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Lava overflows Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater, Kahauale‘a 2 flow remains active
Lava flows from two different vents in Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater have spilled out of the crater and down the flanks of the cone over the past week. This photo shows the new flow, easy to identify with its light gray color, originating from the south spatter cone in Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater (the spatter cone is visible as a bump on the crater floor). This flow was still active this morning and had traveled a short distance southeast. Another flow, originating from the north spatter cone in Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater, is not visible in this photograph.
The north spatter cone in Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater fed a new flow, starting Tuesday evening, that covered much of the northern part of the crater floor and spilled over the crater rim towards the north. The right side of the north spatter cone has been present for many months, but the left side, which was spattering this morning, is new as of this week.
The northeast spatter cone in Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater remained active, but the lava pond (featured in many recent photographs posted here) has crusted over, leaving only a small circular opening venting gas.
A closer look at the small opening at the top of the northeast spatter cone in Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater. Although the lava pond is crusted over, fluid lava is likely present just a short distance below the opening. Delicate lava stalactites have formed just inside the rim.
The lava flow from the north spatter cone, in Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, began on Tuesday night and came close to the north rim of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater, where our webcams are situated. Because of this proximity, several of the webcams and other pieces of equipment were moved to higher ground on Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō.
Despite the recent changes in Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater over the past week, the Kahauale‘a 2 lava flow remains active northeast of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, and continues to advance slowly through remote forest. The active flow front today was 8.3 km (5.2 miles) northeast of the vent on Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō. Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō is visible near the top of the photograph.
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