Why is this considered to be a pause? Why is the Alert Level being lowered to Advisory (Color Code Yellow) instead of Alert Level Normal (Color Code Green)?
Our experiences with lava-dome-building eruptions at Mount St. Helens and other volcanoes around the world have taught us that lava-dome extrusion can start anew after pauses of weeks, months, or even years. During such pauses, levels of seismicity, deformation, and gas emission sometimes decline to pre-eruption levels, then increase again prior to renewed eruptive activity. It is too soon for us to say whether the current Mount St. Helens eruption has ended. Because lava-dome growth has stopped, we are no longer in alert level Watch and aviation color code Orange, as that combination signifies an eruption underway that poses limited hazards and has no to minor ash emissions. Our experience has shown us that many lava-dome eruptions are episodic, and we are continuing to monitor the volcano closely. We have reduced the alert level to Advisory, and the aviation color code to Yellow, to signify that volcanic activity has decreased significantly, but continues to be closely monitored for
