New fountaining episode underway in Kīlauea summit eruption on Big Island

A new episode of eruptive activity is underway in the summit caldera of Kīlauea volcano on the Big Island.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports that Episode 7 of the eruption that began Dec. 23, 2024, in Halemaʻumaʻu Crater was feeding a lava flow onto the crater floor as of 9:35 p.m.

The new activity, which started at 6:41 p.m. Jan. 27, was preceded by small, sporadic spatter fountains that began at about 1:30 p.m. and continued to increase in intensity until 6:41 p.m., when sustained fountaining began.

Fountains from the north vent in the southwest portion of the crater were estimated at 100 to 120 feet high at the beginning of the new episode and feeding multiple lava streams by 7:40 p.m.

The flow had covered 15% to 20% of the crater floor.

A small fountain also could be seen in the south vent, and there was a small lava flow, seen on webcams, emerging at 7:35 p.m. from the south side of its cone.

Inflationary tilt at the summit had recovered the 2.5 microradian tilt loss during Episode 6 by 3 p.m. Jan. 27 and increased another 0.5 microradians just before Episode 7 started.

Seismic tremor began increasing and tilt switched from inflation to deflation at about 6:40 p.m., about the same time lava flows began erupting onto the crater floor.

No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said based on the durations of Episodes 5 and 6, and the short pauses that separated them, this episode of eruptive activity will likely last 10 to 20 hours.

Each episode of lava fountaining since the eruption started the week of Christmas 2024 has continued from at least about 13 hours to up to about 8 days. Episodes have been separated by pauses in eruptive activity lasting from less than 24 hours to 12 days.

Hawaiian Volcano Observaory continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and will issue an eruption update tomorrow morning unless there are significant changes before then.

All activity is confined within Kaluapele, Kīlauea’s summit caldera, inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

The observatory also remains in close contact with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and Hawai‘i County Civil Defense Agency. Visit the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website for visitor information.

Kīlauea’s volcano alert level remains at watch and its aviation color code at orange.