What recorded Yellowstone’s June steam blast

Just after 5:09 a.m. on June 13, 2026, instruments at Yellowstone’s Biscuit Basin picked up shaking and low-frequency sound. A temperature sensor in Black Diamond Pool showed little change. The research camera helped resolve the discrepancy. It caught steam bursting from the ground north of the pool. ^[1]

The distinction mattered because an explosion had come from Black Diamond Pool itself in July 2024. It flung rocks and badly damaged the nearby boardwalk. The observatory said instruments detected no warning signs before that earlier burst. ^[2]

Yellowstone research describes how hot water can stay liquid under pressure below the surface. A sudden drop in pressure can turn that water to steam. The expanding vapor can break rock and throw debris. The researchers distinguished this process from a volcanic eruption. ^[3]

On July 22, crews installed a second camera with a view of both the pool and the ground to its north. Steam from the pool had obscured much of the June event on the older camera. The new unit sends still images and records video the team can retrieve after unusual activity. ^[4]

The National Park Service still listed the Biscuit Basin parking lot, boardwalk and the Firehole River at the basin as closed to travel when checked November 7, 2026. The park’s current-conditions page carries the closure and other access notices for visitors. ^[5]

About this item: Retrospective report. No first-hand reporting or independent testing is claimed. Corrections policy.