when did mt st helens erupt

Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980, at 8:32 a.m. The eruption was preceded by a series of volcanic explosions and seismic activity starting in March 1980. This major explosive eruption included a massive landslide on the north face of the mountain triggered by an earthquake, followed by a lateral blast that devastated the surrounding area. The eruption sent a large ash column 80,000 feet into the atmosphere and caused widespread ashfall across multiple U.S. states and Canadian provinces. It is considered the most disastrous volcanic eruption in U.S. history.