What's Going On With The Volcanoes?

Current Conditions Courtesy of USGS - Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

Friday, February 19, 2021, 8:29 AM HST

 
Map detailing the location of the 2020 summit eruption within the caldera of Kīlauea
USGS map of the current lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu, in comparison to the former water lake and 2008-2018 lava lake. (Click to view full size)
Kīlauea
Current Volcano Alert Level: Watch/Orange
Activity Summary: Kīlauea Volcano is erupting. Lava activity is confined to Halemaʻumaʻu with lava erupting from a vent on the northwest side of the crater. As of the morning of February 18, the lava in the western (active) portion of the lake in Halema‘uma‘u was 217 m (712 ft) deep with intermittent crustal foundering. The eastern portion of the lava lake has a stagnant and solidified surface crust. SO2 emission rates remain elevated at 1,200 t/day.

Summit Observations: The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurements from February 16 are about 1,200 t/d—lower than the emission rates from the pre-2018 lava lake (around 5,000 t/d). The summit tiltmeters show steady ground change of slight inflation over the past 24 hours. Seismicity remains stable, with elevated tremor and no minor earthquakes.

East Rift Zone Observations: Geodetic monitors indicate that the upper portion of the East Rift Zone (between the summit and Puʻu ʻŌʻō) contracted while the summit deflated at the onset of this eruption. There is no seismic or deformation data to indicate that additional magma is currently moving into either of Kīlauea’s rift zones. SO2 and H2S emissions from Puʻu ʻŌʻō were below instrumental detection levels when measured on January 7.

Halemaʻumaʻu Lava Lake Observations: Lava from the west vent continues to supply the lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater.

The active western half of the lava lake was approximately 217 m (712 ft) deep today on February 18, 2021. The small increase in depth since yesterday coincides with current effusion rates and slight inflationary trend.

Over the past day, lava effusion continued at the western fissure, with the lava rapidly developing a thin crust and flowing outwards towards the east. The eastern half of the lake crust is stagnant.

The position and dimensions of the main island have not changed. On February 18, the west end of the island was 6 m (20 ft) above the lava lake surface; all other islands also remain stationary, frozen in the stagnant eastern portion of the lava lake.

For more up-to-date monitoring information on Kīlauea: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/status.html

Hazardous volcanic gases are billowing out the crater and present a danger to everyone, especially people with heart or respiratory problems, infants, young children and pregnant women. For more information on air quality, visit: https://www.hawaiiso2network.com/
 
Annotated thermal photograph of a lava lake in a volcanic crater, with one side partially solidified
Annotated thermal image of the molten lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu crater as it appeared on February 1, 2020. Note: this image was captured by scientists studying the eruption and this view is not available from publicly accessible areas. (USGS Photo/M. Patrick.
 
Web cam image of an erupting volcanic crater, with pooling lava in the bottom

Webcams

Get a live look inside the park, courtesy of USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

Park visitors watching a volcanic eruption from an overlook with a stone wall

Ranger Tips For A Successful Visit

A new eruption at the summit of Kīlauea is drawing large numbers of visitors. Plan ahead so you can stay safe and enjoy your visit.

Erupting volcanic crater glowing at night

2020-2021 Summit Eruption

Photos and media from the eruption that began on December 20, 2020

 
 
From lava to water and back again. Learn about three remarkable changes in the past three years at Halemaʻumaʻu crater on the summit of Kīlauea.
 
Transition From a Water Lake to Lava Lake in Halemaʻumaʻu
Green lake of water at the bottom of a volcanic crater Steaming and glowing lava lake in a volcanic crater
Water Lake on December 20, 2020 USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Lava Lake on December 24, 2020 USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
On December 20, as lava cascaded into Halemaʻumaʻu crater, it instantly vaporized the growing lake of water that had been developing in the crater since 2018. By December 24, it was replaced by a lava lake more than 500 feet deep. (Photos by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory)



 
Full moon over Mauna Loa volcano
Full moon over Mauna Loa (NPS Photo/J. Wei)

Mauna Loa
Current Volcano Alert Level: Advisory/Yellow
Activity Summary: Mauna Loa Volcano is not erupting. Rates of deformation and seismicity have not changed significantly over the past week and remain above long-term background levels.

For more current monitoring info about Mauna Loa, see: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna_loa/status.html

 
 
Learn about some of the previous eruptions of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa

Last updated: February 19, 2021

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