HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE U.S. Geological Survey Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 8:32 AM

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
U.S. Geological Survey
Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 8:32 AM

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:

The ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption is paused. The end of episode 27 on June 29 coincided with a switch from deflationary tilt to inflationary tilt at the summit and a decrease in seismic tremor intensity. Summit inflation continued through last night, but it has slowed this morning. Low-level seismic tremor continues in association with gas piston cycles at the north vent, many of which have been visible in webcam views since yesterday evening. These cycles have included minor lava spattering, lava jetting, and flames, along with two short overflows from the vent around 6:30 p.m. HST yesterday evening. These observations indicate that another lava fountaining episode is near, and the current summit inflation rate suggests it will occur sometime between this afternoon, July 8 and Thursday, July 10, with today or tomorrow being the most likely. This window is subject to change due to variations in the summit inflation rate and other factors, and it will be refined as more data become available.

Fountaining episodes have occurred approximately once per week since the start of the current eruption on December 23, 2024. All eruptive activity remains within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and no significant activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone. Current hazards include ongoing volcanic gas emissions, along with windblown volcanic glass (Pele’s hair) and tephra deposited during past fountaining episodes in the Kīlauea summit region of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and nearby communities.

Summit Observations:

At the north vent in Halemaʻumaʻu within the western part of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera), lava has intermittently been visible in webcam views in association with gas piston cycles. These cycles have included minor lava spattering, lava jetting, and flames, along with two short overflows from the vent around 6:30 p.m. HST yesterday evening. For more information on gas pistoning, see the link in bullets below for a recent Volcano Watch article detailing the process.

The tiltmeter near Uēkahuna (UWD) has recorded nearly 15 microradians of inflationary tilt since the end of episode 27. UWD recorded more than 16 microradians of deflationary tilt during the fountaining episode. Seismic tremor persists at low levels beneath Halemaʻumaʻu crater in association with the gas piston cycles at the north vent.

Vigorous degassing continues from both the north and south vents. The typical sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emission rate during inter-episode pauses, such as the current pause, is around 1,200 tonnes/day.

Strands of volcanic glass known as Pele’s hair are present throughout the summit area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and surrounding communities and can be remobilized by wind.

• Eruption resources, including the most recent map and a timeline of eruption episodes since December 23, 2024: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/science/eruption-information
• Three Kīlauea summit livestream videos are available here: Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii (West Halemaʻumaʻu crater) v1cam, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii (East Halemaʻumaʻu crater) v2cam, and Kīlauea volcano, Hawaii (South Halemaʻumaʻu crater) v3 cam
• Summit eruption webcams: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/summit-webcams
• Volcano Watch article on gas pistoning: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-so-what-earth-or-least-kilauea-a-gas-piston

Rift Zone Observations:

Rates of seismicity and ground deformation remain very low in the East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone, with no significant earthquake activity in the past 24 hours. Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions from the East Rift Zone remain below the detection limit.

Analysis: 

The forecast window for the start of episode 28 lava fountaining is sometime between this afternoon, July 8 and Thursday, July 10, with today or tomorrow being the most likely. This window is subject to change due to variations in the summit inflation rate and other factors, and it will be refined as more data become available. Episode 28 fountaining will likely be preceded by hours to days of sustained precursory activity such as lava spattering and small lava flows from the eruptive vent(s).

The current eruption has been characterized by episodic lava fountaining not seen in any eruptions since the 1983–86 episodic fountains at the beginning of the Puʻuʻōʻō eruption. Lava fountains and flows have erupted from two vents within Halema’um’a’u crater that we refer to as the north vent and south vent. Each of the previous fountaining episodes lasted from a few hours to over a week and was accompanied by strong deflation of the summit region. Pauses between the fountaining episodes have been marked by an immediate switch from deflation to inflation as the magma chamber recharges and repressurizes. Fountaining episodes have occurred approximately once per week since the start of the current eruption on December 23, 2024.

HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and is in contact with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and the Hawai‘i County Civil Defense Agency about eruptive hazards.