UPDATE: Lava again fountaining with 33rd episode of Kīlauea volcano summit eruption

Update, 9:24 a.m. Sept. 19: Kīlauea’s lava fountains have decreased in height to 330 feet and are now tilted toward the east.

Throughout the night, the initial fountains soared, their heights climbing to an impressive 700–800 feet.

According to the Hawaiʻi Volcano Observatory, the alert status for Kīlauea volcano has been updated to WATCH due to signs of increased or escalating unrest and a higher potential for eruption within an uncertain timeframe.

It is also showing signs that an eruption may be imminent, but it currently poses limited hazards.

Original Post: Lava once again was fountaining within the summit caldera of Kīlauea volcano on the Big Island as Episode 33 of the ongoing episodic eruption inside Halemaʻumaʻu Crater entered its third hour today, shortly after 5 a.m.

Geysers of molten rock continued to skyrocket from the north vent to heights of more than 500 feet in the waning early morning darkness, with a convective plume estimated at about 10,000 feet above ground level, according to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Past episodes have produced lava fountains of more than 1,200 feet high with plumes of up to 20,000 feet above ground level.

Fountains from the north vent also had been feeding multiple lava streams onto the crater floor since 3:30 a.m., nearly 20 minutes after sustained and vigorous fountaining of Episode 33 began.

All eruptive activity is confined to Halemaʻumaʻu Crater and summit caldera within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

There also are three Kīlauea summit livestreams — each with a different view of the active vents inside the crater — you can watch to view the fountains: V1cam, V2cam and V3cam.

Inflation reached just more than 23 microradians since the end of the Episode 32. Seismic tremor began increasing rapidly and tilt switched from inflation to sharp deflation at about 3:11 a.m.

Accompanied by lava fountains that continued to increase in intensity and becoming sustained just less than 30 minutes earlier, along with large lava flows erupting onto the Halemaʻumaʻu Crater floor, marked the beginning of Episode 33.

The latest episode in the ongoing summit eruption — which started Dec. 23, 2024 — was preceded by sporadic spattering related to gas pistoning that started Sept. 16 and continued into Sept. 19.

Small lava flows began overflowing the vent early Sept. 17, with overflows becoming larger the night of Sept. 17-18. Dome fountains up to 10 to 20 feet accompanied filling and overflowing of the vent, drainback was marked by energetic bursts of gas that sent spatter 15 to 30 feet high and landed on the outside of the cone.

Wind at Sand Hill, just south of Halemaʻumaʻu, is blowing from the northeast direction, which Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says suggests volcanic gas emissions and volcanic material could be distributed southwest across the Ka’u desert within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Most episodes of Halemaʻumaʻu lava fountaining since the eruption began now nearly 9 months ago, have continued for about a day or less and have been separated by pauses in eruptive activity that have lasted at least several days.

RECENT OBSERVATIONS

• VOLCANIC CLOUD HEIGHT: Current plume is 10,000 feet above ground level. Plume in past episodes has reached up to 20,000 feet above ground level, driven by incandescent lava fountains more than 1,000 feet high.
• OTHER VOLCANIC CLOUD INFORMATION: Most volcanic ash and pumice (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 (20 miles). The direction and size of the plume will not impact local airports or scheduled commercial air traffic. Sulfur dioxide emission rate is typically 50,000 tonnes/day during eruptive episodes.
• ASHFALL: Small volcanic particles may impact downwind areas within 3-6 miles of the vent.

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 remains at Orange.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and will alert the public if there any changes.