#vog

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that affects people of all ages, including many families across Hawaiʻi. Managing asthma in the islands can be especially important due to environmental factors such as humidity, seasonal pollen, trade winds, and volcanic emissions that can affect air quality. With May being National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, now is an important time to understand how to recognize symptoms and take steps to manage asthma effectively.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health urges residents and visitors to take precautions as elevated volcanic gas emissions from the recently paused Kīlauea eruption continue to produce vog (volcanic smog – hazy air pollution caused by the volcanic emissions) that can result in poor air quality across the islands.

The V3cam on the south rim of Kīlauea was buried under 50 feet of tephra, abruptly ending its livestream.

Lava fountains reach more than 1,000 feet, volcanic plume soars at least 5,000 feet before most recent phase of eruptive activity — that teased for several days — abruptly ends after just 6 hours and 10 minutes Sunday night.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health is urging residents and visitors to take precautions as elevated volcanic gas emissions from the recently paused Kīlauea eruption continue to produce vog and poor air quality across the islands. 

Currently, air quality levels are elevated at several Hawaiʻi island and Maui island air monitoring stations. As southerly winds are expected to persist throughout the weekend, particulates in the air and levels of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) may increase and fluctuate in various areas of the state, causing poor air quality.

Summit tiltmeters on the Big Island volcano reversed from deflationary tilt to inflationary tilt at about the same time the lava fountain shut down Friday. Rapid change from deflation to inflation at the onset of each of the eruptive episodes suggests another episode could erupt in the coming days to weeks if summit magma chambers repressurize sufficiently.

As the eruption and volcanic gas emissions continue, downwind communities may be affected by vog conditions (hazy air pollution caused by volcanic emissions). Particulates in the air and levels of sulfur dioxide (SO2) may increase and fluctuate in various localized areas on Hawai‘i Island, causing poor air quality. Currently, air quality levels are elevated at the Ocean View and Pahala air quality monitoring stations.

A new University of Hawaiʻi collaborative study by a team of experts estimates vog (volcanic smog) will have detrimental impacts on student test scores, especially students on the Big Island.

“We’re thankful the lava flow is not affecting residential areas at this time, allowing schools and businesses to remain open. I’m issuing this Emergency Proclamation now to allow responders to respond quickly or limit access, if necessary, as the eruption continues,” said Gov. David Ige.

Changing wind conditions have created intermittent air quality problems in areas west of the summit such as Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View as well as Hilo and East Hawai‘i.

Scientists from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa published a study based on a time-series of rainfall data on the Big Island that shows extreme events, such as volcanic eruptions and hurricanes, can affect the chemistry of precipitation.

Lava activity at the Kīlauea Volcano on Hawaiʻi Island remains confined to Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, with the lava lake deepening to 591 feet and maintaining its 72 acres in size.

Kīlauea continues to erupt at its summit from two vents on the north and northwest sides of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports that as of late Tuesday afternoon, the growing crater lake was 470 feet deep with a surface area of 54 acres.

Health officials say vog conditions and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) air levels may increase and fluctuate in various areas of the state.

Many Island of Hawai‘i residents are familiar with the volcanic air pollution known as “vog.” The main culprit in the formation of vog is sulfur dioxide gas (SO2) released from Kīlauea’s eruptions.

To prepare for the new school year, the Department of Health and Department of Education have worked together to develop and share volcano response plans for schools on Hawai‘i Island.

Maui Now meteorologist Malika Dudley interviews Big Island Mayor Harry Kim LIVE at the Emergency Operations Center in Hilo.

The Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency is asking the public in the volcano eruption zone to be aware of the laze hazard at the lava ocean entry point at Kapoho Bay.

“There were also some incandescent blocks that were thrown out of the vent and landed in Halemaʻumaʻu and just along the edge of the crater rim,” said HVO Volcanologist Wendy Stovall.