An underwater volcano off the West Coast could erupt before the end of 2025

Oregon: There’s some buzz about Axial Seamount, a big underwater volcano sitting about 480 kilometers off the Oregon coast. Discovered back in 1970, it’s become a hotspot for scientists. They’ve set up the world’s first underwater observatory there, which helps them learn more about how volcanoes work.

This volcano is pretty active, having erupted several times since its discovery. The last time it blew was in April 2015, which caused a bunch of underwater quakes and even made the ocean floor sink a couple of meters. Now, it looks like it might erupt again before 2025.

Bill Chadwick from Oregon State University and Scott Nooner from the University of North Carolina have been keeping an eye on things. They’ve noticed that the volcano is inflating more and more. As of late October 2024, it’s back to the same level it was at before the last eruption.

Plus, there’s been a spike in earthquakes around the volcano, with hundreds happening daily. While it’s not expected to affect anyone on land, it could give researchers a great chance to gather data on eruptions.

But don’t get too excited just yet. A 2025 eruption isn’t a sure thing. Just like weather forecasts, there are a lot of variables that can change things unexpectedly.