Precursors to Episode 27 lava fountains underway at Kīlauea summit on Big Island

Many people across social media ask if lava is still fountaining at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on the Big Island when they see pictures of previous eruptive episodes or comment about how they just missed an episode.

Others ask when the next fountaining episode will be so they can try to make it to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and witness it in person.

Here’s some advice if you keep missing the geysers of molten rock this ongoing eruption has become so well-known for and want to see the next: Get all the latest information from the experts at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Tip No. 2: You can also keep an eagle eye on the three Kīlauea summit livestreams available on the U.S. Geological Survey YouTube channel.

All of them, by the way, are in agreement today that it won’t be long now until the next episode of sustained fountaining begins.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported just before 9 a.m. today (June 28) in a Volcanic Activity Notice that low-level precursory activity for Episode 27 of the ongoing episodic eruption within Halemaʻumaʻu Crater began about 7:30 a.m.

That activity consists of intermittent lava overflows from the north vent in the southwest portion of the crater, one of two vents where the eruption has been focused since beginning Dec. 23, 2024.

“Sustained lava fountaining is likely to begin on June 29 or 30 [Sunday or Monday] based on the current rate of summmit inflation, but could begin sooner if precursory activity escalates,” the observatory said in its notice.

The tiltmeter at Uēkahuna had recorded 15.5 microradians of inflation by the time the notice was issued this morning since June 20 and the end of Episode 26, during which it recorded 18.5 microradians of deflation.

Low-level seismic tremor also continues beneath Halemaʻumaʻu Crater.

During recent eruptive episodes, low-level precursory activity lasted from a few hours to a few days and can include lava spatter from the north and/or south vents, small dome fountains and lava overflowing from one or both vents.

Lava fountains have consistently reached heights of more than 1,000 feet and the eruptive plume soared to up to 20,000 feet after sustained fountaining began during several of the most recent episodes.

Precursor activity didn’t take long to escalate during the past few episodes either, rapidly transitioning into sustained high lava fountaining within a matter of minutes or tens of minutes.

Most episodes of Halemaʻumaʻu lava fountaining since the summit eruption began have continued for about a day or less and then been separated by pauses in activity that have lasted generally at least several days.

No changes have been detected in Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

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

All eruptive activity is confined within the summit inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Click here for information about hazards associated with Kīlauea.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to monitor Kīlauea closely and will issue another Volcanic Activity Notice when when sustained lava fountaining begins, marking the start of Episode 27, or earlier if the situation warrants a further update.

Visit the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website for visitor information.

Get Kīlauea updates sent directly to your inbox by subscribing to the U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Notification Service. You can also find daily Kīlauea updates online.

A Kīlauea activity summary is even available by phone by calling 808-967-8862.