During the lapse in appropriations, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) continues to maintain monitoring networks and issue updates and notifications of volcanic activity via the Hazard Notification Service. Volcano monitoring data will continue to be ailable on the HVO website. Static website content will not be updated until further notice and information may become outdated over time. For more information on the shutdown, please visit the Department of the Interior website at www.doi.gov.
Activity Summary:
Episode 35 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption ended on October 18 after 7.5 hours of continuous la fountaining. Both vents continue to exhibit incandescence and there was one short overflow from the north vent overnight. Kīlauea summit inflation continues along with seismic tremor and vent glow indicating that another la fountaining episode is probable. Models suggest a likely forecast window of November 4–8 for episode 36 with November 5-7 most probable.
Summit Observations:
The north vent had moderate to strong glow overnight with one gas piston overflow from 9:25-9:28 p.m. on October 31. The south vent had weak to moderate intermittent glow. (Note: All of the cameras were zoomed in on the vents last night and the infrared filters were turned off on the V2 and V3 making them appear much brighter and white in color.)
The summit continues to inflate. The Uēkahuna tiltmeter (UWD) has recorded just under 1 microradian of inflationary tilt over the past 24 hours and 22.3 microradians of inflationary tilt since the end of episode 35. Tremor patterns consisted of continuous tremor yesterday until about 5:30 p.m. when moderate spikes signaled the return of gas pistoning activity, which lasted until the short overflow event. A sharp spike in tremor accompanied drainback from this event and tremor became more constant for the rest of the night and early morning.
Plumes of gas continue from both vents this morning and sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas emissions remain at background levels, typically between 1,200 and 1,500 tonnes per day.
Episode 35 la fountains began at approximately 8:05 p.m. HST on October 17 and ended at 3:32 a.m. HST on October 18. South vent fountains reached heights of nearly 1,500 feet (460 meters) and north vent fountains reached heights of about 1,100 feet (330 meters). These were the highest single fountain and highest pair of fountains seen during this eruption so far. Episode 35 fountains produced an estimated 13 million cubic yards (10 million cubic meters) of la. The combined erage eruption rate was over 500 cubic yards per second (400 cubic meters per second) from the dual fountains. La flows from the fountains covered about two thirds of the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater.
The following notices provide more information about episode 35:
USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2025-10-18T20:28:54+00:00USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2025-10-18T10:16:28+00:00USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2025-10-18T07:33:48+00:00USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2025-10-17T05:15:25+00:00USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2025-10-16T21:59:37+00:00The following links provide more information about the current eruption that began on December 23, 2024:
Eruption resources, including the most recent map and a timeline of eruption episodes since December 23, 2024: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/science/eruption-informationThree Kīlauea summit livestream videos that show eruptive la fountains are ailable here: https://www.youtube.com/@usgs/streamsSummit eruption webcams: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/summit-webcamsVolcano Watch article on gas pistons: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-so-what-earth-or-least-kilauea-a-gas-pistonRift Zone Observations:
Rates of seismicity and ground deformation remain very low in the East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone, with no significant earthquake activity in the past 24 hours outside of the summit. SO2 emissions from the East Rift Zone remain below the detection limit.
Analysis:
The immediate onset and continuation of inflationary tilt following the end of episode 35 coupled with persistent vent glow indicates another la fountaining episode is highly likely. The summit inflation rate returned to the higher rate of about 1.5 microradians per day overnight. The strong glow and overflow from the north vent last night indicate that magma remains high within the vent as the magma chamber repressurizes. Models indicate episode 36 is currently likely to occur sometime between November 4 and November 8 with November 5-7 the most probable window.
The current eruption has been characterized by episodic la fountaining not seen in any eruptions since the 1983–86 episodic fountains at the beginning of the Puʻuʻōʻō eruption. La fountains and flows he erupted from two vents within Halemaʻumaʻu crater that we refer to as the north vent and south vent. Each of the previous fountaining episodes lasted from a few hours to over a week and was accompanied by strong deflation of the summit region. Pauses between the la fountaining episodes he been marked by an immediate switch from deflation to inflation as the magma chamber recharges and repressurizes. La fountaining episodes he occurred approximately once per week since the start of the current eruption on December 23, 2024.
HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and is in contact with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and the Hawai‘i County Civil Defense Agency about eruptive hazards.
Please see the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website for visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/ho/index.htm
Hazards:
This episodic eruption is occurring within a closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. High levels of volcanic gas—primarily water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2)—are one major hazard of concern, as this hazard can he far-reaching effects downwind. As SO2 is continuously released from the summit during an eruption, it will react in the atmosphere to create the visible haze known as vog (volcanic smog) downwind of Kīlauea. SO2 and vog may cause respiratory and other problems at high concentrations. Further information on vog can be found at https://vog.ivhhn.org/
Another major hazard is fallout of Pele's hair and other volcanic fragments from la fountains. Pele's hair is strands of volcanic glass often produced by la fountaining activity that can be carried well over 10 miles (15 kilometers) from the vent. Other hot glassy volcanic fragments (tephra) including volcanic ash, pumice, scoria, and reticulite can fall on the ground within 1–3 miles (1–5 kilometers) of the eruptive vent(s), with the highest concentrations immediately downwind of the vent(s). Various volcanic fragments he fallen on Highway 11 west of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park at times, depending on wind and eruption conditions. Strong winds may waft light particles, including Pele's hair, to greater distances downwind. Once on the ground, Pele's hair can sometimes cluster and tangle together, giving it the appearance of a tumbleweed. The extent of Pele's hair deposition is dependent on la fountaining activity and wind conditions. Residents and visitors should minimize exposure to Pele's hair and other glassy volcanic fragments, which can cause skin and eye irritation and can also contaminate catchment water supplies. More information about how Pele's hair, its hazards, and what to do is ailable here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-recent-la-fountains-highlight-peles-hair-hazards. A recently updated Frequently Asked Questions document that includes information about potential health effects of Pele's hair is ailable here: https://vog.ivhhn.org/sites/default/files/PelesHair_FAQs_v2.pdf
Hawaiian la flows generally advance slowly downslope, and during this eruption flows he been confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater and the southwest side of Kaluapele, Kīlauea's summit caldera.
Other significant hazards also remain around Kīlauea caldera from Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes within the area closed to the public. This underscores the extremely hazardous nature of Kīlauea's caldera rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since late 2007.