7 hours ago
5
HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii — Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano began its 55th eruptive episode since Dec. 23, 2024, conscionable aft 3 a.m. section clip Saturday, pursuing an unusually agelong two-month pause.
Kilauea has seen episodic eruptions since 2024. But aft the erstwhile occurrence ended Aug. 25, USGS scientists said changes successful enactment astatine the acme — including a bid of earthquakes and a shallow magma intrusion beneath Halemaʻumaʻu successful precocious September and aboriginal October — made it intolerable to foretell precisely erstwhile the adjacent occurrence would begin.
Kilauea Message 2026-10-17 04:21:15 HST. The northbound vent fountain has grown to astir 250 feet (80 m) precocious and is astatine slightest arsenic wide. The fountain is feeding a wide expanse of lava into Halema'uma'u crater. Wind is from the northeast and tephra is wrong the closed country of HVNP.
— USGS Volcanoes🌋 (@USGSVolcanoes) October 17, 2026USGS volcano observers said lava fountains person reached 250 feet successful height.
"The fountain is feeding a wide expanse of lava into Halema'uma'u crater," the bureau said connected societal media.
Volcanic state that's released during eruptions tin interaction radical downwind, peculiarly those with respiratory issues oregon different delicate populations. Eruptions tin besides merchandise Pele's hair, which are strands of volcanic glass, and tin irritate skin, eyes and respiratory systems.
next
Another presumption of the caller crushed cracks successful the northbound portion of Kaluapele, Kīlauea acme caldera, cutting done the caller tephra deposits connected the caldera floor. New cracks were up to astir 6 inches (15 cm) wide. The progressive vents of the ongoing eruption are disposable successful the precocious close information of the photo. (USGS photograph by M. Patrick.)
prevnext
Some of the caller cracks that formed connected Kīlauea caldera level betwixt September 30-October 1 were steaming and lukewarm (about 60 dg Celsius, oregon 140 dg Fahrenheit) erstwhile they were measured by this thermal camera connected October 6. This country has been covered successful warm, steaming cracks for decades, however, and determination was nary motion of magmatic state associated with the caller intrusive activity. (USGS photograph by M. Patrick)
prevnext
Lava fountaining from Mount Kilauea Volcano. (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park's / Facebook)
prevnext
54th eruption of Mount Kilauea Volcano. (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park's / Facebook)
prevnext
Lava fountains from Kilauea volcano during 53rd eruptive episode. (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park)
prev
Kilauea's 53rd eruptive occurrence connected Aug. 12, 2026. (USGS)
Previously, the somewhat regular enactment astatine Kiluea was being driven by magma chambers that are rapidly refilling wrong the volcano. Small eruptions person not been beardown capable to dramatically alteration the unit successful these chambers, which person reached thing of an equilibrium.
However, respective swarms of shallow earthquakes shook Kilauea successful September and earlier successful October, opening caller cracks successful the caldera, which whitethorn person delayed the 55th eruptive episode.
Kilauea is considered 1 of the world's astir progressive volcanoes.
Check backmost for updates connected this processing story.
English (US) ·