Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano erupts with 1,000-foot 'lava fountaining'

Kīlauea Volcano - located along the southeastern shore of Hawaii Island - experienced "lava fountaining" that reached at least 1,000 feet high over the weekend. 

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) describes Kīlauea as one of the world's most active volcanoes. It has been erupting intermittently since Dec. 23, 2024, within the summit caldera in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. 

The 23rd episode of precursory activity began late last week with "low-level spattering and flames." According to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, small lava fountains and lava overflows from the north vent started around 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

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"Sustained fountaining expected any time through the weekend," Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Service wrote. 

The USGS reports that Kīlauea "is in a unique phase of activity in Halemaʻumaʻu, with numerous episodes of dual lava fountains since the eruption began." 

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"Two eruptive vents are located in the southwest part of the caldera, referred to as the north and south vent, and they have been intermittently active, producing new lava flows over parts of Halemaʻumaʻu crater surface," according to the USGS. 

As of 5:20 p.m. local time on Sunday, the south vent had lava fountains 230 feet high, while the north vent had lava fountains 1,000 feet high, according to Hawaii News Now. 

USGS livestreams of the eruption site showed the lava fountains dropping in height and later stopping. The vents were still glowing and lava was still visibile on the crater floor. 

The volcano's last "fountaining phase" extended for about 10 hours on May 16, according to the USGS. 

Kīlauea experienced other recent fountaining phases this month on May 11, May 6 and May 2, lasting eight hours, 4.5 hours and eight hours, respectively. 

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During the ongoing eruption, the USGS reported that pressure building beneath the surface caused an inflationary tilt prior to a lava fountaining episode. 

As pressure within the magma is released when lava fountaining begins, a switch to a deflationary tilt occurs. That pattern of inflation and deflation with every recent lava fountain episode "creates a saw-tooth pattern in ground tilt records over the past several months," according to the USGS, though the government agency reports that the summit has shown little net change in pressurization since the eruption began on Dec. 23, 2024.