Update: Episode 19 of ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption ends in less than 8 hours

Update at 6:18 a.m. May 2: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports that Episode 19 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park ended at 5:20 a.m. today after erupting from the north vent for just under 8 hours

Sustained fountaining from the north vent began at 9:28 p.m. on May 1 and lasted for 7 hours and 52 minutes with maximum estimated heights at about 330 feet. The eruption produced just under 4 million cubic yards of lava and the flows covered about half of the Halema’uma’u crater floor.

Each episode of Halemaʻumaʻu lava fountaining since December 23, 2024, has continued for 7 hours to 8 days and episodes have been separated by pauses in eruptive activity lasting less than 24 hours to 12 days. 

Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory has a timeline of the eruption episodes since December 23, 2024 and a Kīlauea summit livestream available online.

No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone. Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and will issue an eruption update tomorrow morning unless there are significant changes before then. 

Kīlauea Volcano Alert Level/Aviation Color Code remains at WATCH/ORANGE. All current and recent activity is within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Orignal post: Episode 19 of Kīlauea’s ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu crater eruption began at about 9:28 p.m. on Thursday with lava fountains from the north vent rising 200 to 330 feet.

All current and recent activity is within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island.

This latest episode was preceded by 26 cycles of low dome fountaining and short overflows from the north vent, which was followed immediately by lava draining back into the vent, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

These cycles began at about 11:49 a.m. on Thursday, with each lasting for about 10 to 15 minutes, separated by about 10 minutes of repose. They increased in intensity around 6:45 p.m., less than 3 hours before the sustained fountaining began.

The first episode of this extended Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began Dec. 23. They have lasted as short as 13 hours and as long as 8 days, separated by pauses in eruptive activity lasting less than 24 hours to 12 days. 

• Timeline of eruption episodes since December 23, 2024: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/science/eruption-information 
• The Kīlauea summit livestream video is available here: https://www.youtube.com/usgs/live

No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to closely monitor Kīlauea.

Kīlauea Volcano Alert Level/Aviation Color Code remain at WATCH/ORANGE.

High levels of volcanic gas — primarily water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide — are the primary hazard of concern, with possible far-reaching effects downwind.

As sulfur dioxide  is continuously released from the summit during an eruption, it will react in the atmosphere to create the visible haze known as vog (volcanic smog) downwind of Kīlauea. This may cause respiratory and other problems at high concentrations. Further information on vog can be found at https://vog.ivhhn.org/

Additional hazards include Pele’s hair and other volcanic fragments from lava fountains. A Frequently Asked Questions document developed for the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption includes information about potential health effects of Pele’s hair and is available here: https://vog.ivhhn.org/sites/default/files/FAQ_on_air_quality_and_health_during_Mauna_Loa_eruption_v1.6.pdf

For discussion of Kīlauea hazards, please see: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hawaiian-volcano-observatory/hazards.
 

More Information:

• Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm
• Kīlauea daily activity summary also available by phone: (808) 967-8862
• Kīlauea webcam images: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/webcams
• Kīlauea photos/video: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/photo-and-video-chronology
• Kīlauea lava-flow maps: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/maps
• Kīlauea FAQs: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/faqs
• Kīlauea hazards discussion: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hawaiian-volcano-observatory/hazards
• Meaning of volcano alert levels and aviation color codes: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcanic-alert-levels-characterize-conditions-us-volcanoes.