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Small Hydrothermal Explosion at Yellowstone’s Biscuit Basin Creates New Boiling Pool

Scientists say unusually close recordings of seismic, infrasound, and camera data may reveal warning signs for sudden steam‑driven blasts

Overview

  • A small hydrothermal explosion occurred in Biscuit Basin on Saturday, June 13, producing anomalous seismic and low‑frequency infrasound signals that were matched to a camera image of a dark jet from the ground.
  • Geologists found three groups of newly opened vents and fissures that funneled near‑boiling water into the Firehole River, turning the flow milky and sending hot runoff downstream.
  • Water measured at or near boiling in the new pathways, with reported temperatures between about 185°F and 200°F at Yellowstone’s elevation.
  • Between June 14 and June 16 the ground collapsed to form a roughly 21 by 17 foot gray, silty boiling pool that later produced intermittent 20–30 foot spouts observed on June 18.
  • No injuries were reported because Biscuit Basin has been closed since a larger 2024 blast, officials say the basin remains closed while scientists analyze the close‑range data and the USGS reports the broader volcanic system is at normal background levels.