MOUNT ST. HELENS, Wash. -- Scientists said the earthquakes and explosions at Mount St. Helens could lead to an eruption as powerful as the one in 1980, KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reported.

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IMAGES FROM THE MOUNTAIN Slideshow: Large Plume Drifting North-Northeast Slideshow: Steam Eruption On 10-4 Slideshow: User Submitted Mount St. Helens Images Slideshow: Steam Vent Forms After Eruption Images: Mount St. Helens Gets Steamed Slideshow: Steam Shoots From Crater Webcam: Mount St. Helens VolcanoCam Slideshow: Looking Back At 1980 Eruption Slideshow: Images From Mount St. Helens Crater

The volcano reportedly spewed more steam overnight, but earthquakes continued to be fairly light, striking about once a minute and registering about magnitude one.

Meanwhile, the speculation continued about what exactly is happening underneath the mountain.

MOUNT ST. HELENS Video: Time-Lapse Of Dome’s Growth Video: Time-Lapse Of Fin Growth Video: Thermal Imaging Of Rock Avalanche Slideshow: Hulking Rock Slab Grows In Volcano's Crater Slideshow: Images From 3-8-05 Ash Plume Slideshow: Infrared Shots Of Activity At Mount St. Helens Slideshow: Dome In Mount St. Helens Crumbling Slideshow: Glowing Lava Oozes From Crater Slideshow: Large Plume Drifting North-Northeast Slideshow: Steam Eruption On 10-4 Slideshow: User Submitted Mount St. Helens Images Slideshow: Steam Vent Forms After Eruption Images: Mount St. Helens Gets Steamed Slideshow: Steam Shoots From Crater Webcam: Mount St. Helens VolcanoCam Complete Coverage Of Mount St. Helens

Scientists said part of the lava dome in the volcano's crater has risen 50 to 100 feet since Tuesday, a sign -- along with mild earthquake activity -- that molten rock may be moving toward the surface without much resistance.

The south side of the dome has been rising for the past week -- about 250 feet so far.

Despite the swelling, scientists said there is no reason yet to raise the alert level around the volcano in southwest Washington.

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Video: Massive Plume Of Steam And Ash

Larry Mastin of the U.S. Geological Survey said there's an outside chance that an eruption could send a plume of ash 15 miles into the air or higher, but there is no indication that any eruption is imminent or that it would threaten lives or property.

There's also no way to tell when molten rock might reach the surface, although the volcano has been venting steam as water trickles down and hits hot rocks.

INFRARED IMAGES Infrared images taken by NASA scientists on Thursday, Sept. 30 reveal signs of heat below the mountain's surface.