Hawai'i Volcano Blog

An estimated 1.8 billion gallons of lava erupted during the episode, covering approximately 80% of the crater floor.

Mauna Loa is now quiet, so it’s a good opportunity to remember the 1950 Southwest Rift Zone eruption — the volcano’s most recent eruption to cause significant damage.

While it is challenging that a small portion of the Kīlauea monitoring network is impacted by the ongoing summit eruption, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says maintaining the network during eruptions comes with the job when it’s monitoring one of the most active volcanoes on Earth.

High lava fountains fired off for 8 of the continous 9 hours of fountaining during the latest eruptive episode of the Big Island’s Kīlauea volcano until ending abruptly at 1:20 p.m. July 9.

Essentially, gas pistoning is a shallow, degassing-driven rise and fall of a lava surface. Pistons often occur in narrow conduits, although they can happen in larger lava lakes and even in lava channels — and in bunches, as part of a series.

High fountains lasted nearly 11 hours and produced about 1.6 bilion gallons of lava, covering 80% of the Halemaʻumaʻu Crater floor within the Big Island volcano’s summit caldera. Lava flows from this episode could continue to exhibit slow movement or incandescence throughout the coming days.

Hawai’i County Civil Defense and Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park ask the public to be aware that traffic congestion is an issue in and around the park, with reports on social media saying to expect delays just getting into the park and traveling through the Volcano area. They also offer tips to see the spectacular geysers of molten rock is safe.

“Sustained lava fountaining is likely to begin on June 29 or 30 [Sunday or Monday] based on the current rate of summmit inflation, but could begin sooner if precursory activity escalates.” — Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

The spectacular series of Kīlauea eruptive episodes during the past 6 months has been remarkably safe for public viewing, but a simple change in wind or brief vent collapse could cause dramatic shift in the hazards produced by the volcano.

While the eruptive event lasted just about 8 hours, lava was ejected to peak heights of well more than 1,000 feet Friday (June 20) from the north vent in Halemaʻumaʻu Crater at the Big Island volcano.

Kamalani Poepoe and Ruth Gale welcomed during the perfect time to not only better understand eruptions in Hawaiʻi but contribute to ongoing work as the episodic summit eruption of Kīlauea continues.

There is much to appreciate about the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption as it approaches its 6-month anniversary on June 23. The stunning episodic lava fountains and lava flows erupting within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park have provided island residents and visitors with safe and accessible viewing opportunities. However, volcanic hazards are always present. 

The rescue team from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park were managing eruption traffic and able to respond quickly, rappelling down the heavily vegetated cliff face to hoist the man to safety.

All current and recent eruption activity of Kīlauea is within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Episode No. 25 of the ongoing eruption of the Big Island volcano that began in late December is forecast to begin Wednesday or Thursday, but there is a chance of high fountaining later today.

Recently, something has been observed “dancing” above the active eruptive vents inside Halemaʻumaʻu…Hydrogen flames!

Vigorous degassing of sulfur dioxide, nighttime glow and intermittent lava spattering in the north vent indicate that magma is close to the surface of Kīlauea.

The chemical detected is 1-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)-benzene (PCBTF) within the Volcano Catchment Chlorinator, which is owned by the U.S. Department of the Interior. PCBTF is an industrial solvent that is currently not regulated in drinking water, meaning there is no established federal or state maximum contaminant level or state environmental action level.

Record-setting lava fountain and plume heights were reached during Episode 23 of the Kīlauea summit caldera eruption. Given increasing airborne hazards associated with each new eruptive episode, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is changing its episode notification types.

Legendary observation deck at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park steeped in history and centuries of Hawaiian tradition reopen and ready to welcome back visitors 7 years after it was closed.