#Southwest Rift Zone

Kīlauea’s summit eruption could produce another episode of lava fountaining as early as this weekend, while a new survey of Mauna Loa shows the neighboring volcano continues to slowly inflate, according to the US Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. The observatory reported that Kīlauea has been erupting episodically within its summit caldera since Dec. 23, […]

Over the last year and a half, the historic episodic eruption at the summit of Kīlauea has had 49 episodes of lava fountaining, with episode 50 in the forecast for next week. But why are these individual fountaining events considered episodes instead of separate eruptions, and what’s the difference?

Volcano Watch: While eruptions at the summit of Kīlauea most frequently occur within Halemaʻumaʻu, they can occur outside of the modern caldera as well.

The Halemaʻumaʻu eruption of Kīlauea is paused. The summit is currently deflating, but tremor continues. Preliminary models suggest the forecast window for the onset of episode 44 lava fountaining is March 30 to April 8.

Ongoing swarms of earthquakes and persistent volcanic tremors indicate active magmatic movement, fueling anticipation about Kīlauea’s next eruption.

The 1975 Kalapana earthquake has ultimately changed the understanding of Kīlauea’s south flank, and the hazards associated with its movement.

An estimated 1.8 billion gallons of lava erupted during the episode, covering approximately 80% of the crater floor.

The fountaining phase of the latest episode began at 3:20 a.m. this morning and lasted for 10 hours and 8 minutes.  

Episode 13 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began at 2:36 a.m. on March 10, 2025.  Fountains reached heights of 400-500 feet (120-150 m) by 3:30 a.m. The episode lasted for 12 hours and 37 minutes, ending at 3:13 p.m. on March 11, 2025.

The eruption of Kīlauea within Halemaʻumaʻu crater resumed at 11:28 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, when fountain-fed lava flows erupted out of the north vent. This marks the beginning of the sixth episode of the current eruption that began on Dec. 23, 2024.

The summit eruption at Kīlauea volcano that began on Dec. 23 entered its fourth eruptive episode on Jan. 15 and continues this morning. Activity is concentrated at two lava fountains in southwest Kaluapele that have each built up a cone and have associated lava flows.

The eruption at Kīlauea volcano that began on Monday, Dec. 23, continues this morning. Over the past day, vents in the southwest portion of the caldera have continued producing a fan of lava flows covering the western portion of the crater floor during sustained lava fountaining.

Madam Pele continued her impressive fire display this morning, whipping up 65- to 100-foot-high fountains of lava on the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu at Kīlauea volcano.

Kīlauea volcano is erupting near Makaopuhi Crater in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Eruptive activity increased this morning between 4 and 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. Scientists with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory say there is no immediate threat to life or infrastructure. The Volcano Alert Level/Aviation Color Code remains at WATCH/ORANGE.

The images taken over a century ago helped document the activity people were viewing in that era. Today, technology allows us to monitor beyond the capabilities of the human eye.

Elevated rates of ground deformation at Kīlauea Volcano’s middle East Rift Zone continue following the June 22–25 upper East Rift Zone intrusion within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Recent unrest has been restricted to Kīlauea’s upper and middle East Rift Zone within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park; no unusual activity has been noted east of Puʻuʻōʻō, along Kīlauea’s lower East Rift Zone, or in the Southwest Rift Zone at this time, the HVO reports.

Increased earthquake activity and rates of ground deformation at Kīlauea’s upper East Rift Zone began at approximately 11 a.m. where about 40 earthquakes were detected, the largest of which was a magnitude-3.1.

Seismicity remains above background levels. Ground deformation also continues beneath Halemaʻumaʻu and the south caldera region. Magma has been pressurizing the system beneath Halemaʻumaʻu and Kīlauea’s south caldera region for several weeks.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issued an information statement on Thursday night saying the summit region of Kīlauea is currently experiencing heightened unrest, but no eruptive activity.

The summit eruption at Kīlauea volcano has paused, according to an update issued by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Monday evening.