Yellowstone Supervolcano Rumbles Again: New Quake Swarm Sparks Eruption Fears

UPDATE ON YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK ERUPTION RUMORS: JULY 2025 Yellowstone National Park’s supervolcano is once again in the spotlight after a wave of social-media videos showed bison, elk, and even a lone grizzly ambling along roadways—footage some users claimed was proof an eruption was imminent. Park officials and volcanologists say the speculation is unfounded, and the geologic indicators remain firmly within normal ranges. ALERT LEVEL REMAINS “NORMAL” • The U.S. Geological Survey’s Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) kept the Alert Level at “NORMAL” and the Aviation Color Code at “GREEN” in its 1 July 2025 monthly bulletin, citing “no signs of elevated unrest” in seismicity, ground deformation, or gas emissions. • Background earthquake activity—typically 1,500–2,500 small quakes per year—continues at typical rates. None exceeded magnitude 3.2 in June. • Ground-based GPS stations show subsidence, the slow sinking that has dominated since late 2015; rapid uplift, usually a precursor to eruptive episodes, is absent. OFFICIALS DISPEL WILDLIFE “MASS EXODUS” CLAIM Viral posts suggesting Yellowstone’s animals are “fleeing” en masse misinterpret normal summer migrations and traffic-related movements, according to park spokesperson Morgan Warthin. “We see this every year when temperatures rise and forage shifts,” she said, adding that the claims “have no connection to volcanic activity”. THE VIRAL BEAR VIDEO, EXPLAINED A widely shared clip of a black bear sprinting past tour buses near Hayden Valley ignited fresh fears last week. Wildlife biologist Kerry Gunther notes that bears frequently run to avoid human contact or to chase prey, not because they sense subterranean danger. Independent fact-checkers also confirmed the footage was filmed in May 2023, not this month. WHAT A SUPERERUPTION WOULD ACTUALLY REQUIRE For Yellowstone’s magma reservoir to reach eruptive pressure, scientists would expect: 1. Significant, rapid uplift—meters per year. 2. Swarms of magnitude 4–5 earthquakes directly beneath the caldera. 3. Large spikes in sulfur dioxide and carbon-dioxide emissions. None of these “red-flag” benchmarks have been observed. RECENT HYDROTHERMAL DRAMA IS NOT VOLCANIC July’s most eye-catching event was a hydrothermal explosion at Imperial Geyser’s runoff channel that carved out a new 13-foot-wide blue pool. Hydrothermal blasts are steam-driven and confined to the shallow crust; they are unrelated to magma movement and occur several times each decade, park geologists say. TRAVEL ADVICE FOR SUMMER VISITORS • Expect road delays as highway 191 is under construction near West Thumb. • Stay on boardwalks; thin crust areas can cause severe burns. • Download the NPS “GeyserTimes” app for real-time predictions of Old Faithful and Grand Geyser. BOTTOM LINE Despite sensational headlines circulating online, there is no credible scientific evidence that Yellowstone National Park is on the brink of a supervolcano eruption. Visitors can enjoy geyser gazing, wildlife watching, and the blooming paintbrush meadows without volcanic worry—but they should remain alert to the everyday hazards of America’s oldest national park.