Kīlauea eruption enters its third phase
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The eruption at Kīlauea volcano that began on Monday, Dec. 23, continues at a low level this morning. Over the past day, vents in the southwest portion of the caldera have continued producing a fan of short lava flows near the vent, with spattering and low fountaining starting Friday evening. Eruptive activity has been confined to Halemaʻumaʻu and the downdropped block within the caldera. No unusual activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.
A third phase of the ongoing summit eruption started on Thursday morning, Dec. 26. Around 6 p.m. Friday, the eruption transitioned from low level lava flows to the onset of more vigorous fountaining.
Webcam images indicate that the eruption within Kaluapele (the summit caldera) continues this morning from vents on the southwest side of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. Effusion of lava over the past day has produced a small but enlarging fan of flows that remain close to the vent in the southwest portion of the crater. This morning, HVO geologists in the field report continued low fountaining and spattering as well as continued effusion of short lava flows near the vent.
Current fountain is occurring bursts up to 30-45 ft (10-15 m) high from the two most northern vents. If fountaining continues, it is possible that the fountain heights will increase as more gas-rich lava erupted. It is not possible to estimate how high the fountains may get or how long the fountaining will last, but prior episodes have produced fountains over 200 feet high (70 m) that last up to 24 hours.