Update: Kīlauea eruption on pause after 13 hours of activity during Episode 10

Kīlauea eruption on pause as Episode 10 ends
Update: 10:01 a.m., Feb. 20, 2025

Episode 10 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption ended at 9:18 a.m HST on February 20 after just under 13 hours of fountaining.

The north vent stopped erupting at this time after gradually declining in height.  Lava flows from this episode covered 75% of the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu within the southern part of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera). 

Each episode of Halemaʻumaʻu lava fountaining since Dec. 23, 2024, has continued for 13 hours to 8 days and episodes have been separated by pauses in eruptive activity lasting less than 24 hours to 12 days.

Kīlauea Volcano Alert Level/Aviation Color Code remain at WATCH/ORANGE. All current and recent activity is within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Kīlauea volcano enters Episode 10 of ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption
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Episode 10 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption at Kīlauea began at 8:22 p.m. HST on Feb. 19, 2025 with low level fountaining within the caldera, according to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Fountains from the north vent are 300-400 feet (90-125 meters) high and are feeding multiple lava streams between 8:22 and 9:05 p.m. HST. Less than 10% of Halemaʻumaʻu was covered with lava flows as of 8:45 p.m.

Inflationary tilt reached just over 10 microradians since the end of the last episode. Seismic tremor began increasing and tilt at UWD switched from inflation to deflation at about 8:22 p.m. HST, about the same time lava flows began erupting onto the crater floor. 

Each episode of Halemaʻumaʻu lava fountaining since Dec. 23, 2024, has continued for 13 hours to 8 days and episodes have been separated by pauses in eruptive activity lasting less than 24 hours to 12 days. 

No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone. HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and will issue an eruption update tomorrow morning unless there are significant changes before then. 

Kīlauea Volcano Alert Level/Aviation Color Code remain at WATCH/ORANGE. All current and recent activity is within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.