USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2025-01-30T04:04:48+00:00

Activity Summary:  

Kīlauea summit eruption paused as of January 28. A new eruptive episode may begin within the next 1-4 days in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

Episode 7 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption ended abruptly at 10:47 a.m. HST on January 28 after about 16 hours of eruptive activity. Kīlauea's current eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Kaluapele (the summit caldera) began on December 23, 2024. There have been 7 episodes of lava fountaining separated by pauses in activity. The eruption may resume within the next 1-4 days based on current rates of summit inflation. Seismicity remains low. All eruptive activity has occurred 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:

Lava fountains and flows erupting from the south vent within Halema'uma'u crater stopped erupting just after 10:43 a.m. HST on Janurary 28. The north vent shut down five minutes later at 10:47 a.m. HST. Lava flows from episode 7 covered nearly half of Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor. Spots of orange glow may still be seen on the crater floor as the erupted lava continues to cool. Glow from the eruptive vents and continued degassing indicates that magma remains close to the surface. 

The Uēkahuna tiltmeter (UWD) recorded more than 7 microradians of deflationary tilt during episode 7, more than twice the amount recorded during episodes 5 and 6. As episode 7 ended there was a rapid change in summit tilt from deflation to inflation along with a decrease in seismic tremor intensity. UWD has recorded just under 5 microradians of inflationary tilt since the end of episode 7. No significant earthquake activity was recorded in the summit region over the past 24 hours. Low level seismic tremor continues. 

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 and pauses, SO₂ emission rates are currently estimated to be near 1,000 t/d.

Strands of volcanic glass known as Pele’s Hair have been reported on surfaces 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 no significant earthquake activity 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. Fountains and lava flows have erupted from two vents that we refer to as the north vent and south vent. The previous 7 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 between the fountaining episodes have been marked by an immediate change from deflation to inflation as the magma chamber recharges and repressurizes. 

Episode 7 began after recovering only 3 microradians of inflationary tilt, the amount lost during episode 6. More than 7 microradians of deflationary tilt were lost during episode 7. The eruption may therefore resume when approximately 7 microradians of inflationary tilt are recovered. UWD has recorded approximately 5 microradians of inflationary tilt since the end of episode 7. The rate of inflationary tilt is currently about 2 microradian per day. If this rate continues, then another eruptive episode could begin within the next 1 to 4 days (January 31 - February 3). 

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—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.