Vog lingering over Hawai‘i Island while Kīlauea eruption is paused

Scenes from U.S. Geological Survey’s live YouTube feed from Kīlauea on Tuesday morning showed a thick haze emanating from Halema‘uma‘u Crater.

The summit caldera eruption of Kīlauea that began during the early morning of Dec. 23 paused again Jan. 3, but volcanic gas emissions continue — albeit at a lower rate than while the eruption was ongoing — and lingering vog is smothering communities around the island.

Tuesday morning, national park spokesperson Jessica Ferracane said the vog from the summit has been unpleasant.

“The air seems chewy and my eyes are burning,” she said.

Vog is the hazy volcanic smog caused by gas emissions from Kīlauea volcano, which are primarily water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, according to the Interagency Vog Dashboard.

As sulfur dioxide is released from summit and East Rift Zone eruptive vents when they happen, it reacts in the atmosphere with oxygen, sunlight, moisture and other gases and particles.

Within hours to days, the mixture converts to fine particles, which scatter sunlight, causing the visible haze that is observed downwind from Kīlauea, the dashboard states.

Click here for the full vog forecast.

Park sulfur dioxide meters are showing orange at a spot known as Steam Vents, which is “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”

Weak trade winds are keeping the vog around.

While air quality Tuesday was considered good in many places, there were several locations reporting moderate air quality, including Hilo, Kea‘au, Mountain View, Ocean View and Pāhala.

Click here for more details about air quality.

Patricia Nadeau, research geologist at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said the lingering vog isn’t uncommon, as degassing following an eruption varies from days to months.

“The eruption is paused but different from definitively being over,” Nadeau said, adding elevated degassing continues because the magma remains close to the surface of the new lava lake in Kīlauea’s summit caldera.

The winds should pick up Thursday and Friday, bringing better air quality to the island by Saturday and Sunday.

“We have weak Kona winds right now, so everything just pools up and sits there,” Nadeau said.

It is common for the winter months to have weaker trade winds.

Ferracane said thousands of visitors came to see the latest eruption, which was dynamic with its lava lake and fountains that reached hundreds of feet.

The glow has significantly diminished since the eruption entered its third pause the night of Jan. 3. The U.S. Geological Survey reported Tuesday that there was some glow Monday night from the cones that were previously fountaining.

Ferracane found the latest eruption fascinating for several reasons.

The first being the “fountaining was spectacular,” with activity visible day and night.

The timing of the eruption also coincided with the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, which attracted many visitors.

“The lava lake is giant at 600 acres,” Ferracane said. “Plus, when there are eruptions in Halema’uma’u, there are great views from a variety of overlooks. No long walks required.”

Park officials reminded that eruptive activity could cease completely or reactivate and increase at any time.