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Scale of the Eruption
Scientists have predicted an eruption would be at least 1,000 times more powerful than the one at Mount St. Helens in 1980. The Mount St. Helens eruption killed 57 people and left almost $1 billion in damages. A Yellowstone eruption, however, would cause many more deaths and would also have a larger cost. The volcanic ash would be spread out about 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) beyond Yellowstone in a 3-meter-thick (10-foot) layer. This volcanic ash would eventually cover two-thirds of the continental United States and make life impossible for anyone exposed to the ash.
Dispersing Ash
Scientists examine the impact of smaller volcanic eruptions to get some idea of what would happen after a Yellowstone eruption. In a 2010 eruption in Iceland, the ash spread out across northern Europe over several weeks and grounded dozens of flights going across the North Atlantic. The dispersion of ash was facilitated by strong winds in the atmosphere that blew in several different directions. Because the volcano in Yellowstone is a lot larger and lies about 650 kilometers (400 miles) below the surface, there would be much more ash released into the atmosphere.
Human Health
People would be exposed to the ash just by going outside or having their roofs collapse from the weight of the ash in the air. Most of the effects are short-term and disappear after exposure to ash has ended. Short-term effects include runny noses, eye and throat irritation, and trouble breathing without a proper mask. The long-term effects are unknown because volcanic ash usually doesn't stay in the atmosphere for very long. People with respiratory diseases would have to take extra precautions because of their weakened lungs.
Impact on Human Activity
Because a Yellowstone-sized eruption has not happened in recorded history, it is difficult to say exactly what would happen. Much smaller eruptions have had dramatic effects on people's livelihood, however. For example, the 1815 eruption at Mount Tambora in Indonesia cooled the global temperature by 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) and led to crop failure and mass starvation in 1816. The Yellowstone eruption would be at least 10 times larger than the one at Tambora. There would also be disruptions in air travel and telecommunications because of the ash for months.
Volcanic Effects on Climate
Volcanic eruptions have a dramatic impact on global climate by contributing to both the cooling and warming of the planet. Volcanoes do release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but these emissions are much smaller than the ones from human activity. Their main contribution is the haze effect: Sulfur-rich compounds are released into the atmosphere, where they absorb solar radiation and scatter the rest of it back into space. This results in a net cooling effect, which was observed for two years after the 1991 eruption at Mount Pinatubo. A Yellowstone eruption would likely have a larger cooling effect.