Update: Episode 14 of begins after seven small, short-lived lava flows erupt overnight at Kīlauea’s Halemaʻumaʻu crater

Update: 11:20 a.m., Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Episode 14 of the ongoing Halema’uma’u eruption of Kīlauea volcano began continuous lava effusion from the north vent at 9:26 a.m. HST March 19 in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

Precursory activity of seven small, short-lived lava flows erupted between midnight and 6 a.m. HST. Continuous eruptions of lava began at the north vent at 9:26 a.m. HST followed by lava overflowing the south vent at about 9:50 a.m., according to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.  

Low dome fountaining is intermittently present as gas rich magma starts to mix with the degassed magma.  The HVO reports that high fountains should begin within the next several hours.

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Six small, short-lived lava flows erupted at Kilaueaʻs Halemaʻumaʻu crater between midnight and 6 a.m. on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.  “The small overflows from the south vent and observed spattering in the north vent show that magma is very near the surface” at both locations, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Scientists with the HVO say the continuous eruption of lava accompanied by fountaining that would mark episode 14 has not yet begun but is likely to start in the next 24 hours.

“If this episode follows the pattern of prior episodes preceded by short-lived flows in the current eruption, continuous eruption of lava should begin within 12 hours after the onset of the small flows or by noon today.   The onset of fountains would be expected within a few hours after that,” the HVO reports.

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