#ongoing summit eruption

The rare ongoing eruption within Halema’uma’u Crater inside the summit caldera on Kīlauea began Dec. 23, 2024, and has produced 38 episodes with No. 39 expected any day now.

The latest eruptive activity kicked off at 12:53 a.m. Oct. 1 from the north vent in the southwest portion of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, with molten rock fountaining from the south vent as well within the next several hours.

A switch from inflation to sharp deflation, rapid increase in seismic tremor and intensifying lava fountains accompanying large lava flows onto the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater marked the beginning of the latest eruptive episode of the Big Island volcano at 3:11 a.m. Sept. 19.

While it is challenging that a small portion of the Kīlauea monitoring network is impacted by the ongoing summit eruption, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says maintaining the network during eruptions comes with the job when it’s monitoring one of the most active volcanoes on Earth.

“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.” — Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

Kamalani Poepoe and Ruth Gale welcomed during the perfect time to not only better understand eruptions in Hawaiʻi but contribute to ongoing work as the episodic summit eruption of Kīlauea volcano on Big Island continues.

Record-setting lava fountain and plume heights were reached during Episode 23 of the Kīlauea summit caldera eruption. Given increasing airborne hazards associated with each new eruptive episode, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is changing its episode notification types.

Lava fountains reach more than 1,000 feet, volcanic plume soars at least 5,000 feet before most recent phase of eruptive activity — that teased for several days — abruptly ends after just 6 hours and 10 minutes Sunday night.

Episode 21 of the ongoing episodic eruption of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater at Kaluapele, the Big Island volcano’s summit caldera, ended at 8:34 p.m. Sunday, on Mother’s Day 2025.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory remains steadfast and vigilant as lava fountaining episodes continue at the summit of the Big Island’s Kīlauea volcano, maintaining its monitoring and livestreaming of the volcano to document the eruption’s evolution, inform hazard assessments and apprise the public of ongoing volcanic activity.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports Episode 18 of ongoing summit eruption of the Big Island volcano began at 10:01 p.m. April 16 and was feeding a lava flow that extended down the vent’s spillway and a short distance onto the crater floor.

National Volcano Information Service will be an indispensable component of National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System, integrating cutting-edge information technology solutions to ensure efficient monitoring, accurate data interpretation and effective communication of volcanic hazards.

The newest eruptive phase of the ongoing eruption inside Halemaʻumaʻu Crater within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park began just before 9:30 a.m. today (March 19), but the signature tall lava fountains the the active phases have become known for are expected later this afternoon.

It’s been 7 days, a whole week, since Episode 13 ended, which seems to be just the right amount of time lately for the Big Island volcano to recharge. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says new lava geysers could erupt in the vents within Halemaʻumaʻu Craterbefore as early as today.

Fountains once again reached heights of 600 feet in the volcano’s caldera, which were sustained until the north vent in Halemaʻumaʻu Crater quit erupting at 8:26 p.m. March 4. Sustained fountains from the south vent saw heights of 200 to 400 feet throughout the night before decreasing. Just like the best season finale, however, the exciting, roaring eruptive event ended all too soon at 10:37 a.m. March 5, just less than 22 hours after it started.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported Tuesday afternoon that the most recent eruptive activity of the ongoing eruption in Kaluapele, the volcano’s summit caldera, started at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday with sporadic small lava flows alternating between the south and north vents in the southwest portion of Halema‘uma‘u Crater. A transition to fountaining began at 2 p.m.