The possible eruption of Mount St. Helens has brought geologists, disaster specialists and gawkers to the mountain. Over the weekend it was predicted that the volcano might blow within 24 hours. That didn’t happen but the Associated Press is reporting that a second long tremor occurred early Sunday and that an increase in volcanic gases means that magma is moving inside the mountain. While this could continue for weeks, crowds have congregated along a park road a safe distance away. People camped with lawn chairs, barbecues and cameras approximately nine miles from the mountain.

Scientists do not expect the latest explosion to equal the 1980 eruption, which killed 57 people and took the top 1,300 feet off the mountain. But they do admit that no one knows what the mountain will do next. Hundreds of people were cleared from an observatory closer to the peak Saturday when it seemed that an explosion might be imminent. The mountain's alert was raised to Level 3, the highest possible but scientists on Sunday discussed lowering their alert to indicate only that an eruption is possible.

Many of the casual observers left the mountain on Sunday. Scientists believe that this eruption will not produce the amount of ash the last one did but worry that large ash plumes full of gritty rock could damage aircraft engines and the surfaces of cars. Lava has been building up since the earthquakes of 1998 but never surfaced and new lava may also be coming up. Scientists will continue to monitor the mountain and have decided not to lower the alert level until they have more data.