrothermal explosion in Norris Geyser Basin on April 15, 2024? That explosion was detected by a new infrasound sensor installed this past September. Watch to learn more.

Volcanoes tend to have seismicity that waxes and wanes over time. That’s considered normal and not necessarily a cause for concern. Let’s check on Mount Adams to see what USGS scientists are doing to learn more about its recent earthquake activity and what it could mean for this Cascade Range volcano.

Obsidian: It’s not just a valuable commodity in Minecraft. Obsidian was an important resource for Indigenous peoples across western North America. Learn more in this month's update.

Did you feel that? 

The annual Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill is coming on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at 10:17 a.m. (local time, wherever you are). We never know where or when an earthquake may happen, but preparing is easier than assembling a piece of Scandinavian furniture. 

Don’t believe us? Take a look at this step-by-step guide. 

Let’s get you caught up on what we’ve learned about the July 23, 2024, hydrothermal explosion in Biscuit Basin, in this Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Monthly Update for October 2024. 

Read Caldera Chronicles

Natural hazards like earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and floods impact millions of Americans every year. The U.S. Geological Survey monitors these hazards in realtime, giving communities early warnings and critical information. In some cases, forecasting where the threat is greatest and helping reduce the risk to people, homes, and infrastructure.

The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, measuring magnitude 6.9, was the strongest to hit the San Francisco Bay Area since the Great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Although it provided extensive data on ground shaking, the available observations don’t fully capture all the quake's important features. 

Is it true that there's oil in Yellowstone? Watch this month's Yellowstone Monthly update and find out.

At the USGS National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC), our team locates and researches earthquakes to provide information on how to reduce risk from earthquakes.

At the USGS National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC), our team locates and researches earthquakes to provide information on how to reduce risk from earthquakes.

In this month's video, we update you on the Biscuit Basin explosion on July 23, 2024, and discuss the 65th anniversary of the M7.3 Hegben Lake earthquake. 
 

Ever wonder what it is like to work as a USGS intern? Dive into these intern stories of how students are making science their superpower while studying earthquakes!

What just happened at Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone National Park? Kaboom! Visitors witnessed a towering plume of steam, rock and mud rise several hundred feet into the air. The brief July 23 event was a classic example of a hydrothermal explosion, not a volcanic eruption.

The beautiful Morning Glory pool is located near Old Faithful. However, it has changed over time because of people and  past climate. But how? 

This PlaneCam video was produced by developing animation tracklines in ArcGlobe, using imagery from PlaneCam flights.

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

This PlaneCam video was produced by developing animation tracklines in ArcGlobe, using imagery from PlaneCam flights.

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day.