Steam and debris erupt again at Yellowstone thermal pool, webcam shows
A newly installed webcam recorded a hydrothermal eruption at Yellowstone’s Biscuit Basin, the same site rocked by a powerful explosion last summer.
A small eruption at the Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone National Park was captured by a newly installed webcam on May 31. Footage released by the USGS shows the eruption blasting out of a thermal pool, sending water several feet into the air.
A small hydrothermal eruption was captured on camera at Yellowstone National Park last weekend at the same site where a massive explosion destroyed a section of boardwalk last summer.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the eruption occurred at 8:39 p.m. local time on Saturday, May 31, at Black Diamond Pool in Biscuit Basin, just north of Old Faithful. It was recorded by a newly installed webcam set up on May 14 to monitor activity at the site.
“It is likely that these small eruptions are a result of the hydrothermal plumbing system for the pool adjusting after the major disruption of the larger explosion last summer,” USGS Scientist-in-Charge Michael Poland told USA TODAY.
Hydrothermal explosions occur when superheated water rapidly turns to steam underground, triggering sudden bursts of steam, rock and debris.
The July 2024 explosion at the same pool scattered boulders, destroyed nearby infrastructure and altered the shape of the pool itself. No injuries were reported.
As of June 3, the parking lot and boardwalk at Biscuit Basin remain closed due to continued risk of hydrothermal activity.
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