Hawai'i Volcano Blog

Volcano Overflight: New Lava Delta Expanding

Lava has advanced about a quarter-mile toward the ocean on the coastal flats.

Volcano Activity Update: May 25, 2017

On the East Rift Zone, the 61g flow remained active, with lava entering the ocean near Kamokuna and surface breakouts downslope of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō.

Volcanoes, Landslides and Angry Gods—A Pacific Northwest Connection

Both volcanoes and landslides are important for landscape evolution in Hawai‘i and worldwide.

Volcano Overflight: Pele Flows Downhill

Pele’s surface lava has finally reached the steepest portion of the Pali and numerous breakouts sent lava coursing down the hill

HVO’s Website Makeover is More than Skin Deep

The new website features interactive maps that display earthquake and monitoring data and you can view near-real-time data streams across all monitored volcanoes

Volcano Overflight: More Lava Flows Going Down the Pali

Active lava lake and more lava flows going down the Pali, ocean entry lava delta growing rapidly

Geologist Recalls Mount St. Helens Eruption 37 Years Ago

The science of volcanology was changed forever, and today the risks from future eruptions anywhere in the world are lessened because of what happened on that fateful day.

Volcano Overflight: Portion of Lava Delta Collapses

The front portion of the lava delta collapsed recently, but dozens of lava rivulets have begun the rebuilding process.

HVO Digitizes Earthquake Records

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has transformed stacks of paper earthquake records into digital squiggles.

Volcano Activity Update: May 4, 2017

On May 3, the front section of the Kamokuna lava delta collapsed into the sea, a reminder that new land created by ocean entries is highly unstable…

Volcano Overflight: Lava Crests the Pali

“A particularly outrageous overflight revealed numerous picturesque flows, now cresting the pali, and heading down the steeper slope.”

Volcano Overflight: Lava Lake Exposed

“Breathtaking lava lake spatter… ropey pahoehoe flows… blistering ocean entry lava… galloping seahorses… brand new black sand beaches… “

Volcano Activity Update: April 27, 2017

Kīlauea Volcano’s summit lava lake level fluctuated in concert with summit inflation and deflation, ranging 43 to 72 feet below the vent rim.

The Mystery Haze of 1950…

On June 13, 1950, Honolulu was suddenly blanketed by the thickest haze seen since recordkeeping began there in 1906…

Volcano Activity Update: April 20, 2017

On the East Rift Zone, the 61g flow was still active, with lava entering the ocean near Kamokuna and surface breakouts downslope of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō.

HVO Volunteer Receives ‘Citizen’s Award for Exceptional Service’

Ever since he learned about Parícutin’s eruption in a cornfield in Michoacán, Mexico, as a youngster, Ben has been fascinated by volcanoes.

Volcano Overflight: Lava Bench Now Spans Several Acres

“Pele’s flows continue to pour lava into the ocean in a more traditional wide entry…”

‘The Ups and Downs of Halema‘uma‘u’

Presentations will be made on Monday, April 17, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., and again the same evening from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

What’s Hot and What’s Not in Lava Field Fashion

Here are some tips from for essential lava field fashion from the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists who walk miles on Kīlauea lava flows

Volcano Activity Update: April 13, 2017

During the past week, more than 150 earthquakes were located beneath the upper west flank of the volcano with a peak of just under 60 quakes on April 8.
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