USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2025-01-28T18:16:47+00:00

Activity Summary:  

Kīlauea summit eruption episode 7 began at 6:41 p.m. HST on January 27 in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

The is the seventh episode of Kīlauea's current eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Kaluapele (the summit caldera) that began on December 23, 2024. Fountain-fed lava flows from the north and south vents are erupting onto the crater floor. Lava fountains were reaching average heights of 130-150 feet (40-45 meters) at 7:40 a.m. on January 28. Deflationary tilt at the summit continues. Seismic tremor remains elevated. Earthquake counts remain low with less than 10 small earthquakes beneath the summit and rift zones. All eruptive activity is occurring in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. No unusual activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

Current hazards include volcanic gas emissions and windblown volcanic glass (Pele’s Hair) that may impact Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and nearby communities.

Summit Observations:

Episode 7 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption began at 6:41 pm HST on January 27. Vigourous, sustained lava fountains from both the north and south vents are feeding lava flows in Halema'uma'u crater. At 7:40 a.m. on January 28, lava fountains from the north vent were reaching average heights of about 130-150 feet (40-45 meters) while fountains from the south vent were reaching average heights of about 100 feet (30 meters). 

Inflationary tilt at the summit recovered the 2.5 microradian tilt loss during episode 6 by 3:00 p.m. on January 27 and had increased another 0.5 microradians just before episode 7 began at 6:41 p.m. on January 27. Seismic tremor began increasing, and tilt at the Uēkahuna tiltmeter (UWD) switched from inflation to deflation, at about the same time lava flows began erupting onto the crater floor. Seismic tremor remains elevated. UWD has recorded approximately 7 microradians of deflationary tilt since the beginning of episode 7.

Weather conditions and episode timing have prevented accurate measurements of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rate since earlier in the eruption sequence. Based on emissions measured during earlier episodes, SO2 emission rates are likely to currently be near 10,000 t/d or more.

Strands of volcanic glass known as Pele’s Hair from episode 7 have been reported throughout the summit area of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and surrounding communities. 

Summit eruption livestream: https://www.youtube.com/usgs/live

Summit eruption webcams: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/summit-webcams 

Summit eruption reference map: January 15, 2025—Kīlauea summit eruption reference map | U.S. Geological Survey

Volcano Watch article about Pele's Hair from this eruption: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-recent-lava-fountains-highlight-peles-hair-hazards

Rift Zone Observations:

Rates of seismicity and ground deformation remain very low in the East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone with less than 10 small earthquakes in the past 24 hours.

Analysis: 

The current eruption is marked by episodic fountaining not seen in any of the other Halemaʻumaʻu eruptions since 2020. Episodic fountains and lava flows have erupted from two vents that we refer to as the north vent and south vent. The previous six fountaining episodes lasted from a few hours to over a week. Each fountaining episode has been accompanied by strong deflation of the summit region. Pauses or periods of repose between the fountaining episodes have been marked by an immediate change from deflation to inflation as the magma chamber recharges and repressurizes. 

Based on the durations of episodes 5 and 6, episode 7 was estimated yesterday to last 10-20 hours. However, current deflation during episode 7 is more similar to episode 4, which continued for three days.

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.

Hazards: 

The eruption has been 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 downwind. As SO₂ is continuously released from the summit during an 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/.

Pele's hair, which are strands of volcanic gas often produced by lava fountaining activity, can be carried by the wind. It can sometimes cluster and tangle together on the ground, giving it the appearance of a tumbleweed. The extent of Pele's hair is dependent on lava fountaining activity and current wind conditions. More information about how Pele's hair is formed is available here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-peles-hairs-a-beautiful-hazard-island-hawaii. A Frequently Asked Questions document developed for the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption includes information about potential health effects of Pele's hair and is available here: https://vog.ivhhn.org/sites/default/files/FAQ_on_air_quality_and_health_during_Mauna_Loa_eruption_v1.6.pdf

Hawaiian 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. Additional hazards include Pele's hair and other volcanic fragments from lava fountains that can fall on the ground within a few hundred yards (meters) of the eruptive vent(s), or on the western caldera rim downwind of the vent(s). Strong winds may waft lighter particles to greater distances downwind, and wind directions are variable. 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's caldera rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since late 2007.

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