Updates on Kilauea Eruption

Around 3:00 a.m. HST today (June 8), lava fountains erupting from fissure 8 on Kīlauea Volcano's Lower East Rift Zone were reaching heights of 180–220 feet.

Here are some of the recent photos and videos about Lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) activity of Kilauea, Fissure 8, Summit activity and slumping of Halema‘uma‘u crater.

Vigorous eruption of lava continues from the LERZ fissure system in the area of Leilani Estates.

Lava continues to erupt from Fissure 8, with vigorous fountains reaching heights of about 200-220 feet. Observers on the late afternoon overflight reported no significant changes in the Fissure 8 flow field, which continues to supply lava to the ocean entry at Kapoho. Two vigorous steam plumes are rising from the ocean flow front and being blown inland. Strong thermal upwelling was noted in the ocean extending up to 1000 yards out to sea from the visible lava front. Heavy gas and steam emissions were noted at fissures 9 & 10, but lava emission is occurring only at Fissure 8.

Outgassing from Halema‘uma‘u produced twin pillars that rose in the still morning air and merged into a towering cap above the summit of Kīlauea just after sunrise.

Low-level ash emissions continue at the summit with slowly increasing seismicity, indicating that another small explosion is likely in the next several hours. Inward slumping of the rim and walls of Halema`uma`u continues in response to ongoing subsidence at the summit.

Sulfur dioxide emissions from the volcano's summit, while lower than those recorded in early-mid May, remain high enough to impact air quality in downwind regions. Additional bursts of gas released with intermittent explosive activity are also transported downwind and may temporarily affect air quality as well.

The Kapoho ocean entry (as of 6:30 a.m. HST), where the interaction of fissure 8 lava and seawater produces a white plume called "laze." Laze is a mixture of condensed acidic steam, hydrochloric acid gas, and tiny shards of volcanic glass, and can be irritating to the lungs, eyes, and skin.

HVO's early morning helicopter overflight of Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone showed that lava continues to flow into the ocean in the vicinity of Kapoho Bay and Vacationland.

Dramatic changes at Halema‘uma‘u could be seen through gases rising from the crater during HVO's overflight of the summit this morning at 10 a.m. HST. The view here looks to the southwest, with the former overlook parking lot barely visible to the left of the gas plume.

This is a video compilation from a helicopter overflight of Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone on June 6, 2018, around 6:30 AM. The video shows the fissure 8 lava fountain feeding a channelized lava flow that travels northeast around the Kapoho cone, and then flows toward the south to enter the ocean at Kapoho Bay and Vacationland. The ocean entry has completely filled Kapoho Bay with lava, building a delta that extends 0.8 miles from shore.

Vigorous lava eruption continues from lower east rift zone of Kilauea

Overnight (June 1-2), fissure 8 lava fountains decreased to heights of about 50 m (164 feet). The moon can be seen in the upper left.

Photo from 7AM helicopter overflight, hovering offshore and looking up the flowfront. Nearly all of the front was active and advancing; advance rates were estimated at an average of 250 feet/hour (76 m/hr), and as of 7AM the flow was 500 yards (457 m) from the ocean.

This video was taken on the June 3 7AM HST helicopter overflight, hovering offshore and looking up the flow front. Nearly all of the front was active and advancing; advance rates were estimated at an average of 250 feet/hour (76 m/hr), and as of 7AM the flow was 500 yards (457 m) from the ocean.

Mount Kilauea continues to erupt lava one month after it all started on May 3, 2018.  Fissure 8 is persistently fountaining since a week delivering lava northeast along Highway 132 to the Kapoho area. The lava stream was about 430 yards from the ocean at the Kapoho Bay between Kapoho Beach Road and Kapoho Kai Drive.

All other fissures are silent now, although Fissure 9 is steaming heavily.

Pele's hair and other lightweight volcanic glass from high fountaining of Fissure 8 are falling downwind of the fissure and accumulating on the ground within Leilani Estates.

Earthquake activity at the summit was high overnight, and it is possible that a small explosion, much like those that have occurred during the past two weeks, will take place in the next day. Ash emissions are low as revealed by webcam views this morning. Volcanic gas emissions at the summit remain high.

Here are some of the latest photos by United States Geological Survey 

As fissure 8 lava flowed into Green Lake, the lake water boiled away, sending a white plume high into the sky—visible from afar between around 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. HST. This aerial photo, taken a couple of hours later by the Hawai‘i County Fire Department, shows still-steaming lava within Green Lake, located near the intersection of Highways 132 and 137.

Summit plume at 8:40AM HST on June 3. A slight mist in the air softens the look of the plume, which is predominantly white steam with very minor amounts of ash.

Overflight photo at 7AM HST from offshore looking up the flowfront. Nearly all of the front was active and advancing/spreading.

Overnight (June 1-2), fissure 8 lava fountains decreased to heights of about 50 m (164 feet). The moon can be seen in the upper left.

What’s going on with the Kilauea Volcano?

Fissure 8 was active throughout Tuesday and into Wednesday morning sending fountains of lava at a sustained height of 200 feet with multiple secondary fountains that reached 60-feet.

This increased activity continued feeding a lava flow that moved towards Highway 132 at the rate of approximately 600 yards/hour. The flow moved north of Highway 132 in the vicinity of Noni Farms and Halekamahina roads, advancing along the steepest descent path that could take the flow to the Four Corners area.

Adding on to yesterday’s eruption, flow from fissure 18 increased further moving downslope toward Highway 137 at rates of less than 100 yards per hour. Overnight, sporadic bursts of activity were also observed from Fissures 7 and 15.

Pele's hair and other lightweight volcanic glass from high fountaining of Fissure 8 are falling to the west of the fissure and continue accumulating on the ground within Leilani Estates. Winds may waft lighter particles to greater distances. Residents are urged to minimize exposure to these volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation similar to volcanic ash.

On the other hand, Kīlauea Volcano Summit saw relatively few activities on Tuesday and into Wednesday. Ash continued to erupt intermittently from the vent within Halemaʻumaʻu crater, but vertically high ash plumes were not recorded.

USGS warns that explosive events that could produce minor amounts of ash fall downwind are possible at any time. Volcanic gas emissions at the summit remain high and will combine with wind conditions to produce widespread vog across the Island of Hawaii on Wednesday.

Kīlauea Lower East Rift Zone Fissures and Flows, May 29, 6:00 p.m. HST. Shaded purple areas indicate lava flows erupted in 1840, 1955, 1960, and 2014-2015.

Map Courtesy USGS - Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

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Fissure 8 reactivated to create 200-feet high lava fountains

Lava eruption and gas emission continue unabated from the lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) fissure system in the area of Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens. Today, fissure 8 remained very active, at times fountaining to the height of 200-feet. The lava flowed atop the Fissure 8 ʻaʻā flow that was active Sunday night/Monday morning to cross the highway 132 just before 2 pm HST Tuesday.

This voluminous activity of fissure 8 has produced Pele's hair and other lightweight volcanic glass that is being transported downwind and falling to the west of the fissure.

Tuesday also saw weak activity at fissure 18 and 19, but fissure 18 eruption has created a lava channel which has advanced 1.6 miles towards the coast.

Ash and gas eruption are continued from the summit, while ocean entry of lava has diminished significantly as viewed from this overflight photo.

Tephra (airborne lava fragments) erupted by the high lava fountains of fissure 8 was carried downwind, where the frothy rock fragments fell on Leilani Street, just past Kupono Street, in the Leilani Estates subdivision. Courtesy: USGS

Here is a video of fissure 8 reactivation