Lava overflows from north vent in Halemaʻumaʻu Crater as Kīlauea awakens from pause in activity

Kīlauea has awakened from its pause in activity and a new eruptive episode is underway at the summit within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports that Episode 18 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu Crater eruption started at 10:01 p.m. April 16 when lava started overflowing from the north vent in the southwest portion of the crater.

The newest eruptive episode was preceded by glow from the south vent that increased at about 9:10 p.m. and began regular spattering about 10 to 20 seconds apart.

Spatter bursts continued to increase in size and frequency until about 9:30 p.m., when 10 to 15 foot high dome fountains began.

Lava level within the vent continued to rise until the lava pond became visible at 9:45 p.m.

The eruption was feeding lava flows that extended down the north vent spillway and a short distance onto the Halemaʻumaʻu Crater floor.

Ground deformation was relatively flat by about 10:30 p.m. when Hawaiian Volcano Observatory sent out its Kīlauea status report, but an increase in seismic tremor that began at 9:30 p.m. continued.

Sulfur dioxide emissions are elevated, and during recent eruptive episodes have reached 20,000 to 50,000 tonnes per day or more. Similar amounts of gas are expected to accompany any high fountaining activity that could occur during Episode 18.

As the sulfur dioxide is continuously released from the summit, it will react in the atmosphere to create the visible haze known as vog, or volcanic smog, downwind of Kīlauea.

Sulfur dioxide and vog can cause respiratory and other problems at high concentrations. 

In addition, visitors to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and residents of adjacent areas might be exposed to Peleʻs hair and other small fragments of volcanic glass and tephra being carried in the plume, as they were during Episode 16.

For discussion about other Kīlauea hazards, click here.

Each episode of Halemaʻumaʻu lava fountaining since the eruption began Dec. 23, 2024, has continued for between 13 hours to 8 days. Episodes have been separated by pauses lasting from less than 24 hours to up to 12 days.

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

All current and recent activity is confined within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

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

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

There are now two livestream webcams of the Kīlauea summit you can view if you want to check the activity for yourself — West Halemaʻumaʻu Crater V1cam and East Halemaʻumaʻu Crater V2cam.