Next episodic eruption at Kīlauea could start any day

Precursory spattering began overnight from the Halemaʻumaʻu vents at Kīlauea, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, with the next fountain episode likely between Tuesday and July 30.

According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, the north vent had a persistent glow and the south vent had an intermittent glow, and both vents produced occasional spatter.

Starting around 8 a.m., the north vent has displayed persistent spattering.

Summit tiltmeters have recorded rapid inflation since the summit started reinflating Monday morning around 6 a.m. The summit continues to inflate.

Since 10:22 a.m., the north vent has been continuously overflowing. According to a U.S. Geological Survey Facebook post, the overflow is being fed by a small dome fountain 5-10 feet high.

Kīlauea has been erupting periodically since Dec. 23, 2024. The episodes, confined to the Halema‘uma‘u crater, typically last several hours and abruptly end.

Episode 51 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began around 8:30 a.m. on July 15 and ended at 4:46 p.m.

Current conditions have shifted the modeled forecast time window for episode 52 fountains to between today and July 30. However, if the inflation rate slows significantly again, it may push the forecast window back.

No significant activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

The maximum lava fountain height of Episode 51 was approximately 950 feet above ground level from the north vent. The south vent never fountained during this episode but did emit flames and gas jets.

The maximum plume height was approximately 18,000 feet above mean sea level.