The 20th lava fountaining episode began from the active vents at Halema’uma’u summit crater a short time ago, at 5:28 p.m. HST local time on May 6, 2025.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) reported: „..cyclic gas-pistoning transitioned to continuous eruption of lava fountains that grew rapidly in vigor and height. Fountains from the north vent quickly reached heights of greater than 500 ft (150 m). North vent lava fountains are feeding fast moving lava flows that are covering the floor of Halema’uma’u crater, including a flow that poured over the south vent. The south vent is not showing signs of increased activity at this time.“
„The onset of sustained fountaining was accompanied by a rapid change in summit tilt from inflation to deflation along with a rapid increase in tremor. The Uēkahuna tiltmeter (UWD) recorded approximately 8 microradians of inflationary tilt between the end of episode 19 and the beginning of episode 20 sustained fountaining.
„Episode 20 sustained fountaining was preceded by just under 31 hours of precursory low-level activity that included gas-pistoning events in the north vent that produced low lava dome fountains, overflows, and drainbacks, as well as sluggish lava flows from the south vent.“
„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.“
Source: Timeline of eruption episodes since December 23, 2024 (HVO / USGS)
No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone. HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and will issue an eruption update tomorrow morning unless there are significant changes before then.