USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2026-10-12T18:48:12+00:00

See these notices issued October 7: 

• October 7 Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Status Report summarizing recent intrusive activity and implications: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hans-public/notice/DOI-USGS-HVO-2026-10-08T01:00:28+00:00 
• October 7 Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park News Release announcing closures related to recent activity: https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/news/20261007-nr-trail-closures.htm 

Summit Observations:

Overnight, moderate to strong glow was observed overnight from the north vent, the opening near its base, and south vent, while glow from the west vent fluctuated, with visibility potentially affected by fog. Intermittent flames and minor spattering associated with gas jetting occurred at all vents, including a short duration of sustained spattering at the south vent beginning around 3:18 a.m. HST. Spattering from the hole at the base of the north vent occurred intermittently associated with magma rising in the vent during periods of low tremor. Spattering was usually followed by gas jetting with minor spatter at the north, and sometimes south and west vents during drainback events that produced tremor bursts. Visible spattering ended around 6:35 a.m. HST this morning, but seismicity indicates that gas pistoning is continuing deeper within the vents.

Summit tiltmeters showed decreasing tilt beginning yesterday around noon, and the Uēkahuna tiltmeter (UWD) recorded a decrease of two microradians in tilt over the past day. Summit tilt meters are all recording slight increases since midnight.

Concurrent with the tilt decrease were approximately 13 small-magnitude shallow earthquakes in the south caldera region, mostly between noon and 3 p.m. HST. In the past 24 hours, there were 23 shallow earthquakes located across the summit region of Kīlauea. GPS stations on opposite sides of Halemaʻumaʻu (CRIM and UWEV) show a small increase in length since the end of September. 

Updated interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) interferograms following the dike intrusion on September 30-October 1, show the intrusion has been slightly contracting since the evening of October 2. Minor intrusion-related motion was observed along many faults and cracks formed during the 2018 caldera collapse. There are no signs of significant deformation outside the caldera, including the south caldera region.

During inter-episode pauses, the sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emission rate from the summit typically varies between 1,000 and 5,000 tonnes per day. Plumes of volcanic gas are visible from the vents in day-time webcam views.  Winds are currently forecast from the east then changing to from the east southeast this evening before becoming north northeast after midnight.

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. No significant ground deformation was recorded in either rift zone.

Analysis:

Kīlauea had been erupting episodically between December 23, 2024, and August 25, 2026, from two vents (north and south) in Halema‘uma‘u at the summit. Lava fountaining episodes generally lasted for less than 12 hours and were separated by pauses of two or more weeks. Irregular patterns of ground deformation at Kīlauea summit since the most recent lava fountaining episode, number 54 on August 25, 2026, prevent forecast modeling for when the next fountaining episode can occur. Ground deformation patterns indicate the magma chamber beneath Halemaʻumaʻu is pressurized beyond the level typically seen before recent fountaining events. This pattern was disrupted by the dike intrusion on September 30-October 1 and since then summit tilt has increased slowly with interspersed periods of decreased or flat tilt. The small tube-fed pahoehoe overflow that ended around 1:30 p.m. HST on October 10 is evidence that the top of the magma column in the north vent was right at the surface. The summit wide deflation that began yesterday at noon and ended at midnight was associated with a cluster of small earthquakes in the south caldera region. This pattern indicates that magmatic pressure is continuing to activate weak areas beneath the summit. It is possible that another fountaining episode from the north-south vent complex could occur; however, intrusive activity underneath Kaluapele is also possible, or magma could exploit existing weak crack systems in the summit region to erupt passively (with little or no seismicity or deformation). 

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. Kīlauea volcano alert level and aviation color code remain at WATCH/ORANGE and conditions could change rapidly. For further details, see the recent official notices listed below. 

• October 7 Status Report summarizing recent intrusive activity and implications: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hans-public/notice/DOI-USGS-HVO-2026-10-08T01:00:28+00:00 
• October 1 Volcano Watch summarizing recent intrusive activity: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-intrusion-during-eruption-summit-kilauea 
• October 1 Status Report published during recent intrusive activity: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hans-public/notice/DOI-USGS-HVO-2026-10-01T08:14:21+00:00
• September 15 Status Report on changes in activity and implications for this eruption: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hans-public/notice/DOI-USGS-HVO-2026-09-15T03:18:09+00:00 
• NOTE: Significant changes in activity between Daily Updates are posted here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages

Hazards:

Eruptive activity since December 2024 has been occurring within a closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. However, recent intrusions highlight that the location of eruptive activity could change. Intrusions can also be hazardous with potential to cause earthquakes, ground cracks, and small landslides. The primary hazards at Kīlauea due to eruptive activity and/or intrusions are:

• 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/ and https://vog.ivhhn.org/sites/default/files/PelesHair_FAQs_v2.pdf 
• Lava flows: Hawaiian lava flows generally advance slowly downslope but destroy everything in their paths. Lava flows that erupt within Halemaʻumaʻu remain confined to the crater, including those during the eruption that started in December 2024. However, intrusive activity could result in lava flows outside of Halemaʻumaʻu. Hazards associated with active or recent lava flows include hot and glassy (sharp) surfaces that can cause serious burns, abrasions, and lacerations upon contact with unprotected or exposed skin; uneven and rough terrain can lead to falls and other injuries; hot temperatures that can cause heat exhaustion or dehydration, or in heavy rain can produce steamy ground-fog that can be acidic, severely limiting visibility and sometimes causing difficulty breathing.
• Earthquakes and ground cracks: Shallow magma movement and eruptions can produce minor to severe ground fractures and subsidence features. These ground cracks can continue to widen and offset as magma migration continues, may have unstable overhanging edges, and should be avoided. Other significant hazards exist around Kīlauea caldera from Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes.

Additionally, 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.