Enormous lava geysers once again erupt from Kīlauea summit as Episode 12 begins

After a slow, sporadic start Tuesday morning, the 12th episode of the ongoing summit eruption of Kīlauea volcano on the Big Island was once again putting on a fantastic fountaining display similar to that of the prior episode that saw lava geysers of up to 600 feet high.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports the most recent eruptive activity of the eruption in Kaluapele, the volcano’s summit caldera, that started Dec. 23, 2024, started at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday with sporadic small lava flows alternating between the south and north vents in the southwest portion of Halema‘uma‘u Crater.

A transition to fountaining began at 2 p.m.

Fountaining of about 20 to 30 feet started at the north vent and had reached 150 to 165 feet within 20 minutes. They were expected to grow.

Episode 12 started similarly to how the fourth episode of the eruption began, preceded by several hours of sluggish overflows of lava prior to the onset of fountaining.

However, today’s overflows were of a more intermittent nature, differing slightly from Episode 4, but also related to degassed magma from the vent prior to fountaining.

Interestingly, the fourth eruptive phase of the summit eruption — which is confined within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park — was one of the more extended episodes. It lasted 3 days, from Jan. 15-18, before pausing.

Each of the 11 prior episodes continued for between somewhat less than 13 hours to up to 8 and a half days and they were separated by pauses lasting from less than 24 hours to 12 days.

Inflationary tilt at the summit reached just more than 10 microradians since the end of Episode 11; nearly balancing out the amount of deflation lost before the beginning of Episdoe 12.

Seismic tremor began increasing and tilt at Uēkahuna tiltmeter on the summit switched from inflation to deflation at 2 p.m., at the same time fountaining began.

High levels of volcanic gas — primarily water vapor, carbon dioxide and especially sulfur dioxide — continue to be the primary hazard of concern, as this can have far-reaching effects downwind from the summit.

As sulfur dioxide is continuously released during an eruption, it reacts in the atmosphere to create vog, or volcanic smog, downwind.

Wind conditions and timing have prevented accurate measurements of sulfur dioxide emission rates since the beginning of Episode 10 of the current eruption.

Sulfur dioxide rates are estimated to be 10,000 tonnes per day or higher during eruptive episodes based on emissions measured during earlier phases.

Strands of volcanic glass known as Pele’s hair — which can sometimes cluster and tangle together on the ground and appear like tumbleweed — have also been reported on surfaces throughout the summit area and surrounding communities.

The extent of Pele’s hair is dependent on lava fountaining activity and current wind conditions. Residents and visitors should minimize exposure to these volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation.

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

No changes have been detected in Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

Kīlauea’s Volcano Alert Level and Aviation Color Code remain at Watch and Orange, respectively.

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