What's Going On With The Volcanoes?

Please Be Aware:

Beginning in May, 2018, the lava lake that existed inside Halema‘uma‘u crater disappeared and lava flows from Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater have ceased. There is no molten lava or lava glow to see anywhere in or out of the park.

 

Duration:

7 minutes, 30 seconds

In 2018, a new eruption of Kīlauea volcano changed the island of Hawai‘i forever. From May through August, large lava flows covered land southeast of the park destroying over 700 homes and devastating residential areas in the Puna District. At the same time, the summit area of the park was dramatically changed by tens of thousands of earthquakes, towering ash plumes, and a massive collapse of Kīlauea caldera.

 

The body of water in Halemaʻumaʻu crater (USGS Photo/M. Patrick)

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) Now Tracks Water at the Summit of Kīlauea

On August 1st, 2019, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) scientists confirmed a growing pond of water inside Halema'uma'u crater during a helicopter overflight. Similar to the monitoring of ponded lava in Halema‘uma‘u in 2008‒2018, HVO scientists are now relying on both direct observations and modern tools to monitor and document any changes to the water.

The water in Halema‘uma‘u is not visible from publicly accessible areas of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, but HVO now has webcams that provide a direct view of the pond. To measure the level of water in the lake, HVO scientists use a long-range laser rangefinder.

Water samples indicate that the lake has a pH of 4.2 (moderately acidic, in the range of many fruit juices) and high concentrations of dissolved sulfur and magnesium. The depth of the lake is approximately 35 meters (115 feet) and growing. It is approximately 107 meters (~351 feet) wide by 211 meters (~692 feet) long. The water has a temperature of about 70 degrees Celsius (158 degrees Fahrenheit).

 

Current Conditions Courtesy USGS - Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

Thursday, May 14th, 2020

 

Kīlauea caldera (NPS Photo/A. LaValle)

Kīlauea
Current Alert Level: Normal
Activity Summary: Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting. Monitoring data for the month of April show variable but typical rates of seismicity and ground deformation, low rates of sulfur dioxide emissions, and only minor geologic changes since the end of eruptive activity in September 2018.

For more current monitoring info about Kīlauea, see: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/status.html

 

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

Mauna Loa
Current Alert Level: Advisory
Activity Summary: Mauna Loa is not erupting. Monitoring data show no significant changes in the past week. Earthquake rates are steady with no anomalous seismicity.

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

 

Live Webcams

 

Current views of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, courtesy of USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

 

Growth of the Water Lake in Halemaʻumaʻu

Halemaʻumaʻu Crater on August 7th, 2019 (USGS/D. Swanson)

Halemaʻumaʻu Crater on April 21st, 2020 (USGS/M. Patrick)

 Drag center circle/line left and right to reveal the before and after photos.

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Kīlauea Summit - Before & After Collapse

Kīlauea summit on November 28, 2008 Photo courtesy USGS - Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

Kīlauea summit on August 1, 2018 Photo courtesy USGS - Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

USGS - Hawaiian Volcano Observatory: Before and after. At left is a photo taken on November 28, 2008, with a distinct gas plume rising from the vent that had opened within Halema‘uma‘u about eight months earlier. At right is a photo taken on August 1, 2018 after the massive summit collapses earlier in the summer. Drag center circle/line left and right to reveal the photos.

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Kīlauea Summit - Before & After Collapse

NASA image taken on January 14, 2003

USGS photo taken on August 7, 2018

Drag center circle/line left and right to reveal the before and after photos from the summit collapse in 2018.

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USGS Publication
Preliminary summary of Kīlauea Volcano’s 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption and summit collapse (pdf 10.2MB)

 

Links to More Information:

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Webcams
Air Quality Monitors
Earthquakes - Hawaiʻi
Earthquakes - Worldwide