USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2026-06-27T22:36:39+00:00

HVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice

Volcano: Kilauea (VNUM #332010)

Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Issued: Saturday, June 27, 2026, 1:55 PM HST
Source: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Notice Number: 2026/H308
Location: N 19 deg 25 min W 155 deg 17 min
Elevation: 4091 ft (1247 m)
Area: Hawaii

Summary: Episode 50 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption continues at 1:30 p.m. HST on June 27. Light fall of Pele's hair reported from Pāhala in Kaʻu.

Volcanic Activity:

Episode 50 of lava fountaining in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea began at 10:10 a.m. HST on June 27 and continues as of this notice.

Lava fountains are currently erupting from the north vent and reaching heights of about 700 ft (200 m). Peak fountain heights of about 1,000 ft (300 m) were reached between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. North vent fountains are feeding large lava flows that are covering the floor of Halema'uma'u crater; about 30% of the crater floor has been covered by episode 50 lava flows so far. No fountains or flows have erupted from the south vent during episode 50 so far.

HVO ground crews report light fall of Pele's hair in Pahala in the district of Ka'u that began to fall just after 1:00 p.m. HST. Additional ash and Pele's hair fall may be expected in Kaʻu.

The National Weather Service and Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center reports that the plume from this eruption is reaching 17,000 ft (5,200 m) above sea level. Ground-level sensors near the eruptive vents indicate that low-level winds are blowing from the northeast at 11 mph (5 m/s), which suggests that volcanic gas emissions and volcanic material may be distributed to the southwest direction from Halemaʻumaʻu. Webcam and radar data confirm that the eruptive plume is being blown to the south-southwest of Halema'uma'u.

The National Weather Service issued at updated Special Weather Statement at 11:28 a.m. indicating that any ash fallout will likely occur over the Ka'u District and Highway 11 southwest of the town of Volcano, including the communities of Pahala and Naalehu: https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&product=SPS&issuedby=HFO

Based on current conditions, the Volcano Alert Level will likely remain at WATCH and the Aviation Color Code will likely remain at ORANGE for the remainder of episode 50.

The peak effusion rate for episode 50 was about 430 cubic yards (330 cubic meters) per second, which is slightly higher than recent episodes. Peak effusion occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m.

The UWD tiltmeter has recorded approximately 10 microradians of deflationary tilt during episode 50 so far.

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.

Remarks:

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 air pollution) 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 https://seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/resource-and-guidance-for-volcanic-tephra-fall/

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.

Contacts:

askHVO@usgs.gov

Next Notice:

HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and will issue additional notices as needed based on activity. Regularly scheduled daily updates for Kīlauea 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 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

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

VOLCANO OBSERVATORY NOTICE FOR AVIATION (VONA)

WMPA01 PHVO 272355   
VONA
DTG:                    20260627/2355Z
VOLCANO:                KILAUEA 332010
PSN:                    N1925 W15517
AREA:                   HAWAII
SOURCE ELEV:            4091FT AMSL
NOTICE NR:              2026/42
CURRENT COLOUR CODE:    ORANGE
PREVIOUS COLOUR CODE:   ORANGE
SVO:                    HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
ACT STS:                ERUPTION ONGOING
ONSET:                  20260627/2010Z
DUR:                    ONGOING CONS
VA CLD HGT:             17000FT AMSL
HGT SOURCE:             RADAR
MOV:                    SW
CTC:                    HVO DUTY SCIENTIST: 808-785-3144
RMK:                    LAVA FOUNTAIN EPISODE 50 CONTINUES AT KILAUEA SUMMIT. FOUNTAINS CURRENTLY REACHING
                        700 FT AGL. NWS/VAAC REPORTS PLUME CURRENTLY REACHING 17,000 FT AMSL. FALLOUT LIKELY
                        IN THE KAʻU DISTRICT SOUTHWEST DIRECTION DOWNWIND OF VENTS.
NXT NOTICE:             A NEW VONA WILL BE ISSUED IF COND CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY OR IF THE COLOR CODE CHANGES
NNNN