Hawai'i Volcano Blog

Geochemical analysis of erupted tephra samples during the past decade help scientists understand the temperature of Kīlauea’s shallow magma system under the summit — and things have been “heating up!”

The forecast window for episode 44 of the Halemaʻumaʻu eruption is between April 3 and 13.

Living in such a dynamic place as Hawaiʻi Island, it’s important to try to be aware and prepared for natural events that affect us; nature will continue to reshape the land in Hawaiʻi, and the recent Episode 43 lava fountaining fallout and kona low are recent reminders about how impactful such natural events can be.

As future eruptive episodes approach, monitor the weather forecast and follow guidance from Hawai‘i County Civil Defense so you can prepare for these events if you live in an area that could experience tephra fallout.

Volcanic material as large as 6 inches was reported at Volcano Golf Course on Tuesday (March 10), with the village experiencing significant fallout; falling tephra caused closures of a portion of Highway 11, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, swimming pools and at least one school, emergency shelter opening and new summit webcam getting ‘clobbered.’

Residents can visit the tephra information center to learn how to clean tephra from their homes, protect water catchment tanks and make requests for assistance.

Episode 43 of the Kīlauea eruption caused Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park to close, backed up traffic on Highway 11 and produced a volcanic plume that covered the sun, turning it red.

Hawai’i’s movie and television industry is resurging in 2026, with three major productions filming in the Aloha State.

Management of the park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources and maintain backcountry facilities.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on the Big Island will issue its first Volcano Observatory Notice to Aviation in the new format when the next Kīlauea fountaining episode begins — and the aviation community will get that information more quickly and effectively than ever before.

Mauna Loa’s Volcano Alert Level is at Normal and Hawaiian Volcano Observatory expects to see changes such as increased seismicity or gas emissions before any future eruption; keeping a close eye on the volcanoes even during quiet times can teach important lessons that will inform our interpretations and decisions as conditions change.

For the first time in 40 years, large tephra from Kīlauea fell across neighborhoods near Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, leaving homeowners with hazardous material on their roofs, and in their gutters and water systems.

Visual observations have been a backbone of volcano research more than 2,000 years and remain fundamental to understanding how volcanoes work; advancements in technology even allow eruptions to be viewed from anywhere around the world.

An estimated 15 million cubic yards of lava erupted and covered about 50% of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater floor.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists use tiny features within crystals in erupted lava to answer big questions about the underlying plumbing system at Kīlauea.

Like the “Did You Feel It?” earthquake reporting tool helps make maps of areas affected by shaking, the new tool helps scientists map areas affected by tephra fallout; observations will be used to assess the character and size of the eruption plumes from Kīlauea volcano on the Big Island, along with the dispersal pattern of tephra fall.

Management of the national park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources as well as to maintain backcountry facilities.

Dive deeper into the park’s history and learn about the young local men who worked in the Great Depression-era federal jobs program to create much of the Big Island national park’s infrastructure and the legacy they left behind with a new online StoryMap sharing their contributions.

Strong updrafts coupled with light winds blowing to the east and north sent lava fragments — called tephra — from those molten rock geysers over much of Puna, into Hilo and falling along the eastern edge of Kaʻū; learn more now!

Get ready for a week that invites you to events from helping restore an ancient Hawaiian village site in the Valley of the Kings to expressing your opinions during a town hall meeting hosted by U.S. Congresswoman Jill Tokuda.