The characteristics of the eruption have to do with the composition of the lava. Composition relates to viscosity.
The lower viscosity is Basalt like you see in Hawaii and generally just blurps out and runs off in rivers.
The high viscosity Andesite/Rhyolite explodes. Pompeii is one of the better known examples.
St Helens is middle of the scale and ‘80 was a tiny burp geologically speaking.
As Yellowstone has no summit for lava to flow from, sounds like localized pyroclastic (sp) flow and ash clouds are the problem?