Eruptive activity begins anew at Kīlauea volcano summit after about a week pause

Eruptive activity at Kīlauea began again at 8:22 p.m. Feb. 19 with low-level fountaining within Halema‘uma‘u Caldera inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Episode 10 of the ongoing summit eruption that started Dec. 23, 2024, follows a pause of about 7 days. Episode 9 lasted 22.5 hours, from 10:16 p.m. Feb. 11 to 8:43 a.m. Feb. 12.

Eruptive activity continued this morning at about 7:45 a.m., but already at a lower rate as seen in the livestream of the summit. Lava is still somewhat fountaining at times, but has calmed to almost a spatter at others, with molten rock still flowing onto the crater floor as well.

Each episode of eruptive activity has continued for between 13 hours and 8 days, with pauses of less than 24 hours to 12 days in between.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported that lava fountains from the north vent were 300 too 400 feet high shortly after Episode 10 began and were feeding multiple lava flows between 8:22 and 9:05 p.m. Wednesday.

Less than 10% of Halemaʻumaʻu was covered by lava flows as of 8:45 p.m.

Inflation reached just more than 10 microradians since the end of Episode 9. Seismic tremor began increasing and tilt at the summit switched from inflation to deflation at about 8:22 p.m. Wednesday, about the same time lava flows began erupting onto the crater floor.

Click here for the timeline of eruptive episodes.

Kīlauea’s volcano alert level remains at watch and its aviation color code at orange.

High levels of volcanic gas — primarily water vapor, carbon dioxide and especially sulfur dioxide — are the primary hazards of concern, as they can have far-reaching effects downwind.

Sulfur dioxide reacts in the atmosphere as it is continuously released from the summit during an eruption to create the visible haze known as vog, or volcanic smog, downwind of Kīlauea.

Additional hazards include Pele’s hair and other volcanic fragments from lava fountains that can fall on the ground downwind of eruptive vents.

Pele’s hair — which can sometimes cluster and tangle together on the ground, giving it the appearance of tumbleweed — is strands of volcanic glass produced by lava fountaining activity. Strong winds can waft these light particles to greater distances downwind.

No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone. All current and recent activity is confined within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and will issue an eruption update later today unless there are significant changes before then.