Eruption ended at 10:47am….
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT
U.S. Geological Survey
Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 12:22 PM
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT
U.S. Geological Survey
KILAUEA (VNUM #332010)
19°25’16” N 155°17’13” W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Activity Summary:
Episode 7 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption ended abruptly at 10:47 a.m. HST on January 28.
The southern vent stopped erupting just after 10:43 a.m. HST followed shutdown of the north vent at 10:47 a.m. HST. Lava flows from this episode covered more than half of the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu within the southern part of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera).
Deflationary tilt at the summit recorded about 7 microradians during episode 7, more than twice that recorded during episodes 5 and 6. The end of the eruption was coincident with a rapid change from deflation to inflation at the summit and a decrease in seismic tremor intensity.
No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.
Each episode of Halemaʻumaʻu lava fountaining since December 23, 2024, has continued for 13 hours to 8 days and episodes have been separated by pauses in eruptive activity lasting less than 24 hours to 12 days.
HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and will issue an eruption update tomorrow morning unless there are significant changes before then.
HVO remains in close contact with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and the Hawai‘i County Civil Defense Agency. Please see the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website for visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm
The Kīlauea summit livestream video is available here: https://www.youtube.com/usgs/live
Kīlauea Volcano Alert Level/Aviation Color Code remain at WATCH/ORANGE. All current and recent activity is within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
For more information about the meaning of volcano alert levels and aviation color codes, see https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcanic-alert-levels-characterize-conditions-us-volcanoes.
The Kīlauea summit livestream video is available here: https://www.youtube.com/usgs/live
Hazards:
This episodic eruption is occurring within a closed area of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. High levels of volcanic gas—primarily water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2)—are the primary hazard of concern, as this hazard can have far-reaching effects downwind. As SO2 is continuously released from the summit during an eruption, it will react in the atmosphere to create the visible haze known as vog (volcanic smog) downwind of Kīlauea. Vog information can be found at https://vog.ivhhn.org/.
Additional hazards include Pele’s hair and other volcanic fragments from lava fountains that can fall on the ground downwind of the eruptive vent(s). Pele’s hair are strands of volcanic glass often produced by lava fountaining activity. Strong winds may waft these light particles to greater distances downwind. Pele’s hair can sometimes cluster and tangle together on the ground, giving it the appearance of a tumbleweed. The extent of Pele’s hair is dependent on lava fountaining activity and current wind conditions. Residents and visitors should minimize exposure to these volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation. More information about how Pele’s hair is formed is available here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-peles-hairs-a-beautiful-hazard-island-hawaii. A Frequently Asked Questions document developed for the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption includes information about potential health effects of Pele’s hair and is available here: https://vog.ivhhn.org/sites/default/files/FAQ_on_air_quality_and_health_during_Mauna_Loa_eruption_v1.6.pdf
Hawaiian lava flows generally advance slowly downslope, and during this eruption flows have been confined to Halemaʻumaʻu and the southwest side of Kaluapele, Kīlauea’s summit caldera.
Other significant hazards also remain around Kīlauea caldera from Halemaʻumaʻu wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes within the area closed to the public. This underscores the extremely hazardous nature of Kīlauea’s caldera rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu, an area that has been closed to the public since late 2007.
