The giant stratovolcano in the US Cascadic Volcanic Arch has a history of violent explosive eruptions.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) notes the volcano runs a “very high” threat potential, more so than Yellowstone volcano.
On Thursday, September 20, the USGS tweeted in response to a question on Yellowstone: “Glacier Peak is a high-threat volcano that is very capable of eruption.
“Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) is working toward getting permits to instal additional instruments.
“There is an eruption response and coordination plan developed by USGS and state and local agencies.”
Glacier Peak is the most remote of the five active volcanoes in Washington State and is flanked on all sides by glaciers.
The USGS notes the volcano has produced some of the most terrifying and largest volcanic eruptions since the most recent ice age which ended nearly 12,000 years ago.
Glacier Peak and Mount St Helens are the only two Washington volcanoes that have had explosive eruptions in the past 15,000 years.
In comparison, Yellowstone volcano is known to have erupted two million, 1.3 million and 640,000 years ago.
Glacier Peak sits approximately 65 miles (100 km) northeast of Seattle and 70 miles (110km) south of the US border with Canada.
The ominous volcano lies within the Glacier Peak Wilderness Area and Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
The volcano’s peak towers about 10,544 ft (3,214m) above the surrounding area.
The oldest lava flows from the volcano have been dated to somewhere between 200,000 and 600,000-years-old.
The USGS said: “Since the continental ice-sheets receded from the region approximately 15,000 years ago, Glacier Peak has erupted repeatedly suing at least six episodes.
“Two of these eruptions were among the largest in the Cascades during this time period.”
Glacier Peak’s eruptions are characteristically “large” and “eruptive” and are believed to occur every several hundred to a few thousand years.
The USGS estimates the odds of Glacier Peak erupting in any given year are roughly one in one thousand.
Future eruptions will likely be preceded by strong earthquakes and the emission of volcanic gases.
The agency said: “Glacier Peak may not erupt within our lifetimes, but if it does its geographic impact would vary depending on the size of the eruption, wind direction, and type of hazards produced.
“All streams that drain Glacier Peak ultimately flow into the Sauk and Skagit Rivers; thus all lahars and post-eruption sediment would likely affect the growing communities on the these rivers as far as the Puget Lowland.”