USGS Volcanoes: Notices released in the last day.

Slow eruption of lava within the summit crater continues. Minor earthquakes were detected over the past day. No activity was observed in cloudy satellite and webcam images over the past day.  

A field crew working at the volcano has provided several new photos and videos of the lava dome at Great Sitkin availible at https://avo.alaska.edu/volcano/great-sitkin

The current eruption began in July 2021. Since then, lava flows have filled most of the summit crater and advanced into valleys below. There have been no explosions at Great Sitkin Volcano since an event in May 2021. The volcano is monitored using local seismic and infrasound sensors, satellite data, webcams, and regional infrasound and lightning networks.

Unrest continues with minor seismic activity detected during the past day. No activity observed in partly cloudy satellite views over the past day. Steam emissions observed in web camera views this morning. Minor sulfur dioxide emissions detected in satellite data.

Local seismic and infrasound sensors, web cameras, and a geodetic network are used to monitor Shishaldin Volcano. In addition to the local monitoring network, AVO uses nearby geophysical networks, regional infrasound and lightning data, and satellite images to detect eruptions. 

Low-level earthquake activity continues. Minor steaming was observed in web camera views of the volcano. 

A new temporary monitoring station was installed recently near Mount Kupreanof and is providing seismic data, infrasound data, gas measurements, and web camera images on an intermittent basis. This is by design to conserve battery power, but the frequency of data acquisition can be increased if activity warrants. The closest functioning seismometers that provide continuous data are approximately 10 miles (16 km) to the northeast of the volcano as part of the Mount Veniaminof network. Mount Kupreanof is also monitored by satellite data, remote infrasound and lightning networks, and visual observations from pilots and mariners passing by the volcano.

Slow eruption of lava within the summit crater continues. Slightly elevated surface temperatures and minor earthquakes were detected over the past day. No activity was observed in cloudy satellite and webcam images over the past day.  

The current eruption began in July 2021. Since then, lava flows have filled most of the summit crater and advanced into valleys below. There have been no explosions at Great Sitkin Volcano since an event in May 2021. The volcano is monitored using local seismic and infrasound sensors, satellite data, webcams, and regional infrasound and lightning networks.

Unrest continues with minor seismic activity detected during the past day. No activity observed in partly cloudy satellite and web camera views over the past day. 

Local seismic and infrasound sensors, web cameras, and a geodetic network are used to monitor Shishaldin Volcano. In addition to the local monitoring network, AVO uses nearby geophysical networks, regional infrasound and lightning data, and satellite images to detect eruptions. 

Low-level earthquake activity continues. No activity was observed in cloudy satellite and web camera views of the volcano. 

A new temporary monitoring station was installed recently near Mount Kupreanof and is providing seismic data, infrasound data, gas measurements, and web camera images on an intermittent basis. This is by design to conserve battery power, but the frequency of data acquisition can be increased if activity warrants. The closest functioning seismometers that provide continuous data are approximately 10 miles (16 km) to the northeast of the volcano as part of the Mount Veniaminof network. Mount Kupreanof is also monitored by satellite data, remote infrasound and lightning networks, and visual observations from pilots and mariners passing by the volcano.

Overview:

The summit eruption of Kīlauea in Halemaʻumaʻu is paused following 9 hours of continuous lava fountaining during episode 54 on August 25, 2026. Summit inflation resumed after the episode ended, but mild deflation began at 2:00 a.m. HST this morning. Glow has been visible in the north and west vents. These observations indicate that another lava fountaining episode is likely in the coming weeks, but more inflationary tilt data are needed to determine the precise forecast.

A detailed account of lava fountaining episode 54 is posted below.

No significant activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

NOTE: Significant changes in activity between Daily Updates are posted here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages

Summit Observations:

Glow and occasional flames were visible overnight from both the north and west vents in Halema’uma’u. Around 2:00 a.m. HST, the north vent dimmed slightly, while glow at the west vent became weaker and more sporadic. The south vent remained dark overnight, and it appears to be partially filled in by north vent spatter erupted yesterday. Lava flows along the north and south sides of Halemaʻumaʻu crater continued to advance after episode 54 ended. However, they slowed greatly in the early morning and by dawn only a few points of incandescence were still visible in webcam views. A small, slump-driven flow was active on the south side of the west vent from around 2:30 a.m. HST until dawn. Slow movements from cooling lava flows and gravity-induced slumps on the vents may continue over the coming days and nights. 

Low-frequency seismic bursts began with the cessation of episode 54 and they continue this morning, which is typical during the early stages of pauses between eruptive episodes. Three shallow earthquakes have been recorded beneath the summit region over the past 24 hours. 

Summit inflation resumed immediately upon the cessation of lava fountaining, and the Uēkahuna (UWD) tiltmeter recorded a peak of 1.4 microradians of inflation prior to the onset of mild deflation around 2:00 a.m. HST. As of this morning, UWD has recovered a total of 0.9 microradians of inflationary tilt since the end of the episode. Deflationary tilt measured on UWD totaled 12.7 microradians during episode 54.

During inter-episode pauses, the sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emission rate from the summit typically varies between 1,000 and 5,000 tonnes per day. Strong trade winds are pushing the degassing plume to the southwest over the Kaʻū Desert this morning.

Rift Zone Observations:

Rates of seismicity and ground deformation remain low in the East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone. SO₂ emissions from the East Rift Zone remain below the detection limit.

Analysis:

The abrupt switch from summit deflation to inflation at the end of episode 54 and continued glow from the eruptive vents indicate that another lava fountaining episode is likely in the coming weeks. However, the onset of a deflationary step around 2:00 a.m. HST this morning indicates that unpredictable, stepwise inflation will likely continue during this repose period, as it has since episode 51. More inflationary tilt data are needed to model the precise forecast window.

Kīlauea has been erupting episodically since December 23, 2024, from two vents (north and south) in Halema‘uma‘u. Lava fountaining episodes, which generally last for less than 12 hours, are separated by pauses of two or more weeks.

HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and is in contact with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and the Hawai‘i County Civil Defense Agency about eruptive hazards.

Please see the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website for visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm

Summary of episode 54:

A detailed account of episode 54 is given in the HVO Status Report issued on August 25: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hans-public/notice/DOI-USGS-HVO-2026-08-26T05:56:38+00:00

• Episode 54 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began around 10:30 a.m. HST and ended at 7:33 p.m. HST on August 25, 2026, after 9 hours of continuous lava fountaining. 
• The maximum lava fountain height from the north vent was approximately 500 feet (150 meters) above ground level, reached between 12:15 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. HST. Neither the south vent nor the new west vent (formerly the collapse pit) fountained during this episode.
• The maximum plume height was approximately 17,000 feet (5,200 meters) above sea level.
• Most tephra fall was restricted to the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, southwest of the active eruptive vents in Halemaʻumaʻu. However, HVO did also receive a report of trace Pele’s hair falling in the Ka‘ū district of the Island of Hawaiʻi.

Resources:

NOTE: HVO’s monitoring network is mostly recovered from recent power- and storm-related outages. Several summit stations will remain offline as we continue working to repair instruments and re-establish connections in our monitoring network.

The following links provide more information about the current eruption that began on December 23, 2024:

• Eruption resources, including the most recent map and a timeline of eruption episodes since December 23, 2024: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/science/eruption-information
• Short messages tracking the evolution of the lava fountains and eruptive activity can be found here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages
• Three Kīlauea summit livestream cameras that show eruptive lava fountains are available here: https://www.youtube.com/@usgs/streams
• Summit eruption webcams: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/summit-webcams
• Volcano Watch article on gas pistons: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-so-what-earth-or-least-kilauea-a-gas-piston

Hazards:

This episodic eruption is occurring within a closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

• Volcanic Gas: high levels of volcanic gas—primarily water vapor (H₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂)—are continually released during an eruption. Emissions can remain locally hazardous in the areas immediately downwind of the vents, even when the vents are not actively erupting. SO₂ reacts in the atmosphere to create vog (volcanic air pollution) downwind. SO₂ and vog may cause respiratory and other problems at high concentrations. Further information on vog can be found at https://vog.ivhhn.org/
• Tephra: small glassy volcanic fragments—volcanic ash, pumice, scoria, Pele’s hair and reticulite—are created by the lava fountains. A combination of fountaining dynamics and wind conditions determines where tephra fall may occur for any given eruption episode. Larger particles fall near the vents while light particles may be wafted greater distances. These particles may be remobilized during windy conditions following recent eruptive episodes. Residents and visitors should minimize exposure to these fragments, which can cause skin, eye, and respiratory irritation. More information and guidance on tephra fall hazards is available at https://seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/resource-and-guidance-for-volcanic-tephra-fall/
• Lava flows: lava on the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater and the southwest side of Kaluapele, Kīlauea's summit caldera, remains hot and may slowly move in the days immediately following an eruptive episode.

Other significant hazards exist around Kīlauea caldera from Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes. Close to the eruptive vents, the tephra material on the crater rim is prone to cracking, slumping, and small landslides that sometimes expose hot and molten material within. This underscores the extremely hazardous nature of Kīlauea's caldera rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since late 2007.

Activity Summary: 

• Episode 54 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began around 10:30 a.m. HST and ended at 7:33 p.m. HST on August 25, 2026, after 9 hours of continuous lava fountaining. 
• The maximum lava fountain height from the north vent was approximately 500 feet (150 meters) above ground level, reached between 12:15 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. HST. Neither the south vent nor the new west vent (formerly the collapse pit) fountained during this episode.
• The maximum plume height was approximately 17,000 feet (5,200 meters) above sea level.
• Most tephra fall was restricted to the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, southwest of the active eruptive vents in Halemaʻumaʻu. However, HVO did also receive a report of trace Pele’s hair falling in the Ka‘ū district of the Island of Hawaiʻi.   

Episode 53 Chronology: 

Lava fountaining episode 54 in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea began around 10:30 a.m. HST and ended at 7:33 p.m. HST on August 25, 2026, after 9.0 hours of continuous lava fountaining from the north vent. Neither the south vent nor the new west vent (formerly the collapse pit) fountained during this episode. The instantaneous effusion rate from the north vent peaked at about 290 cubic yards (220 cubic meters) per second between 11:45 a.m. HST and 12:15 p.m. HST. The average effusion rate over the entire episode was approximately 140 cubic yards (110 cubic meters) per second. An estimated 5.2 million cubic yards (4.0 million cubic meters) of lava erupted and covered about 30% of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor. Seismicity followed the normal pattern for most fountaining episodes, with rapidly increasing tremor at the beginning of the episode, followed by a gradual decline through its main stages, followed by an abrupt drop at the end of the episode. The Uēkahuna tiltmeter (UWD) recorded approximately 12.7 microradians of deflationary tilt during episode 54.

Following the onset of relatively rapid summit inflation yesterday, August 24, north vent spatter was observed in overnight webcam views starting just after 7:00 p.m. HST and tremor turned from continuous to well defined gas piston cycles 5–10 minutes apart. Spattering from the north vent continued to build through the evening until after midnight when it became more continuous. Bright glow, flames, and occasional spatter were observed from the west vent and correlated with tremor peaks produced by drainback during gas piston cycles. There were only a few, rare glimpses of weak glow from the south vent.

This morning, August 25, there were two precursory overflows from the north vent: the first from 6:16 to 6:37 a.m. HST and the second from 7:27 to 8:12 a.m. HST. There were no overflows from either the west or south vents.  A third north vent overflow began at 8:52 a.m. HST and continued until it transitioned into the onset of episode 53 lava fountaining at 10:30 a.m. HST. The transition from precursory activity to the onset of episode 54 lava fountaining was marked by increasing height of the north vent dome fountain, greater eruptive volume, increased deflation and rapidly increasing tremor. At this point a surging dome fountain began feeding a vigorous flow into Halemaʻumaʻu crater. The north vent lava fountain grew rapidly over the next hour and reached a peak height of approximately 500 feet (150 meters) around 12:15 p.m. HST and remained at that height until about 1:00 p.m. HST. The high fountain produced significant heat and some tephra, feeding a gas plume that reached a maximum height of about 17,000 feet (5,200 meters) above sea level based on webcam images.

By 1:30 p.m. HST on August 25, fountain heights decreased to about 350 feet (110 meters) above ground level, and plume heights decreased to 14,000 feet (4,200 meters) above sea level. Fountain heights then remained mostly constant until the early evening. However, the plume heights continue to decrease and were below 12,000 feet (3,700 meters) at this time. The fountain heights began to decrease after 6:00 p.m. HST reaching 160 feet (50 meters) just before 7:00 p.m. HST. The final fountains were about 100–200 feet (30–60 meters) high during the last half hour of the eruption, and the plume cloud was down to about 7,000 feet (2,100 meters).  Episode 54 ended abruptly at 7:33 p.m. HST on August 26, with the last 3 minutes were marked by gas jetting and flames from the north vent.

Winds were out of the northeast during fountaining but decreased in velocity above the inversion layer, which was around 12,000 feet (3,650 meters) above sea level. The northeast winds carried the gas and fine ash and Peleʻs hair in the plume toward the southwest. Most tephra fall was restricted to the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, southwest of the active eruptive vents in Halemaʻumaʻu. However, HVO did also receive a report of trace Pele’s hair falling in the Ka‘ū district of the Island of Hawaiʻi.

The abrupt switch from summit deflation to inflation at the end of episode 54 and the resumption of low frequency tremor bursts indicate that another lava fountaining episode is likely in the coming weeks.

Published Notices about episode 54:   

Volcano Activity Notice at end of episode 54 

Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense message about ashfall related to episode 54. 

Volcano Activity Notice for maximum episode 54 fountain heights.  

National Weather Service NWS special weather statement for episode 54.  

HVO short messages posted to the HVO website and social media as episode 54 progressed.

Volcano Activity Notice at start of episode 54 

Volcano Activity Notice when precursory overflows prior to episode 54 began. 

Kīlauea Daily Update for August 25, 2026.

Resources:

• Additional short messages during episodes: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages   
• Timeline of eruptive episodes since December 23, 2024: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/science/eruption-information 
• Three Kīlauea summit livestream videos: https://www.youtube.com/@usgs/streams 
• Report tephra fall: https://hawaiiash.science/report_form 
• Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Information https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
• County of Hawaii Hazard Impact Map: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/5865229bcba74020992b372ef18b6f17

Hazard Analysis: 

• Volcanic Gas: Water vapor (H₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) are continuously released during an eruption. SO₂ reacts in the atmosphere to create the visible haze known as vog (volcanic smog) downwind, which may cause respiratory and other problems. Further information on vog can be found at https://vog.ivhhn.org/.
• Tephra: Small glassy volcanic fragments—volcanic ash, pumice, scoria, Pele’s hair and reticulite—are created by the lava fountains. A combination of fountaining dynamics and wind conditions determines where tephra fall may occur for any given eruption episode. Larger particles fall near the vents while light particles may be wafted greater distances. These particles may be remobilized during windy conditions following recent eruptive episodes. Residents and visitors should minimize exposure to these fragments, which can cause skin, eye, and respiratory irritation. More information and guidance on tephra fall hazards is available at the links below:
  • https://seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/resource-and-guidance-for-volcanic-tephra-fall/  
  • https://vog.ivhhn.org/sites/default/files/PelesHair_FAQs_v2.pdf
• Lava flows: Generally advance slowly downslope, and during this eruption flows have been confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater and the southwest side of Kaluapele, Kīlauea's summit caldera. 
• Other: Significant hazards exist around Kīlauea caldera from Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes. Close to the vents, the tephra material on the crater rim is prone to cracking, slumping, and small landslides that sometimes expose hot and molten material within. This underscores the extremely hazardous nature of Kīlauea's caldera rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since late 2007.

Episode 54 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption at the summit of Kīlauea ended abruptly at 7:33 p.m. HST on August 25 after 9 hours of continuous lava fountaining from the north vent. Due to reduced ground and aviation hazards, the USGS is dropping the Volcano Alert Level from WATCH to ADVISORY and the Aviation Color Code from ORANGE to YELLOW. Additional details on this eruptive episode will be provided in the next official report.

• All eruptive vents and lava flows are confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Tephra fall from volcanic ash clouds is greatest within 3 miles (5 km) of the vents, lighter ash and Pele's Hair may stay suspended for large distances from the vents.
• Timeline of eruptive episodes since December 23, 2024: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/science/eruption-information
• Three Kīlauea summit livestream videos are available here: https://www.youtube.com/@usgs/streams
• Additional short updates shared during the episode can be found here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages

Episode 54 of lava fountaining in Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of Kīlauea began at 10:30 a.m. HST on August 25 and continues as of this notice at 12:15 p.m. HST. 

Based on HVO webcam views, the north vent lava fountain is reaching 500 feet (150 meters) above ground level, and its plume is reaching 17,000 feet (5,200 meters) above sea level. Ground-level sensors near the eruptive vents indicate that winds are blowing from the northeast direction, which suggests that volcanic gas emissions and volcanic material may be distributed to the southwest direction from Halemaʻumaʻu. The effusion rate from the north vent has reached approximately 260 cubic yards (200 cubic meters) per second, but it is expected to decline for the remainder of the episode.

• The National Weather Service has issued a Special Weather Statement for likely ashfall from this episode: https://inws.ncep.noaa.gov/a/a.php?i=133530374.
• All eruptive vents and lava flows are confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Tephra fall from volcanic ash clouds is greatest within 3 miles (5 km) of the vents, lighter ash and Pele's Hair may stay suspended for large distances from the vents.
• Help support science and community awareness by reporting tephra fall: https://hawaiiash.science/report_form.
• Three Kīlauea summit livestream videos that show eruptive lava fountains are available here: https://youtube.com/@usgs/streams.
• KPcam and MKcam provide views of the plume height for aviation purposes.
• Additional short updates as the episode progresses will be posted here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages.
• Timeline of eruptive episodes since December 23, 2024: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/science/eruption-information.

Most lava fountaining episodes since December 23, 2024, have continued for a day or less.

Episode 54 of lava fountaining in Halemaʻumaʻu began at the summit of Kīlauea began at 10:30 HST on August 25, 2026. North vent fountains are currently about 50-75 feet (15-20 meters) meters high and are expected to grow rapidly to about 500 feet (150 meters) in the next 1-2 hours. 

Weak spattering began yesterday and became more continuous after midnight.  Overflows from the north vent began after 6 a.m. this morning, with continuous low-level fountaining starting around 9 a.m. 

Ground-level sensors near the eruptive vents indicate that winds are blowing from the northeast direction, which suggests that volcanic gas emissions and volcanic material may be distributed to the southwest direction from Halemaʻumaʻu. Fountain heights are expected to be less that 500 feet (150 meters) and produce moderate amounts of tephra. Most large tephra will fall close to the vents, but fine ash and Peleʻs hair could be distributed to Pāhala and other communites in Kaʻu.

• All eruptive vents and lava flows are confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Tephra fall from volcanic ash clouds is greatest within 3 miles (5 km) of the vents, lighter ash and Pele's Hair may stay suspended for large distances from the vents.
• Support science and community awareness by reporting tephra fall: https://hawaiiash.science/report_form 
• Three Kīlauea summit livestream videos that show eruptive lava fountains are available here: https://youtube.com/@usgs/streams 
• KPcam and MKcam provide views of the plume height for aviation purposes
• Additional short updates as the episode progresses will be posted here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages 
• Timeline of eruptive episodes since December 23, 2024: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/science/eruption-information 

Most lava fountaining episodes since December 23, 2024, have continued for a day or less.

Overview:

Kīlauea volcano is erupting precursory overflows this morning from the north vent, following its typical pattern before lava fountaining episodes.  Summit inflation continued until about 6:00 a.m. HST when it leveled out, with deflationary tilt starting around 9 a.m. Episode 54 lava fountaining is expected to start today, if activity follows the pattern of previous episodes. 

No significant activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

A summary of episode 53 that ended August 13 is posted below.

NOTE: Significant changes in activity between Daily Updates are posted here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages

Summit Observations:

Weak spattering was observed overnight from the north vent, with nearly continuous spattering occurring after midnight.  The first precursory overflow and small dome fountain occurred from 6:16 to 6:37 a.m. Several subsequent precursory overflows have occurred since that time. 

Continuous low-level seismic tremor occurred over much of the past day, switching to episodic tremor overnight. These spikes in tremor are normally associated with gas pistoning, and tremor fluctuations have occurred with the overflows this morning.  There was one earthquake recorded in the summit area in the past 24 hours. 

The Uēkahuna tiltmeter (UWD) showed continuing rapid tilt over the past day until about 6:00 a.m. HST when it flattened out.  Tilt is currently deflating.  UWD has recorded about 15.4 microradians of inflation since the end of episode 53 exceeding the 13.9 microradians of deflationary tilt measured by UWD during episode 53.

During inter-episode pauses, the sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emission rate from the summit typically varies between 1,000 to 5,000 tonnes per day. Winds are currently from the northeast blowing the gas plume to the southwest. Forecasts suggest that these conditions will hold throughout the day at both higher and lower altitudes.

Rift Zone Observations:

Rates of seismicity and ground deformation remain low in the East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone. SO₂ emissions from the East Rift Zone remain below the detection limit.

Analysis:

The precursory overflows and inflation well in excess of episode 53 deflation indicate that episode 54 lava fountaining onset is likely today, if the activity follows the pattern of previous episodes.

Kīlauea has been erupting episodically since December 23, 2024, from two vents (north and south) in Halema‘uma‘u. A collapse pit in the slope behind the south vent formed a new west vent during episode 53. Lava fountaining episodes, which generally last for less than 12 hours, are separated by pauses of two or more weeks.

HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and is in contact with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and the Hawai‘i County Civil Defense Agency about eruptive hazards.

Please see the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website for visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm

Summary of episode 53:

A detailed account of episode 53 is given in the HVO Status Report issued on August 13: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hans-public/notice/DOI-USGS-HVO-2026-08-13T11:52:10+00:00

• Episode 53 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began around 3:45 p.m. HST on August 12 and ended abruptly at 1:23 a.m. HST on August 13, 2026.
• The maximum lava fountain height was approximately 500 feet (150 meters) above ground level from the north vent. The south vent never fountained during this episode but did produce overflows prior to the fountaining episode. A new west vent produced precursory overflows and emitted intermittent flames through most of the eruption. 
• The maximum plume height was approximately 18,000 (5,500 meters) above mean sea level. 

• Tephra fall was restricted mostly to the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, southwest of the active Halemaʻumaʻu vents.  

   

Resources:

NOTE: HVO’s monitoring network is mostly recovered from recent power- and storm-related outages. Several summit stations will remain offline as we continue working to repair instruments and re-establish connections in our monitoring network.

The following links provide more information about the current eruption that began on December 23, 2024:

• Eruption resources, including the most recent map and a timeline of eruption episodes since December 23, 2024: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/science/eruption-information
• Short messages tracking the evolution of the lava fountains and eruptive activity can be found here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages
• Three Kīlauea summit livestream cameras that show eruptive lava fountains are available here: https://www.youtube.com/@usgs/streams
• Summit eruption webcams: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/summit-webcams
• Volcano Watch article on gas pistons: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-so-what-earth-or-least-kilauea-a-gas-piston

Hazards:

This episodic eruption is occurring within a closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

• Volcanic Gas: high levels of volcanic gas—primarily water vapor (H₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂)—are continually released during an eruption. Emissions can remain locally hazardous in the areas immediately downwind of the vents, even when the vents are not actively erupting. SO₂ reacts in the atmosphere to create vog (volcanic air pollution) downwind. SO₂ and vog may cause respiratory and other problems at high concentrations. Further information on vog can be found at https://vog.ivhhn.org/
• Tephra: small glassy volcanic fragments—volcanic ash, pumice, scoria, Pele’s hair and reticulite—are created by the lava fountains. A combination of fountaining dynamics and wind conditions determines where tephra fall may occur for any given eruption episode. Larger particles fall near the vents while light particles may be wafted greater distances. These particles may be remobilized during windy conditions following recent eruptive episodes. Residents and visitors should minimize exposure to these fragments, which can cause skin, eye, and respiratory irritation. More information and guidance on tephra fall hazards is available at https://seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/resource-and-guidance-for-volcanic-tephra-fall/
• Lava flows: lava on the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater and the southwest side of Kaluapele, Kīlauea's summit caldera, remains hot and may slowly move in the days immediately following an eruptive episode.

Other significant hazards exist around Kīlauea caldera from Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes. Close to the eruptive vents, the tephra material on the crater rim is prone to cracking, slumping, and small landslides that sometimes expose hot and molten material within. This underscores the extremely hazardous nature of Kīlauea's caldera rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since late 2007.