Kilauea is the youngest and most active Hawaiian shield volcano, located on the southern part of the Island of Hawai'i, known as Big Island. Hawai'i is the southernmost and largest of the island chain, which owes its existence to the very active Hawaiian hot spot.
Kilauea volcano is near-constantly erupting from vents either on its summit (caldera) or on the rift zones. At present, Kilauea volcano is still having one of the most long-lived eruptions known on earth, which started in 1983 on the eastern rift zone and has mainly been concentrated at the Pu'u 'O'o vent.
Shield volcano 1277 m (4,190 ft)
Hawai'i, 19.43°N / -155.29°W Kilauea volcano eruptions:
Near-continuous eruptions. Since 1960: 1961 (4x), 1962, 1963 (2x), 1965 (2x), 1967-68, 1968 (2x), 1969, 1969-74, 1971 (2x), 1973 (2x), 1974 (3x), 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982 (2x), 1983-2013 (ongoing, incl. 1986, 1992, 1997, 2007, 2011 (3x)) Typical eruption style: Dominantly effusive since 1790, but ~60% explosive over past ~2500 years.
Kilauea webcams / live data Last earthquakes nearby
Posted By: JOANA [88.1.39.138] on Oct 24, 2012 11:38AM
GIRONA
CREO QUE EL VOLCAN KILAUEA ES EL OMBLIGO DEL MUNDO. Y AHORA SE ESTA ENFADANDO MUCHISSSIMO, EL NIVEL DEL CARTER ESTA SUBIENDO POR MOMENTOS, QUE PASARAAAAAAAAAAAAA. ESTEMOS AL TANTO DE TODO ESTE PROCESO DEL VOLCAN.ESTUDIENLO ESTOS DIAS MUCHO UNA SIMPLE AFICIONADA JOANA
Volcano news & updates: Kilauea volcano (Big Island, Hawaii)
The eruption has not changed significantly over the past weeks, with continuing activity in both the summit lava lake and lava flows on the rift zone, reaching the sea. ...more
A new inflation cycle has started yesterday and the lava lake in the Halema'uma'u summit crater, at about 30 m below the crater floor, has risen a bit. Within the Pu`u `O`o crater, the usual four sources on the crater floor (small lava pond on the northeast crater edge and 3 spatter cones) continued to glow overnight. [less]
During 10-16 April HVO reported that the circulating lava lake periodically rose and fell in the deep pit within Kilauea's Halema'uma'u Crater. The plume from the vent continued to deposit variable amounts of ash, spatter, and Pele's hair onto nearby areas. ...more
At Pu'u 'O'o Crater, glow emanated from four spatter cones on the crater floor. Two lava flows (Peace Day and Kahauale'a) were fed by lava tubes extending from Pu'u 'O'o. Multiple lava flows from the NE spatter cone, collectively called the Kahauale'a flow, traveled across the NE flank of Pu'u 'O'o cone to the cone's base and advanced more than 4.9 km NE over older flows. Peace Day activity consisted of lava flows active above the pali (5 km SE of Pu'u 'O'o), on the pali, and on the coastal plain. Lava also entered the ocean at two main locations spanning the National Park boundary. (USGS / Smithsonian weekly activity update) [less]
Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake from Halemaʻumaʻu Overlook (HVO)
No significant changes have occurred in the ongoing eruption at Kilauea volcano. ...more
The lava lake inside Halema'uma'u Crater rises and falls in response to patterns of inflation and deflation, several vents remained activity inside Pu'u 'O'o Crater, from where lava flows continued to spread in 2 main branches, one NE of the cone over older lavas, and the other flowing onto the pali and into the coastal plain. Lava sea entries remained active as well at 2 main locations. [less]
Activity has remained essentially unchanged and stable. At the summit, the Halema'uma'u lava lake is very active, and rises and falls during alternating inflation and deflation cycles. ...more
On the east rift zone, activity continues from the Pu'u O'o vent where 4 hornitos are active from time to time (less than some weaks ago). Most lava is being diverted into lava tubes feeding two main flow fields: The most recent (Kahauale'a) is spreading from the northeast base of Pu'u O'o and currently covering the flows from 1983 to 1986 (i.e. the oldest of this eruption). Its most advanced lobe is 4 km from its source. The second lava flow field ("Peaceday Lava field"), active since 2011, continues to spread towards the southeast into the Pacific Ocean, where it enters at two places. Another lobe of this flow is further to the west on the coastal plain and still relatively far from the ocean. [less]
During 27 February-5 March HVO reported that the circulating lava lake periodically rose and fell in the deep pit within Kilauea's Halema'uma'u Crater. The plume from the vent continued to deposit variable amounts of ash, spatter, and Pele's hair onto nearby areas. ...more
At Pu'u 'O'o Crater, glow emanated from spatter cones on the SE part of the crater floor, from a spatter cone at the NW edge of the floor, and from a perched lava lake on the NE part of the floor. Multiple lava flows from the NE spatter cone, collectively and informally called the Kahauale'a flow, traveled across the NE flank of Pu'u 'O'o cone to the cone's base and advanced 2.5 km NE over older flows. A branch also traveled S, just S of Pu'u Kahauale'a, and started fires in the kipuka. Lava flows were active above the pali (5 km SE of Pu'u 'O'o) and in a 1-km-wide area on the coastal plain. To the W, a 350-m-wide lava flow advanced towards the coast and produced scattered breakouts. Web cameras recorded steam plumes from lava sporadically entering the ocean at multiple locations. [less]
During 13-19 February HVO reported that the circulating lava lake periodically rose and fell in the deep pit within Kilauea's Halema'uma'u Crater. The plume from the vent continued to deposit variable amounts of ash, spatter, and Pele's hair onto nearby areas. The lake level was between 25-30 m below the Halema'uma'u crater floor during 13 and 15-17 February. ...more
At Pu'u 'O'o Crater, glow emanated from spatter cones on the SE part of the crater floor, from a spatter cone at the NW edge of the floor, and from a perched crusted lava lake on the NE part of the floor. Lava flowed from the SE and S spatter cones on 13 February and from the SW cone on 17 February. On 19 February lava flowed from the SW and NE spatter cones. New breakouts occurred on the Kahauale'a lava tube high on the NE flank of Pu'u 'O'o cone. [less]
Not much has changed recently at the ongoing eruption. ...more
At the summit, the lava lake level stabilized at 31 m (100 ft) below the Halema`uma`u Crater floor. At Pu`u `O`o cone on the east rift zone, lava flows continued to spread out on older flows to the north of the cone. To the southeast of Pu`u `O`o, lava continues to enter the ocean in multiple areas both inside and outside the National Park boundary. (HVO daily update) [less]
Not much has changed at the volcano's activity on the Big Island: lava flows enter the sea in numerous locations both inside and outside the Natl Park. The lava lake at the summit rises and falls, and lava erupts from several vents at Pu'u O'o crater on the rift zone. ...more
The crater is filled to the rim with lava and there are many overflows. Some recent aerial images can be found in our Image Pool. [less]
Map of earthquakes today under the upper rift zone and the caldera
Good magma supply continues to feed the lava lakes at the summit (Halema'uma'u) and the rift zone (Pu'u O'o), and lava flows that reach the ocean in multiple locations. ...more
Today, a small swarm of shallow quakes is occurring at the upper eastern rift zone a few km SE of the caldera. So far, 6 quakes in the magnitude 2 range have been recorded in this area and under the caldera itself today. [less]
Lava flows continue entering the ocean since November 2012 in multiple points, due to increased pressure on the volcano which is also causing other lava breakouts on the coast and the lava lakes within Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō & Halema‘uma‘u craters to rise and potentially spill over.
Thermal image of Puu Oo crater floor with large lava outbreaks (HVO / USGS)
Map of recent quakes (HVO / USGS)
Activity has been stable with good magma supply maintaining relatively high levels of the lava lakes and feeding lava flows that continue to reach the ocean. ...more
A lava flow was active on the coastal plain and entering the ocean in multiple areas both inside and outside the National Park boundary. Additional lava flows were active to the west on the coastal plain. At Pu'u 'O'o cone on the rift zone, its crater is almost filled to the rim with lava. There are frequent lava outbreaks and there have been overflows onto the eastern flank of the cone. [less]
Activity has been stable with good magma supply maintaining relatively high levels of the lava lakes and feeding lava flows that continue to reach the ocean. ...more
A lava flow was active on the coastal plain and entering the ocean in multiple areas both inside and outside the National Park boundary. Additional lava flows were active to the west on the coastal plain. At Pu'u 'O'o cone on the rift zone, its crater is almost filled to the rim with lava. There are frequent lava outbreaks and there have been overflows onto the eastern flank of the cone. [less]
A few magnitude 2 quakes have occurred on the upper eastern rift zone during the past 24 hours. Otherwise, the volcano has not shown significant changes; weak lava flows are still entering the ocean at 2 points. This is the latest HVO update summary: ...more
Kilauea continued to erupt at 2 locations: At the summit, inflation switched to deflation 10 Jan morning. The Halemau'uma'u lava lake surface rose slowly during the inflation, but has not yet begun to fall with the deflation. At Pu`u `O`o crater, small flows spilled from the northeast lava lake during 9-10 Jan, and glow was visible from the other usual sources. [less]
Kilauea volcano's activity has remained stable over the past days. The active lava lake at the summit in Halema'uma'u crater and several vents inside Pu’u O’o crater on the east rift zone are active. Lava flows from the latter are reaching the coastal plain and enter the sea at several locations along a 1 km wide area.
