Episode 18 of the ongoing Kīlauea eruption is underway on Hawaiʻi Island

April 17, 2025 · 3:00 PM UTC

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USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist captured this aerial view during a monitoring helicopter overflight of episode 16 at around noon on April 1, 2025. The lava fountain feeds a lava flow from the western end of Halemaʻumaʻu. This lava fountain reached heights of more than 650 ft (200 m) high and was blanketing the western part of the summit to Highway 11 with tephra clasts. Clasts were larger closer to the fountain. USGS photo by D. Downs.

Episode 18 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began at 10:01 p.m. HST on April 16, 2025 when lava started overflowing from the north vent, according to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Episode 18 was preceded by glow from the south vent that increased at about 9:10 p.m. HST on April 16 and began regular spattering at 10-20 seconds apart. Spatter bursts continued to increase in size and frequency until about 9:30 p.m. HST when 10-15 foot high (3-5 meters high) dome fountains began. Lava level within the vent continued to rise until the lava pond became visible at 9:45 p.m. HST. Currently the eruption is feeding lava flows that extend down the north vent spillway and a short distance onto the Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor.

Kīlauea summit livestream video. VC: USGS

UWD tilt is relatively flat at this time but an increase in seismic tremor that began at 9:30 p.m. HST continues.

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Emissions of SO₂ gas are elevated, and during recent episodes have reached 20,000 to 50,000 tonnes per day or more. Similar amounts of gas are expected to accompany any high fountaining activity that may occur during episode 17. In addition, visitors to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and residents of adjacent areas may be exposed to Peleʻs hair and other small fragments of volcanic glass and tephra being carried in the plume, as they were during episode 16.

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

Timeline of eruption episodes since Dec. 23, 2024: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/science/eruption-information

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.

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