The Toba eruption dwarfs Mount St. Helens in terms of power. Here’s the breakdown:

• Toba Event: This refers to the supervolcanic eruption of Mount Toba in Indonesia roughly 74,000 years ago. It’s considered one of the most powerful eruptions in Earth’s history, with a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 8, the highest on the scale.
• Mount St. Helens: The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens had a VEI of 5.

The difference is staggering. The Toba eruption was estimated to be:

• 1,000 times more powerful than Mount St. Helens [Source 1]
• Ejected 2,800 cubic kilometers of material compared to just 1 cubic kilometer for Mount St. Helens [Source 2].

The effects of Toba were far-reaching, potentially triggering a volcanic winter and impacting human evolution. In contrast, Mount St. Helens’ eruption, while significant, was localized in its impact.

GET READY! TO KISS YOUR ASS GOODBYE!

Approximately, only 10,000 Humans Worldwide survived the Toba Event.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toba_catastrophe_theory

A supervolcanic eruption could potentially happen with little warning. Here’s why:

• Rarity: Supervolcanic eruptions are incredibly rare events, occurring on average every few hundred thousand years https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/volcanos/the-12-biggest-volcanic-eruptions-in-recorded-history. This means we have limited data on their pre-eruption behavior compared to more frequent eruptions.
• Underground Processes: The buildup to a supereruption can happen deep underground, making it difficult to detect with current monitoring methods. Subtle changes we might see for regular eruptions might be harder to identify for a supervolcano.
• Unforeseen Triggers: Some theories suggest external factors like a large earthquake or even a meteorite impact could trigger a supereruption in a volcano already on the verge https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/can-earthquakes-trigger-volcanic-eruptions. These external triggers might be unpredictable.

However, there’s still hope for some warning:

• Improved Monitoring: As technology advances, our ability to monitor volcanic activity is constantly improving. New methods might help us detect deeper signs of unrest in supervolcanoes.
• Calderas: Supervolcanoes typically form large calderas, collapsed craters. Studying the deformation of these calderas could provide clues about potential eruptions.

Overall, the extreme rarity and deep processes involved make predicting a supereruption with very little notice a possibility. But ongoing research and improved monitoring techniques might give us some warning time in the future.