The eruption at Kilauea started again on Tuesday at 6:26 p.m. — five days after it paused, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. But on Wednesday at 7:06 a.m., the eruption stopped.
This marked the 11th episode in the eruption that began on Dec. 23, 2024.
Episode 11 started on Tuesday night with low-intensity lava spatter coming from a spillway in the north vent within Halemaumau crater. The intensity and height of fountaining increased during the first 30 minutes of the eruption, quickly reaching heights over 200 feet. By 7 p.m. Tuesday, the south vent was also erupting and producing small lava flows. Within two hours of the eruption starting, fountains from both vents reached heights of around 600 feet.
On Thursday morning around 6:35 a.m., the north vent stopped erupting. About 30 minutes later, the south vent also stopped erupting. Lava flows from episode 11 covered about 75% of the Halemaumau crater floor. Both the north and south vent are still degassing, according to HVO.
During episode 11, large amounts of pumice, Pele’s hair and lightweight reticulite (a volcanic glass) were deposited up on the west rim of Halemaumau crater, blanketing the area. A few lightweight “ribbon” bombs about 1-2 feet were also found on top of the pumice. Other hazards include volcanic gas emissions, which remain elevated.
The current eruption, which started on Dec. 23, 2024, is marked by episodic fountaining from two vents within Halemaumau, referred to as the north and south vent, which has not been seen in any of the other Halemaumau eruptions since 2020. The duration of each of the 11 fountaining episodes varied from a few hours to over a week. Each fountaining episode has been accompanied by a deflation of the summit region. Pauses between the fountaining episodes have been marked by an immediate change from deflation to inflation as the magma chamber recharges and repressurizes.
Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.
