USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2023-06-13T11:27:55-07:00

Activity Summary:  Kīlauea volcano is erupting. Eruptive activity is confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Kīlauea's summit caldera. No unusual activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone. 

Halemaʻumaʻu Lava Lake Observations: Activity continues to decrease. Fountaining is diminished on the southwestern Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor, with only a few small fountains remaining. The extent of active lava has retreated further such that all activity is now concentrated in the southwestern and central portions of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater. An active lava lake is centered within the central area and is fed by a vent in its northeast corner. This feature is the "western" lake from prior eruptions that has been reactivated along with a smaller circular pool just southeast of the lake. The vent on the southwest wall of the caldera continues to spatter and feed lava onto the westernmost part of the crater floor. The surface of the western active area has not risen since yesterday. All previously active lava features in the northern and eastern portions of the crater now appear to be stagnant. A live-stream video of the crater is available at https://www.youtube.com/usgs/live.

Summit Observations: Summit tilt switched from ongoing deflation to mild inflation as of early yesterday afternoon. Summit seismic activity is dominated by eruptive tremor (a signal associated with fluid movement). Volcanic gas emissions in the area remain elevated; a sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rate of approximately 7,400 tonnes per day was measured on Sunday, June 11, 2023.

Rift Zone Observations: No unusual activity has been noted along the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone; steady but low rates of ground deformation and seismicity continue along both. Measurements from continuous gas monitoring stations in the middle East Rift Zone—the site of 1983–2018 eruptive activity—remain below detection limits for SO₂.

Hazard Analysis: The eruption at Kīlauea’s summit is occurring within a closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. High levels of volcanic gas—primarily water vapor (H₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂)—are the primary hazard of concern, as this hazard can have far-reaching effects down-wind. As SO₂ is continuously released from the summit during the eruption, it will react in the atmosphere to create the visible haze known as vog (volcanic smog) downwind of Kīlauea. Vog information can be found at https://vog.ivhhn.org/. 

Additional hazards include Pele's hair and other lightweight volcanic glass fragments from the lava fountains that will fall downwind of the fissure vents and dust the ground within a few hundred meters (yards) of the vent (s). Strong winds may waft lighter particles to greater distances. Residents and visitors should minimize exposure to these volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation. 

Other significant hazards also remain around Kīlauea caldera from Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes within the area closed to the public. This underscores the extremely hazardous nature of Kīlauea caldera rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since late 2007. 

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) continues to closely monitor Kīlauea volcano. HVO will continue to issue daily Kīlauea volcano updates until further notice. Additional messages will be issued as needed.