The news was abuzz in 2020, talking about the supervolcano that lies underneath Yellowstone National Park. The caldera of this epic volcano is 34 by 45 miles.
This supervolcano is why there are more than 10,000 thermal features located in Yellowstone National Park. Inside the 3,472 square mile park is the Norris Geyser Basin, home to the tallest active geyser in the world, Steamboat Geyser.
How Often Does Steamboat Geyser Erupt?
With eruptions that can reach up to 400 feet, Steamboat is an attraction that explorers of Yellowstone love to hear about and dream of experiencing. With a frequency of 3 days to 50 years, it is HIGHLY unlikely that you will ever see this geyser erupt.
People come from all over the world and wait for days hoping to catch a Steamboat eruption. I was fortunate enough to catch two Steamboat Geyser Eruptions in 2019. Below is a video showing how dramatic and awe-inspiring a Steamboat Eruption can be.
During 2020, the ground under the Norris Geyser Basin has been pulsing, drawing the attention of the media. The pulsing, according to National Geographic, “does not indicate that the supervolcano that created Yellowstone’s caldera—is any more likely to erupt now.”
Steamboats Record-Setting Eruptions
People are always concerned about the Yellowstone volcano erupting. The concern heightens when Steamboat Geyser is active. Steamboat set the record for most eruptions in 2019 with 48, and then tied the record in 2020. Should the supervolcano erupt, it would bring a dramatic loss of life.
The Bible talks about the terrifying events that surround the end of the world.
When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood,
– Revelation 6:12 (ESV)
The earthquakes, the sun going black, could point to a volcano eruption or some other form of natural disaster. The reality is our time on Earth, and the Earth itself will come to a close.
The day of the Lord will come as a robber comes. The heavens will pass away with a loud noise. The sun and moon and stars will burn up. The earth and all that is in it will be burned up.
– 2 Peter 3:10 (NLV)
There is a countdown in heaven that only God can see. He is waiting to send Jesus back to get us, but when He does, we know it’ll be dramatic.
“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.
– Matthew 24:36 (NLT)
Just like people are waiting and watching for the day Yellowstone erupts, so too are we waiting and watching for the end of the Earth and Christ’s return.
Devotional About Geysers
The experience of seeing Steamboat Erupt inspired God is Like a devotional series when I wrote a 30-day devotional called God is Like a Geyser.
Inside of the book, we explore God through the following geysers,
- Old Faithful Geyser
- Grand Geyser
- Artemesia Geyser
- Beehive Geyser
- Riverside Geyser
- Lonestar Geyser
- Fountain Geyser
- Morning Geyser
- Great Fountain Geyser
- Castle Geyser
- Steamboat Geyser
Steamboat Geyser Eruptions for 2020
GeyserTimes.com is a site that keeps track of geyser data. Yellowstone National Park and registered users can log geyser eruption times as well as add notes on those eruptions.
Below is a list of the eruptions for 2020 from the GeyserTimes.org Steamboat Geyser log.
