HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE U.S. Geological Survey Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 9:00 AM
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
U.S. Geological Survey
Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 9:00 AM HST (Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 19:00 UTC)
KILAUEA (VNUM #332010)
19°25’16” N 155°17’13” W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: ADVISORY
Current Aviation Color Code: YELLOW
Summary: Kīlauea volcano is not erupting; the summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu is paused. Lava fountaining episode 54 ended at 7:33 p.m. HST on August 25. Reinflation indicates another episode is likely, but more data are needed to determine the forecast.
Overview:
The summit eruption of Kīlauea in Halemaʻumaʻu is paused following 9 hours of continuous lava fountaining during episode 54 on August 25, 2026. Summit inflation resumed after the episode ended, but mild deflation began at 2:00 a.m. HST this morning. Glow has been visible in the north and west vents. These observations indicate that another lava fountaining episode is likely in the coming weeks, but more inflationary tilt data are needed to determine the precise forecast.
A detailed account of lava fountaining episode 54 is posted below.
No significant activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.
NOTE: Significant changes in activity between Daily Updates are posted here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages
Summit Observations:
Glow and occasional flames were visible overnight from both the north and west vents in Halema’uma’u. Around 2:00 a.m. HST, the north vent dimmed slightly, while glow at the west vent became weaker and more sporadic. The south vent remained dark overnight, and it appears to be partially filled in by north vent spatter erupted yesterday. Lava flows along the north and south sides of Halemaʻumaʻu crater continued to advance after episode 54 ended. However, they slowed greatly in the early morning and by dawn only a few points of incandescence were still visible in webcam views. A small, slump-driven flow was active on the south side of the west vent from around 2:30 a.m. HST until dawn. Slow movements from cooling lava flows and gravity-induced slumps on the vents may continue over the coming days and nights.
Low-frequency seismic bursts began with the cessation of episode 54 and they continue this morning, which is typical during the early stages of pauses between eruptive episodes. Three shallow earthquakes have been recorded beneath the summit region over the past 24 hours.
Summit inflation resumed immediately upon the cessation of lava fountaining, and the Uēkahuna (UWD) tiltmeter recorded a peak of 1.4 microradians of inflation prior to the onset of mild deflation around 2:00 a.m. HST. As of this morning, UWD has recovered a total of 0.9 microradians of inflationary tilt since the end of the episode. Deflationary tilt measured on UWD totaled 12.7 microradians during episode 54.
During inter-episode pauses, the sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rate from the summit typically varies between 1,000 and 5,000 tonnes per day. Strong trade winds are pushing the degassing plume to the southwest over the Kaʻū Desert this morning.
Rift Zone Observations:
Rates of seismicity and ground deformation remain low in the East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone. SO2 emissions from the East Rift Zone remain below the detection limit.
Analysis:
The abrupt switch from summit deflation to inflation at the end of episode 54 and continued glow from the eruptive vents indicate that another lava fountaining episode is likely in the coming weeks. However, the onset of a deflationary step around 2:00 a.m. HST this morning indicates that unpredictable, stepwise inflation will likely continue during this repose period, as it has since episode 51. More inflationary tilt data are needed to model the precise forecast window.
Kīlauea has been erupting episodically since December 23, 2024, from two vents (north and south) in Halema‘uma‘u. Lava fountaining episodes, which generally last for less than 12 hours, are separated by pauses of two or more weeks.
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.
Please see the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website for visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm
