Kīlauea volcano: current activity & news

Ocean entry widens, lava lakes rising again

Multiple ocean entry points for Kīlauea lava in December 2012.
Pu`u `O`o thermal webcam capture on January 16, 2013 showing lava lake overflows.
Halema`uma`u thermal webcam capture on January 14, 2013 showing an overflow onto the inner ledge 30m deep.
Halema`uma`u visible image from USGS overflight on January 10, 2013, showing lava lake rising almost to the previous 1974 crater floor.

For most of December 2012, lava from Kīlauea was visible erupting onto the coastal plain and continued flowing over the sea-cliff into the Pacific Ocean. As each different lobe of the 0.6mi/1km wide flow reached the ocean, it created a small ocean entry for several days before losing its volume to a neighboring lava flow. This pattern continues today, with typically 3 to 6 different lava ocean entry points reported by our guides, as well as active lava flows visible just inland where they can be more safely approached. The ~5mi/8km round-trip hike takes an average person 2 hours each way, coming from the upwind and shorter direction.

There is also a big breakout of lava flows on the coastal plain closer to the base of the pali, with more vigorous action but at a farther distance for those willing and able. This activity has persisted for almost a week amidst a general pattern of inflation and more lava on the volcano over the recent month.

In fact this renewed pressure has caused the Halema`uma`u lava lake to rise within 30m/100ft of spilling onto the 1974 crater floor, close to our record high for the current eruption of 27m/89ft on October 26, 2012. Frequent cracking & booming sounds are audible from the Jaggar Overlook in the National Park, with very strong glow from dusk to dawn. Previous estimates indicate the lava lake would be directly visible from Jaggar Overlook if it rises to within 20m/65ft, so stay tuned for the inevitable!

High pressure has also played a part in a persistent lava lake present within Pu`u `O`o crater spilling out and continuing to repave the crater floor, as well as actually overflowing the eastern crater walls on several occasions during the past week! A string of clear nights on the typically cloudy side of the island has allowed views of glow from that area from a distance.

Earthquake counts are also increased as the volcano strains over the magmatic pressure, with a M4.6 widely felt across the island on January 5, 2013 at the beginning of the sequence. The summit GPS line shows a similar uptick since about the same time, leading us to speculate that once again more magma is entering the volcano from below than is leaving it from above through lava flows.

This brings us back to an increasingly common situation of wondering how the volcano will relieve this new pressure, with its options being more abundant and more vigorous lava flows, lava lakes spilling over from both craters, or a new fissure eruption in the months to come. We've already had 3 new fissures and 2 major increases in lava flows in the last 2 years, Pu`u `O`o has spilled over or out several times, and the Halema`uma`u lava lakes inches ever closer. What will happen next?? Come join us on the volcano and find out!

Lava flows re-enter Pacific in Hawai‘i

	Kīlauea Lava flows enter the ocean on November 24, 2012.
	This first ocean entry of 2012 is already creating a small lava delta, a.k.a. bench, growing the island.
	The Pacific steams at sunset, lit by Pele's handiwork.
	A near-vertical view of the volcano's newest ocean entry.

Lava flows almost to ocean, summit stabilizes

Lava flows on Kīlauea's coastal plain on October 30, 2012.
Lava flows on Kīlauea's coastal plain on October 30, 2012.
USGS-HVO infrared image of the lava tube system on November 1, 2012.

Halema‘uma‘u lava lake reaching record levels

	Watching the crater glow at sunrise on the last morning of our Kilauea Volcano Special 6-day tour, October 22, 2012.
	USGS-HVO photo of the summit lava lake on October 18, 2012, 42m deep.
	USGS-HVO photo of the summit lava lake on October 19, 2012, 38m deep.

Pressure builds as lava flows continue

Our tour photo of active lava flows on October 15, 2012.
Halema'uma'u webcam capture showing record lava lavels on October 18, 2012 from USGS-HVO.
USGS-HVO aerial photo of the summit lava lake on October 17, 2012.

Lava flow-front retreats and lava tubes reform

Visible image from USGS-HVO of new lava flow breakouts from the partially collapsed lava tube downstream of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō on September 4, 2012.
Thermal FLIR image from USGS-HVO of new outbreaks on September 4, 2012.
Thermal FLIR image from USGS-HVO on September 10, 2012, showing the developing lava flows.

Lava flows still active below pali

Lava flows continue through pressure cycles

	Waine & Sally by the active lava flow on July 10, 2012
	Lava flows below the hillside on July 10, 2012.
	Interacting with the lava flow and spirit of Pele!

East lava flow branch reaches plain

Active pahoehoe lava crossing an older ‘ā‘ā flow near the base of the pali on June 30, 2012.

Active lava persists, approaches ocean

	Lava flows typical of the past 2 weeks, on June 12, 2012.
	Coastal lava at dawn on June 19, 2012, captured from USGS-HVO Mobile Cam 2.

Lava flows march across coastal plain

	Coastal lava at dawn on May 31, 2012, captured from USGS-HVO Mobile Cam 2.
	Coastal lava at dawn on June 1, 2012, captured from USGS-HVO Mobile Cam 2.
	Coastal lava at dawn on June 4, 2012, captured from USGS-HVO Mobile Cam 2.
	Coastal lava at dawn on June 8, 2012, captured from USGS-HVO Mobile Cam 2.

Big pressure surge returns lava to coastal plain

An ‘ā‘ā lava channel descends the pali onto the coastal plain on this USGS-HVO Mobile Cam 2 screen capture on the morning of May 31, 2012.

Coastal flows pause, pressure retreats towards rift zone

Lava parallels ocean, new flow branch on pali

	Lava flows on May 16, 2012, with new eastern flow branch visible descending pali in background.

Lava surges with increased pressure

Sunset light on the lava flows on May 6, 2012.
Geologist & lava guide Jake admires the flow-front on May 6, 2012.

Lava flows continue at slow pace

	USGS-HVO composite image with FLIR from April 26, 2012.

Lava reenters the National Park for the first time in 2012

Lava in the National Park on Apr 23, 2012. (Image USGS-HVO, hvo.wr.usgs.gov)

High lava levels, flows advance on coast

	HVO's IR of Kilauea's coastal plain on April 13, 2012.

Lava flows & DI cycles continue

Lava still active on flats

	Lava flows on March 27, 2012

Lava flows active in decreased pressure

USGS-HVO Tilt on March 20, 2012.

Pressure reaches lava flow-front

	Lava flows just after sunset on March 16, 2012.

Lava flows still slowly advancing

Inflating lava flow & small breakout on March 16, 2012.

Lava pressure returning

Deflation expected to slow lava's march to ocean

Lava reaches plain again, eruption viewing update

Kīlauea's summit glow on March 7, 2012.
Lava flows on the pali and Kīlauea's coastal plain on March 8, 2012.
Lava at sunset.

Lava reaches plain, Jack's Lava House burns down

Lava flows from the Peace Day Fissure make their way down the final slope before reaching Kīlauea volcano's coastal plain on March 2, 2012.
Three helicopters evacuate Jack Thompson and his final belongings from his house at 6pm as a large lava flow approaches.
A small river of lava snakes its way down the final slope onto Kīlauea's coastal plain below.
The eastern lava flow branch in the foreground, with the western branch visible cresting the hill in the background and illuminating the smoke from burning trees.

Une branche de débit de lave est de la Fissure de jour de paix a atteint les plaines à l'ouest de Kalapana, faisant de vues spectaculaires au coucher du soleil, voir notre vidéo d'intervalles liée ci-dessous !
Les flux à l'avant de cette branche orientale ont été plutôt lent, et il semble qu'une grande partie de la lave a été détournée à une branche occidentale, qui est également prête à descendre le « pali ». La randonnée de ce flux-front de l'est est maintenant inférieure à 3,5 mi/6 km de notre accès légal dans l'ensemble de la propriété privée de Kalapana, ou environ 2 heures dans chaque sens.
Sur une note triste, lave maison de Jack incendiée enfin hier soir à la suite de beaucoup la branche de débit des lave ouest plus large et plus active.
Trois hélicoptères ont été évacués de la maison vers 6 h, tel que documenté par Leigh Hilbert qui était avec lui (voir le lien vers ses photos ci-dessous). Maison de Jack a été un des premiers menacées par des coulées de lave de Pu'u ' haut de O'o des fontaines en 1983--en fait, ces premiers grand ' a ' a flux semblent avoir agi comme une barrière de dérivation depuis 29 ans, poussant les flux de chaque côté et la préservation du « kipuka » de Jack (île d'arbres dans le champ de lave), cette américaine jusqu'à la nuit dernière. Ce fut la dernière maison dans les jardins royaux, qui peut prétendre aujourd'hui être complètement détruite. Nos pensées sont avec Jack aujourd'hui, une journée dont il savait viendrait par la suite.
Notre vidéo time-lapse de la lave au 2 mars 2012 <link http://hawaiianlavadaily.blogspot.com/="">Compte de Leigh Hilbert d'évacuation de Jack Thompson

Kīlauea volcano (Hawai`i): lava flows descending onto coastal plain

	Image USGS-HVO (http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov). A visible/thermal overlay of the active lava flow front moving through Royal Gardens subdivision on February 24, 2012.

Après quelques ajustements souterrains la semaine dernière entre les volcans Kilauea et Mauna Loa, pression continue de pousser de magma à travers sommet et l'est zone de rift du Kīlauea\\\, éruption à partir de la Fissure de jour de paix sur le flanc est de la Pu'u ' O'o vent et construire une lave tube système actuellement outletting près du sommet de l'ancienne subdivision de jardins royaux.

Le débit-front est presque prêt à descendre la partie la plus pentue de la colline, ou « pali » et devrait présenter des vues spectaculaires dans les prochains jours, si la météo pluvieuse de l'île permet ! Visites privées avec notre priorité de lave sont disponibles à nouveau pour voir cette activité, mais nécessitent toujours une randonnée aller-retour mi 8/13 km sur le sol inégal, stérile de lave récentes de la volcano\\\ flux et est donc classé « difficile ». Nous publierons des photos de ces nouveaux flux dans les prochains jours, qui nous espérons va ressembler comme nos séquences vidéo & time-lapse du 4 décembre 2011--voir le lien ci-dessous pour en savoir plus !

Pendant ce temps, le lac de lave au sommet du Kīlauea\\\ au Halema'uma'u continue de produire une lueur orange vif qui est facilement visible sur la plupart des nuits de dans le Parc National des volcans Hawai ' I et incluse dans la plupart de nos visites ! Voir le dernier lien ci-dessous pour un film accéléré spectaculaire de cette lueur de sommet produit par un de nos clients de la tour !