UPDATED 1:20 p.m.
Episode 28 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption ended abruptly at 1:20 p.m. today after nine hours of continuous lava fountaining.
The north vent stopped erupting at approximately 1:20 p.m., marking the end of the episode. The south vent did not appear to activate at all during this episode and has been completely covered by new deposits.
The growing cone around the north vent has begun to connect with the top of the surrounding cliff in some places.
PREVIOUSLY
Episode 28 of the ongoing Kilauea eruption began just after 4 a.m. this morning. Lava fountaining was continuing with maximum heights reaching nearly 1,200 feet (365 meters).
All eruptive activity remains within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and no significant activity has been noted along Kilauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
Current hazards include volcanic gas emissions, along with windblown volcanic glass (Pele’s hair) and tephra that may reach roadways and communities downwind (southwest) of the summit area.
The current eruption has been characterized by episodic lava fountaining not seen in any eruptions since the 1983–86 episodic fountains at the beginning of the Puʻuʻoʻo eruption.
Lava fountains and flows have erupted from two vents within Halema’um’a’u crater that HVO refers 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 fountaining episodes have been marked by an immediate switch from deflation to inflation as the magma chamber recharges and repressurizes.
The 28 fountaining episodes have occurred approximately once per week since the start of the current eruption on Dec. 23, 2024.