HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY STATUS REPORT
U.S. Geological Survey
Wednesday, June 7, 2023, 4:00 PM HST (Thursday, June 8, 2023, 02:00 UTC)

KILAUEA (VNUM #332010)
19°25’16” N 155°17’13” W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING
Current Aviation Color Code: RED

The summit eruption of Kīlauea that began within Halemaʻumaʻu crater at 4:44 a.m. HST today, June 7, 2023, continues at this time.  All activity is confined to Kīlauea summit region, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. There are no indications of activity migrating out of the summit region.

Multiple minor fountains are active on Halema‘uma‘u crater floor; one fissure remains active on the southwest wall of the caldera. Fountain heights have decreased since the eruption onset and, as of approximately 3 p.m., were about 4-9 meters (13-30 feet) high. Initial lava flows inundated the crater floor (an area of approximately 1.5 square km or 370 acres) and added about 10 meters (32 feet) depth of new lava. A ring of elevated 1-2 meter-high (3-6 feet-high) lava surrounds the perimeter of the crater floor (like a bathtub ring), encircling continued lava flow activity across the crater floor. A live-stream video of the crater is available at https://www.youtube.com/usgs/live.

Summit tilt switched from inflation to deflation around 5 a.m. HST, shortly after the eruption onset. Summit earthquake activity greatly diminished following the eruption onset and was replaced by continuous eruptive tremor (a signal associated with fluid movement). Volcanic gas emissions in the eruption area are elevated; a sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emission rate of approximately 65,000 tonnes per day was measured between approximately 8 and 9 a.m. this morning, June 7, 2023.  Residents of Pāhala, 20 miles (30 km) downwind of Kīlaueaʻs summit) reported a very light dusting of gritty fine ash and Peleʻs hair this morning.

Kīlauea’s volcano alert level and aviation color code will remain at WARNING/RED as hazards associated with the eruption onset are evaluated overnight.

HVO will continue to monitor this activity closely and report any significant changes in future notices.

HVO is in constant communication with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Hazard Analysis: 

The eruption at Kīlauea’s summit is occurring within a closed area of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Therefore, high levels of volcanic gas are the primary hazard of concern, as this hazard can have far-reaching effects down-wind. Large amounts of volcanic gas—primarily water vapor (H₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂)—are continuously released during eruptions of Kīlauea volcano. As SO₂ is released from the summit, it will react in the atmosphere to create the visible haze known as vog (volcanic smog) that has been observed downwind of Kīlauea. Vog creates the potential for airborne health hazards to residents and visitors, damages agricultural crops and other plants, and affects livestock. For more information on gas hazards at the summit of Kīlauea, please see: https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/fs20173017. Vog information can be found at https://vog.ivhhn.org/.

Additional hazards include Pele’s hair and other lightweight volcanic glass fragments from the lava fountains that will fall downwind of the fissure vents and dust the ground within a few hundred meters (yards) of the vent (s). Strong winds may waft lighter particles to greater distances. Residents should minimize exposure to these volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation.

Other significant hazards also remain around Kīlauea caldera from Halemaʻumaʻu crater 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 caldera rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since late 2007.