USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2024-06-02T23:28:46+00:00

HVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice

Volcano: Kilauea (VNUM #332010)

Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Previous Volcano Alert Level: ADVISORY

Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Previous Aviation Color Code: YELLOW

Issued: Sunday, June 2, 2024, 5:31 PM HST
Source: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Notice Number: 2024/H166
Location: N 19 deg 25 min W 155 deg 17 min
Elevation: 4091 ft (1247 m)
Area: Hawaii

Volcanic Activity Summary:

Kīlauea is not erupting. Increased earthquake activity and ground deformation at Kīlauea’s summit began at approximately 12:00 p.m. HST on June 2, 2024, indicating the likely movement of magma in the subsurface. Rates of seismicity and deformation increased further after 5:00 p.m. HST. At this time, it is not possible to say with certainty if this activity will lead to an eruption – the activity may remain below ground. However, an eruption in Kīlauea’s summit region within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is one potential outcome.

Accordingly, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) is raising the Volcano Alert Level for ground-based hazards from ADVISORY to WATCH and the Aviation Color Code from YELLOW to ORANGE.

HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea for signs of increasing activity. Should volcanic activity change significantly, a new Volcanic Activity Notice will be issued.

Rates of seismicity and ground deformation beneath the East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone remain low. Current activity is restricted to the summit region.

Hazards are still present on Kīlauea and are described below. Residents and visitors should stay informed and follow County of Hawai‘i and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park guidelines.

For more information about the meaning of volcano alert levels and aviation color codes, see https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcanic-alert-levels-characterize-conditions-us-volcanoes

Recent Observations:
[Volcanic cloud height] N/A
[Other volcanic cloud information] N/A
[Ballistics] N/A
[Lava flow/dome] N/A
[Lava flow] N/A

Remarks:

Hazard Analysis: 

Kīlauea summit eruptive activity over the past several years has occurred at the base of Halemaʻumaʻu crater and on the downdropped block, within the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. During Kīlauea summit eruptions, the high level of volcanic gas—primarily water vapor (H₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂)—being emitted is the primary hazard of concern, as this hazard can have far-reaching effects downwind. Passive volcanic degassing can occur from within Halemaʻumaʻu crater even during periods of no eruptive activity. As SO₂ is released from the summit, it reacts in the atmosphere to create the visible haze known as vog (volcanic smog) that has been observed downwind of Kīlauea. Vog creates the potential for airborne health hazards to residents and visitors, damages agricultural crops and other plants, and affects livestock. For more information on gas hazards at the summit of Kīlauea, please see: https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/fs20173017. Vog information can be found at https://vog.ivhhn.org. 

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 the rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since early 2008. 

For discussion of Kīlauea hazards, please see: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hawaiian-volcano-observatory/hazards.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) continues to closely monitor Kīlauea Volcano.

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

Contacts:

askHVO@usgs.gov

Next Notice:

Kīlauea updates will be issued daily. Should volcanic activity change significantly, a new VAN will be issued. Regularly scheduled updates are posted on the HVO website at https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/volcano-updates

More Information:

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm
Kīlauea activity summary also available by phone: (808) 967-8862
Kīlauea webcam images: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/webcams
Kīlauea photos/video: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/photo-and-video-chronology
Kīlauea lava-flow maps: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/maps
Kīlauea FAQs: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/faqs
Kīlauea hazards discussion: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hawaiian-volcano-observatory/hazards

Subscribe to these messages: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns2/
Summary of volcanic hazards from eruptions: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hazards
Recent earthquakes in Hawaiʻi (map and list): https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo
Explanation of Volcano Alert Levels and Aviation Color Codes: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcanic-alert-levels-characterize-conditions-us-volcanoes

(1) VOLCANO OBSERVATORY NOTICE FOR AVIATION (VONA)
(2) Issued:	(20240603/0331Z)
(3) Volcano:	Kilauea (VNUM #332010)
(4) Current Color Code:	ORANGE
(5) Previous Color Code:	YELLOW
(6) Source:	Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
(7) Notice Number:	2024/H166
(8) Volcano Location:	N 19 deg 25 min W 155 deg 17 min
(9) Area:	Hawaii
(10) Summit Elevation:	4091 ft (1247 m)
(11) Volcanic Activity Summary:	Kīlauea is not erupting. Increased earthquake activity and ground deformation at Kīlauea’s summit began at approximately 12:00 p.m. HST on June 2, 2024, indicating the likely movement of magma in the subsurface. Rates of seismicity and deformation increased further after 5:00 p.m. HST. At this time, it is not possible to say with certainty if this activity will lead to an eruption – the activity may remain below ground. However, an eruption in Kīlauea’s summit region within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is one potential outcome. Accordingly, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) is raising the Volcano Alert Level for ground-based hazards from ADVISORY to WATCH and the Aviation Color Code from YELLOW to ORANGE. HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea for signs of increasing activity. Should volcanic activity change significantly, a new Volcanic Activity Notice will be issued. Rates of seismicity and ground deformation beneath the East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone remain low. Current activity is restricted to the summit region. Hazards are still present on Kīlauea and are described below. Residents and visitors should stay informed and follow County of Hawai‘i and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park guidelines. For more information about the meaning of volcano alert levels and aviation color codes, see https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcanic-alert-levels-characterize-conditions-us-volcanoes
(12) Volcanic cloud height:	N/A
(13) Other volcanic cloud information:	N/A
(14) Remarks:	Hazard Analysis:  Kīlauea summit eruptive activity over the past several years has occurred at the base of Halemaʻumaʻu crater and on the downdropped block, within the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. During Kīlauea summit eruptions, the high level of volcanic gas—primarily water vapor (H₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂)—being emitted is the primary hazard of concern, as this hazard can have far-reaching effects downwind. Passive volcanic degassing can occur from within Halemaʻumaʻu crater even during periods of no eruptive activity. As SO₂ is released from the summit, it reacts in the atmosphere to create the visible haze known as vog (volcanic smog) that has been observed downwind of Kīlauea. Vog creates the potential for airborne health hazards to residents and visitors, damages agricultural crops and other plants, and affects livestock. For more information on gas hazards at the summit of Kīlauea, please see: https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/fs20173017. Vog information can be found at https://vog.ivhhn.org.  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 the rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since early 2008.  For discussion of Kīlauea hazards, please see: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hawaiian-volcano-observatory/hazards. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) continues to closely monitor Kīlauea Volcano. Please see the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website for visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm.
(15) Contacts:	askHVO@usgs.gov
(16) Next Notice:	Kīlauea updates will be issued daily. Should volcanic activity change significantly, a new VAN will be issued. Regularly scheduled updates are posted on the HVO website at https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/volcano-updates More Information: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm Kīlauea activity summary also available by phone: (808) 967-8862 Kīlauea webcam images: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/webcams Kīlauea photos/video: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/photo-and-video-chronology Kīlauea lava-flow maps: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/maps Kīlauea FAQs: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/faqs Kīlauea hazards discussion: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hawaiian-volcano-observatory/hazards