YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — On Saturday, March 1, the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) posted its monthly update for Yellowstone National Park (YNP).
According to the update, Steamboat Geyser had its first major eruption of the year just before midnight on Feb. 3. YVO previously confirmed that Steamboat Geyser experienced only six major eruptions during 2024, the fewest since the geyser became frequently active in 2018.
During February, YVO also reports that the University of Utah Seismograph Stations, responsible for the operation and analysis of the Yellowstone Seismic Network, located 42 earthquakes in the YNP region. This is down from 56 earthquakes in the YNP region in January. The largest seismic event of February was what YVO calls “a micro earthquake,” magnitude 2.6, located about 14 miles southeast of West Thumb on Feb. 11 at 1:35 a.m.
YVO writes that February seismicity in Yellowstone was marked by two swarms: one swarm of 18 earthquakes approximately 13 miles south-southwest of Mammoth in YNP from Feb. 1 to 8 (largest earthquake magnitude 1.6 on February 3 at 1:24 a.m.) and one swarm of 11 earthquakes approximately five miles south-southeast of West Thumb in YNP on Feb. 11 (largest earthquake magnitude 2.4 at 1:44 a.m.).
YVO still considers YNP earthquake activity to be at “background levels” currently.
