Hazard Notification System (HANS) for Volcanoes

Home | VONAs | Volcano Notice Search | Resources


USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2026-08-25T20:17:36+00:00

Back
HVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice

Volcano: Kilauea (VNUM #332010)

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

Issued: Tuesday, August 25, 2026, 10:43 AM HST
Source: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Notice Number: 2026/H404
Location: N 19 deg 25 min W 155 deg 17 min
Elevation: 4091 ft (1247 m)
Area: Hawaii

Summary: Episode 54 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began at 10:30 HST on August 25, 2026.

Volcanic Activity:

Episode 54 of lava fountaining in Halemaʻumaʻu began at the summit of Kīlauea began at 10:30 HST on August 25, 2026. North vent fountains are currently about 50-75 feet (15-20 meters) meters high and are expected to grow rapidly to about 500 feet (150 meters) in the next 1-2 hours. 

Weak spattering began yesterday and became more continuous after midnight.  Overflows from the north vent began after 6 a.m. this morning, with continuous low-level fountaining starting around 9 a.m. 

Ground-level sensors near the eruptive vents indicate that winds are blowing from the northeast direction, which suggests that volcanic gas emissions and volcanic material may be distributed to the southwest direction from Halemaʻumaʻu. Fountain heights are expected to be less that 500 feet (150 meters) and produce moderate amounts of tephra. Most large tephra will fall close to the vents, but fine ash and Peleʻs hair could be distributed to Pāhala and other communites in Kaʻu.

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: ggenerally 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:



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 252043   
VONA
DTG:                    20260825/2043Z
VOLCANO:                KILAUEA 332010
PSN:                    N1925 W15517
AREA:                   HAWAII
SOURCE ELEV:            4091FT AMSL
NOTICE NR:              2026/58
CURRENT COLOUR CODE:    ORANGE
PREVIOUS COLOUR CODE:   ORANGE
SVO:                    HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
ACT STS:                ERUPTION ONGOING
ONSET:                  20260825/2030Z
DUR:                    ONGOING EPISODIC
VA CLD HGT:             NO VA CLD PRODUCED
HGT SOURCE:             PLUME HUGGING GROUND
MOV:                    SW
CTC:                    HVO DUTY SCIENTIST: 808-785-3144
RMK:                    LAVA FOUNTAIN EPISODE 54 STARTED AT KILAUEA SUMMIT. CURRENT FOUNTAIN HEIGHTS 30-50 FT
                        AGL. PEAK FOUNTAINING OCCURS 1-2 HOURS AFTER ONSET AND TYPICALLY REACHES 500-1500 FT
                        AGL WITH PLUMES UP TO 10,000-25,000 FT AMSL. DOWNWIND TEPHRA FALLOUT IS POSSIBLE.
NXT NOTICE:             A NEW VONA WILL BE ISSUED IF COND CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY OR IF THE COLOR CODE CHANGES
NNNN