Thursday, October 7th, 2004 — Ray Neuneker dug into a steaming bowl of "St. Helens Hash" eggs, potatoes, sausage, gravy, the works and glanced up at the TV. There it was, live on CNN, the reason tourists from around the world pass through his tiny town: The volcano was at it again. Still, on Wednesday, government scientists dropped the warning on the mountain from level three to level two, indicating that a massive eruption may no longer be imminent. (Related story: Warnings eased)
Tuesday's spectacular burst of steam and ash, towering more than 2 miles high, brought a hush to the Toutle Diner. Even longtime volcano watchers dropped their forks in awe.
The blast was the biggest yet since Mount St. Helens woke up two weeks ago.