HVO: Kīlauea on pause for 48 hours, eruption unlikely to restart

Scientists with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory say the eruption at Kīlauea summit on June 3, 2024, has been paused for 48 hours and is unlikely to restart. Accordingly, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has lowered the Volcano Alert Level for ground-based hazards from Watch to Advisory and the Aviation Color Code from Orange to Yellow.  

The HVO issued an Activity Notice at 10:07 a.m. today saying: “Lava stopped erupting from the fissure vents at approximately 9 a.m. on June 3 and lava flows stagnated by noon that day. Tremor, degassing, and incandescence associated with the fissure vents have decreased substantially over the past 48 hours, making it unlikely that the eruption will resume. Overall seismicity and deformation in the summit region including the eruption area remain very low.  While decreasing, volcanic gas emissions at the eruption site remain well above background levels (100 tonnes per day), with a sulfur dioxide emission rate of 5,500 tonnes per day measured yesterday, June 4, down from 12,000-15,000 tonnes per day on June 3.”

A map showing the distribution of lava flows from the June 3 eruption Southwest of Kīlauea summit is available here:

The last eruption in this area occurred in December 1974. The 1974 eruption was continuous for six hours before the eruption ended, compared to 8.5 hours for this recent eruption, according to the HVO.

The HVO reports that all recent activity has occurred within the summit and upper rift zone regions. No unusual activity has been detected in the middle or lower East Rift Zone.

Hazards are still present on Kīlauea and are described below, but elevated sulfur dioxide gas emissions are likely to be persistent for days or weeks, according to the HVO.