YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Hot off the presses!
The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) has announced the publication of its 2024 annual report, which chronicles the hydrothermal and seismic activity observed in Yellowstone National Park that year. Beyond the monumental explosion recorded at Biscuit Basin that summer, YVO Scientist in Charge Michael Poland noted in the publication announcement that it was an otherwise consistent year.
“The July 23, 2024, explosion of Black Diamond Pool in Biscuit Basin was the best documented hydrothermal explosion in the history of Yellowstone National Park thanks to numerous visitor videos, photographs, and descriptions,” Poland wrote. “Despite the violence of the event, which hurled mud, rocks, and debris up to 120–180 meters (400–600 feet) into the air, there were fortunately no injuries.”
In addition to the much-publicized Biscuit Basin event, a smaller hydrothermal explosion occurred in April 2024. Rather than being photographed by park visitors, that incident was “the first in Yellowstone National Park to be detected by geophysical monitoring,” Poland wrote.
YNP saw 1,173 earthquakes in 2024, with the most intense of them reaching magnitude 3.3, according to the report. This is considered to be at the lower end of the typical range of seismicity, per the scientists. Researchers did not observe any changes in ground deformation; they reported that the caldera continued to subside at a rate of approximately 1 inch per year.
Steamboat Geyser notched six major eruptions in 2024, still on the decline following 48 recorded eruptions in 2020. Abyss Pool, on the other hand, demonstrated expanded activity, including an increase in temperature. A new steam vent was observed near Nymph Lake, too.
“Despite these changes, overall thermal output from the Yellowstone region remained consistent with previous years, as measured by both river chemistry and thermal satellite data,” Poland wrote.
Check out the report here.
