Update: Lava fountains end abrubtly, bringing Episode 13 of ongoing Kīlauea eruption to close

Update at 4:37 p.m. March 11: It might have been one of the shortest of the 13 eruptive events so far, but Episode 13 of the ongoing summit eruption of Kīlauea volcano on the Big Island definitely did not disappoint.

Lava fountains reached heights of more than 600 feet, some of the largest yet, at one point during the 12 hours and 37 minutes of activity at the north and south vents in the southwest portion of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater and lava flows covered more than 60% of the crater’s floor before it was all said and done.

Episode 13 started at 2:36 a.m. March 11 and within 10 minutes lave geysers already were fountaining high, reaching up to 500 feet by about 3:30 a.m. and more than 600 feet by about 4 a.m., according to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory earlier Tuesday morning.

The geysers were still pumping up to about 520 feet high pretty persistently from both vents by just before 10 a.m. and going strong even shortly before noon.

But the north vent ceased fountaining abruptly at 3:11 p.m. Tuesday, with the south vent fountain becoming unsteady and then stopping just 2 minutes later, ushering in the next pause of the eruption that began Dec. 23, 2024.

Deflationary tilt reached 13 microradians lost during this phase of eruptive activity before switching back to inflationary tilt at the same time fountaining stopped, which has been typical throughout this eruption.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported at 3:42 p.m. in its volcano status report that sulfur dioxide emission rates were recorded at about 40,000 tonnes per day this morning during high fountaining.

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

Peleʻs hair — strands of volcanic glass often produced by lava fountaining activity — also was reported falling this morning in Pāhala, about 25 miles downwind to the southwest of Halemaʻumaʻu.

Fountaining activity has continued for between a little less than 13 hours to up to 8 and a half days, depending on the episode, since the eruption began last December, and been separated by pauses of between less than 24 hours up to 12 days.

Kīlauea’s Volcano Alert Level remains at Watch and its Aviation Color Code at Orange.

No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

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

All eruptive activity is confined within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Original post at 11:50 a.m. March 11: It’s a two-fer Tuesday at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park as Episode 13 of the ongoing summit eruption of Kīlauea on the Big Island continues with lava geysers fountaining from the north and south vents in the southwest portion of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater inside the volcano’s caldera inside the park.

The eruption’s newest phase of activity started just after 2:30 a.m. today, with lava erupting from the north vent and high fountains beginning about 10 minutes later.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported in a volcano status report after Episode 13 began that the geysers of molten rock reached heights of up to 500 feet by about 3:30 a.m. and more than 600 feet — some of the highest yet — by 4 a.m.

Lava began erupting from the south vent later, with both feeding flows onto the crater floor.

The park reported that fountains, at about half their peak height, were still erupting and sending lava into Halemaʻumaʻu Crater from both vents by 9 a.m. today.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported in its daily update that fountains of 460 to 520 feet from both vents persisted after about 9:30 a.m., and lava flows had covered about 40% to 50% of the Halemaʻumaʻu floor.

Episodes 9 through 12 lasted for a combined average of nearly 19 hours before pausing, with the shortest period being about 13 hours or a little less for Episodes 10 and 11 and up to about 27 hours for the longest eruptive phase since mid-February during Episode 12, which was just at the beginning of this month.

So don’t wait if you want to catch the action as it’s happening.

If you plan to make the trek to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, officials offer these reminders for the best eruption viewing experience:

• Be prepared and dress for wet and very windy weather. There is a wind advisory in effect through Wednesday morning. Watch out for tree branches and flying debris.
• Pay attention to traffic and use sidewalks and crosswalks.
• Park in designated areas only. Do not block emergency access for first responders.
• Stay out of closed areas for everyone’s safety.
• Check the park website for alerts, viewing areas, U.S. Geological Survey webcams and updates before and during your visit.
• Be patient and bring your aloha. There is a cruise ship in port today in Hilo, so the park will be busy. There also are ongoing construction projects and detours at the summit.
• Remember: Eruptive activity can change at anytime.

Fountaining activity has continued for between a little less than 13 hours to up to 8 and a half days, depending on the episode, since the eruption began Dec. 23, 2024, and been separated by pauses of between less than 24 hours up to 12 days.

Since the end of Episode 9 on Feb. 12, pauses have lasted for between about 5 days and 9 hours to up to about 7 and a half days, so an average of about a week between eruptive activity.

Inflationary tilt reached just more than 11 microradians during the pause between Episodes 12 and 13, recovering nearly all the deflation lost during Episode 12 at the summit.

Seismic tremor began increasing just before 2:30 a.m., when fountains within the north vent picked up. Tilt switched from inflation to deflation at about about the same time lava flows began erupting onto the crater floor.

The amplitude of tilt as of this morning indicates the magma chamber feeding the eruption has lost about two-thirds of the pressure it built up during the last pause.

Seismic tremor began increasing just before 2:30 a.m., when fountains within the north vent picked up, and continues this morning. Only one earthquake was detected in Kīlauea’s summit region.

Measurements of sulfur dioxide emissions should be collected later today, weather permitting. Based on previous measurements, emissions are expected to be greater than 10,000 tonnes per day.

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

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

Peleʻs hair — strands of volcanic glass often produced by lava fountaining activity — also was reported falling this morning in Pāhala, about 25 miles downwind to the southwest of Halemaʻumaʻu.

Additional hazards include other volcanic fragments from lava fountains that can fall in the park or elsewhere downwind, depending on wind conditions.

Episode 13 was preceded by small, sporadic spatter fountains of 15 to 30 feet high preceded the beginning of Episode 13, starting at about 1:30 p.m. March 10 in the north vent, continuing to increase in intensity throughout the day until about 6:30 p.m., when spattering could be seen on one of Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s webcams watching the crater.

Spattering continued to increase during the night and into the early morning today until Episode 13 began.

This eruption — which is confined within a closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park — is marked by episodic fountaining that has not been observed in any of the other Halemaʻumaʻu eruptions since 2020.

Kīlauea’s Volcano Alert Level remains at Watch and its Aviation Color Code at Orange.

No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and is in contact with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and the Hawai‘i County Civil Defense about eruptive hazards.

News reporter Nathan Christophel contributed to this story.