USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2026-06-26T16:31:29+00:00

Overview:

The summit eruption of Kīlauea in Halemaʻumaʻu has resumed with weak precursory spattering and gas jetting of spatter that made small spatter deposits outside of both vents. Summit inflation, strong vent glow, flaming, increasing spattering, and degassing continues, indicating that another episode is likely. No overflows have occurred as of this time. Seismic and inflation-based forecast models indicate that the onset of fountaining episode 50 is most likely to begin today June 26 with a lower possibility of Saturday June 27. 

No significant activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

NOTE: Significant changes in activity between Daily Updates are posted here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages

Summit Observations:

Continuous strong glow and intermittent spattering was visible on webcams from both vents in Halemaʻumaʻu overnight. Around 3 a.m. HST, the frequency of visible north vent spattering increased significantly, and the intensity of cyclic gas jetting and spattering at the south vent increased as well. The south vent continued to produce large flames and intermittent sprays of fine spatter caused by gas jetting every 5-10 minutes that correlate with strong tremor spikes. North vent spatter bursts are smaller, but are now more continuously visible. No overflows have occurred at this time, but small amounts of spatter have been deposited outside of both vents. Magma is very close to the surface. 

Spikes of seismic tremor preceded by periods of low tremor continued (every 5-10 minutes) for most of the past day. Cyclic tremor became much less regular around 5 a.m. HST this morning and more widely spaced in time. One small earthquake (less than M2) was located beneath Kīlauea volcano's summit in the past 24 hours.

Kīlauea summit deflation totaled 15.5 microradians during episode 49. Once the episode ended, inflation resumed and has since recovered 16 microradians of tilt at the summit tiltmeter at Uēkahuna (UWD). 

With the eruption now paused, the sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emission rate from the summit is likely now varying within a typical range of 1,000 to 5,000 tonnes per day. Surface winds below the inversion level (about 8000 feet or 2400 meters above sea level) are forecast to be moderate to strong tradewinds out of the northeast, which will move the lower part of the plume to the southwest.  Above the inversion layer, light winds from the south are forecast up to 16000 feet (5000 meters) where they will turn to the southwest and strengthen. Higher level winds could push parts of the plume to the north over surrounding communities.

Rift Zone Observations:

Rates of seismicity and ground deformation remain low in the East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone. SO₂ emissions from the East Rift Zone remain below the detection limit.
 

Analysis:

The abrupt switch from deflation to inflation at the end of episode 49 along with continued tremor, glow and increased intensity of spattering from the vents indicates that episode 50 fountaining is likely. Magma remains close to the surface and spattering began last night. Current inflation since the end of episode 49 has now exceeded the tilt lost in that episode. Both inflation and seismic based forecast models suggest the onset of episode 50 is most likely today, Friday June 26, or possibly tomorrow, Saturday, June 27.

Kīlauea has been erupting episodically since December 23, 2024, from two vents (north and south) in Halema‘uma‘u. Lava fountaining episodes, which generally last for less than 12 hours, are separated by pauses that can be longer than three weeks.

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

Summary of episode 49:

A detailed account of episode 49 is given in the HVO Status Report Issued June 14: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hans-public/notice/DOI-USGS-HVO-2026-06-15T03:23:25+00:00

• Episode 49 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began at the summit of Kīlauea at 9:36 a.m. HST after approximately 5 hours of precursory activity. The episode ended abruptly at 5:05 p.m. HST on June 14, 2026, after 7.5 hours of continuous lava fountaining from the north vent. Lava fountains reached a maximum height of almost 700 ft (210 m) and lava flows covered 40-50% of the crater floor. The eruption is currently paused.
• Most tephra fell within the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. There were no reports of tephra fall at public viewing locations, including the Uēkahuna bluff, Keanakākoʻi overlook, and Volcano House. Similarly, there was no ash detected by field crews in nearby communities.

Resources:

NOTE: HVO’s monitoring network is mostly recovered from recent power- and storm-related outages. Several summit stations, including the SDH tiltmeter, will remain offline until we are able to re-establish access across the deep tephra field southwest of the caldera.

The following links provide more information about the current eruption that began on December 23, 2024:

• Eruption resources, including the most recent map and a timeline of eruption episodes since December 23, 2024: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/science/eruption-information
• Short messages tracking the evolution of the lava fountains and eruptive activity can be found here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages
• Three Kīlauea summit livestream cameras that show eruptive lava fountains are available here: https://www.youtube.com/@usgs/streams
• Summit eruption webcams: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/summit-webcams
• Volcano Watch article on gas pistons: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-so-what-earth-or-least-kilauea-a-gas-piston

Hazards:

This episodic eruption is occurring within a closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

• Volcanic Gas: high levels of volcanic gas—primarily water vapor (H₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂)—are continually released during an eruption. Emissions can remain locally hazardous in the areas immediately downwind of the vents, even when the vents are not actively erupting. SO₂ reacts in the atmosphere to create vog (volcanic air pollution) downwind. SO₂ and vog may cause respiratory and other problems at high concentrations. 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: lava on the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater and the southwest side of Kaluapele, Kīlauea's summit caldera, remains hot and may slowly move in the days immediately following an eruptive episode.

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 eruptive 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.