Surprise Eruption in Yellowstone Captured on New Webcam

A small eruption at Black Diamond Pool in Yellowstone’s Biscuit Basin was recently captured on video. The eruption occurred at 8:39 p.m. on May 31 and was recorded by a new webcam installed earlier that month.

Same Spot as Last Year's Big Blast

If “Black Diamond Pool” rings a bell, it’s probably because this is the same spot where a powerful hydrothermal explosion happened last summer. That July 2024 blast was much more intense, but this recent event is the first time any eruption at the pool has been caught on video since then. Scientists and eyewitnesses believe there have been a few smaller eruptions since last summer, but none were recorded until now.

New Webcam Gives Scientists a Better Look

On May 14, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) set up a new webcam at Biscuit Basin to monitor the pool. It snaps a photo every 15 minutes, and video is stored for later review. Scientists noticed changes in the pool through these images and were able to confirm the May 31 eruption after reviewing the video footage. You can check out the webcam for yourself at usgs.gov.

Yellowstone Is Still Doing Its Thing

Even with the excitement at Black Diamond Pool, the Yellowstone Caldera is considered to be at normal, or “background,” activity levels. In May, 119 small earthquakes were recorded in the area, which is pretty typical. The largest quake was a magnitude 2.7 on May 26, nothing major.

READ MORE: Miles of Dead Trees in Yellowstone: What’s Really Going On?

Earthquake Swarms Are Still Common

Three small earthquake swarms were tracked in May near West Yellowstone, Montana. The biggest quakes in these swarms ranged from magnitude 1.5 to 2.1, all minor and expected for this geologically active area.

READ MORE: On the Road to Yellowstone, a Big Boy Statue Sparks Curiosity

Summer Science in Full Swing

With warmer weather, scientists are back in the park for hands-on monitoring. In May, they set up temporary GPS stations to measure changes in the ground and maintained other monitoring equipment. There are also plans to add more seismic, acoustic, and GPS instruments in Biscuit Basin soon.

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No Cause for Alarm: Just Yellowstone Being Yellowstone

Despite the dramatic-sounding words like “eruption” and “earthquake,” scientists say there’s no need to worry. Yellowstone’s volcanic system is behaving just as expected. The eruptions and seismic activity are part of what makes the park so fascinating and why scientists keep such a close eye on it.