Kīlauea erupts with twin lava fountains again in another spectacular show for Episode 35
Episode 35 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu Crater eruption within the summit caldera of Kīlauea volcano on the Big Island began at about 8:05 p.m. Oct. 17, and it wasted little time revving up to put on another spectacular double lava fountain show.
Sustained lava fountains of about 500 feet high were erupting from the north vent by the time Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issued its Volcano Activity Notice at 8:35 p.m.
Fountain heights were increasing rapidly and angled to the northeast. By 9:14 p.m., high lava fountains were erupting from the north and south vents simultaneously at what looked to be similar heights from livestream video provided by U.S. Geological Survey webcams.
Thousands of people were glued to the views on YouTube.
Three Kīlauea summit livestream videos that show eruptive lava fountains are available:
Past episodes have produced incandescent lava fountains of 1,000 feet high or more that produce eruptive plumes up to 20,000 feet above ground level.
Overnight winds are blowing from the north, according to the National Weather Service, which suggests volcanic gas emissions and volcanic material could be distributed south of Kilauea summit.
Most volcanic ash and pumice, or tephra, will fall within about 1 mile of the eruptive vents.
Lower concentrations of finer volcanic particles, such as ash and Pele’s hair, can be transported greater distances downwind of the vent, up to 20 miles.
Sulfur dioxide emission rate — which is a huge part of how much vog, or volcanic smog, will be in the atmosphere — is typically 50,000 tonnes/day during eruptive episode.
All eruptive activity continues to be confined to Halemaʻumaʻu inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park; commercial airports in Hawai’i County will not be affected by this activity.
Episode 35 was preceded by a series of lava overflow-drainback events at the south vent that started just after 7:35 a.m. Oct. 16 and continuous lava overflows from the north vent began at 7:28 p.m. today, with 20- to 30-foot high fountains.
The volume and vigor of sustained fountains and flows from the north vent increased significantly just after 8 p.m.
Seismic tremor increased significantly, and summit tilt switched from inflation to deflation at about the same time sustained fountaining began.
Inflation reached about 24 microradians since the end of Episode 34.
Most episodes of Halemaʻumaʻu lava fountaining since this episodic eruption began Dec. 23, 2024, continued about a day or less and were separated by pauses of generally at least several days.
No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.
Kīlauea’s Volcano Alert Level remains at Watch and its Aviation Color Code at Orange.
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory — despite the ongoing federal government shutdown — continues to closely monitor Kīlauea.
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