What's Going On With The Volcanoes?

Current Conditions Courtesy of USGS - Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

Monday, April 19, 2021, 7:58 AM HST

 

USGS map of the depth of the current lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu crater (Click to view full size)

Kīlauea
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. This morning, April 19, the lava lake was 226 m (741 ft) deep and remains stagnant over its eastern half. SO2 emission rates remain elevated at 950 t/day, last measured on April 14.

Summit Observations: The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate, measured on April 14, was 950 t/day. This is elevated compared to rates in the months before the eruption started on December 20 (less than 100 t/day), but lower than emission rates from the pre-2018 lava lake (around 5,000 t/day). Summit tiltmeters recorded minor change over the past 24 hours. Seismicity remains stable, with elevated tremor.

East Rift Zone Observations: No unusual activity noted in the region. Geodetic monitors indicate that the summit and upper East Rift Zone—between the summit and Puʻuʻōʻō—is refilling at rates similar to those measured over the past 2 years and before the December 2020 eruption. SO2 and H2S emissions from Puʻuʻōʻō were below instrumental detection levels when last measured on January 7.

Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake Observations: Lava effusion from the west vent continues to supply the lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater. The west vent is consistently effusing lava at a low rate through a crusted-over channel and submerged inlet to the lake. Lava circulation and intermittent foundering of crust continue in the western portion of the lava lake, with lava oozing out sporadically in areas along the perimeter of the lake. The total depth of the lake is 226 m (741 ft) this morning as measured by a continuous laser rangefinder on the active western portion of the lake. Stagnant and solidified lava crust covers the eastern portion of the lava lake and is slowly growing westward.

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 image of the molten lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu crater as it appeared on February 16, 2021. Note: this image was captured by scientists studying the eruption and this view is not available from publicly accessible areas. (USGS Photo/M. Patrick.

 

 

Three Big Changes in Three Years

 

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.

 

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 at the summit remain slightly elevated and above long-term background levels. Other Mauna Loa monitoring data streams show no significant change in deformation rates or patterns that would indicate increased volcanic hazard at this time.

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

 

Eruptions

 

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