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USGS Volcano Notice for Aviation - DOI-USGS-HVO-2023-10-06T18:55:23-07:00
| (1) VOLCANO OBSERVATORY NOTICE FOR AVIATION (VONA) | |
| (2) Issued: | (20240131/1441Z) |
| (3) Volcano: | Kilauea (VNUM #332010) |
| (4) Current Color Code: | ORANGE |
| (5) Previous Color Code: | YELLOW |
| (6) Source: | Hawaiian Volcano Observatory |
| (7) Notice Number: | 2023/H333 |
| (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 volcano is not erupting. Increased earthquake activity and inflationary ground deformation at Kīlauea’s summit began occurring during the early morning hours of January 31, 2024, indicating movement of magma in the subsurface. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is raising the volcano alert level/aviation color code for Kīlauea from ADVISORY/YELLOW to WATCH/ORANGE due to this activity. 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 and away from infrastructure, is one potential outcome. Patterns of earthquake activity and ground deformation are concentrated south of the caldera region. Any new eruptive activity could occur in or near Halemaʻumaʻu crater or the region south of Kīlauea caldera, within the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. HVO continues to closely monitor this activity. Should activity change significantly, a new Volcanic Activity Notice will be issued. Hazards are 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
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| (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. Please see the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website for visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm. |
| (15) Contacts: | |
| (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:
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