Steamboat Geyser

Template:Short description Template:Infobox hot spring

Steamboat Geyser, in Yellowstone National Park's Norris Geyser Basin, is the world's tallest active geyser. Steamboat Geyser has two vents, northern and southern, approximately Template:Convert apart. The north vent is responsible for the tallest water columns; the south vent's water columns are shorter.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Prior to 1904, Waimangu Geyser, in New Zealand, had some taller eruptions capable of reaching Template:Convert, but in 1904, a landslide changed the local water table, and since then, Waimangu has not erupted.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Excelsior Geyser in Yellowstone's Midway Geyser Basin, and Semi-Centennial Geyser just north of Roaring Mountain on the Grand Loop Road were reported to be as tall as Steamboat, both with eruptions reaching Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> However, Excelsior has not erupted since 1985, and functions as a hot spring, and Semi-Centennial's one eruption of this height was reported in 1922 and it has been dormant since.

Steamboat's major eruptions generally last from 3 to 40 minutes (several durations surpassing an hour were observed during the 2018 active phase<ref name="GeyserTimes" />), and are followed by powerful jets of steam. During these eruptions, water may be thrown more than Template:Convert into the air.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Steamboat does not erupt on a predictable schedule, with recorded intervals between major eruptions ranging from three days to fifty years. The geyser was dormant from 1911 to 1961. In 1964, twenty-nine eruptions were reported,<ref name=steamboat>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> setting a record for the most eruptions within a calendar year. In 2018, the geyser began a prolonged period of frequent activity lasting through at least 2022, with more than 40 eruptions recorded annually in both 2019 and 2020.

Minor eruptions of Template:Convert are much more frequent.

After an eruption, the geyser often vents large amounts of steam for up to 48 hours.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Sometimes during this part of an eruption, water may return to Steamboat, causing it to jet water once again, though to lesser heights.<ref name="GeyserTimes" /> Cistern Spring, located nearby, will drain completely following a major eruption of the geyser; the spring refills within a few days.

Recent eruptions and active phase of 2018–2025Edit

The most recent eruption of Steamboat Geyser occurred on April 14, 2025.<ref name=apreruption>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This was the 171st eruption since it re-activated in early 2018.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2019 the 48th eruption occurred on December 26. That set a new record for the most eruptions within a calendar year. The calendar year 2020 also saw 48 eruptions, tying the record set in 2019.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Eruptions from 1990 to 2017Edit

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June 4, 1990
October 2, 1991 – (1 year 120 days)
May 2, 2000 – (8 years 213 days)
April 26, 2002 – (1 year 359 days)
September 13, 2002 – (140 days)
March 26, 2003 – (194 days)
April 27, 2003 – (32 days)
October 22, 2003 – (178 days)
May 23, 2005 – (1 year 213 days)
February 21, 2007 – (1 year, 274 days)
July 31, 2013 – (6 years, 162 days)<ref name=steamboat />
September 3, 2014 – (1 year 34 days)

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Active phase since 2018Edit

File:B MG 2505A.jpg

Steamboat Geyser, major eruption, August 4, 2018

In 2018, Steamboat Geyser entered a much more active period with 165 major eruptions recorded between March 15, 2018, and May 7, 2023 <ref name="YVO">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="GeyserTimes">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="NPS Steamboat list">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=" Yellowstone Volcano Update – Video Collection">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 32 eruptions occurred in 2018, 48 in 2019, 48 in 2020, 20 in 2021, 11 in 2022 and another 9 in 2023. This broke 1964's record of 29 eruptions within a calendar year.<ref name="YVO monthly update-raw">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} (raw text)</ref> The 2018 record was broken on August 27, 2019, with the 33rd major eruption of the year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>