Images

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists completed a helicopter overflight of the Kīlauea summit on March 31, 2026, during which they captured this overview photo of the eruptive vents in western Halema‘uma‘u crater.

The tephra deposit from the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption has dramatically changed the landscape in the predominant downwind direction (southwest) of Halema‘uma‘u crater.

Despite the expansive nature of the tephra deposit from the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption, recent rains from Kona low storms have taken their toll. In this photo captured during the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight on March 31, an ephemeral stream has eroded through the deposit to expose the much older lava flows underneath.

Around Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, cleanup efforts continue following the tephra fall that occurred during Kīlauea summit eruption episode 43 on March 10.

Left: Kīlauea tephra glass magnesium oxide for the ongoing summit fountaining eruption (black circles) compared to the ranges of glass magnesium oxide for the 2020-2023 and April–May 2018 Halema‘uma‘u eruptions. Right: Electron microscope image of glassy tephra with round gas bubbles from episode 5 that erupted from January 22–23, 2025. USGS images and data.

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist collects a cooled sample of episode 43 lava from the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. Sampling in this area, which is culturally significant to the Native Hawaiian community, is down with permission from and coordination with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

This vertical aerial view, taken during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitoring helicopter overflight on March 25, 2026, shows a small area of weak spattering deep within the south vent, at the summit of Kīlauea. The south vent and spattering (orange dot) are visible at the bottom of the photo. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

A misty view across Kaluapele, Kīlauea summit caldera, on March 25, 2026, from the caldera rim near the Volcano House Hotel in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The active north and south vents, on the southwest side of the caldera, are visibly degassing in this photo, following episode 43 of lava fountaining on March 10, 2026.

This photograph was taken from the eastern part of the crater floor of Halemaʻumaʻu on March 25, 2026, after episode 43 of lava fountaining that occurred in this area on March 10, 2026. The north and south vents are visible with yellow sulfur crystals decorating its surface.

On March 25, 2026, U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff conducted a routine helicopter overflight to collect samples from the crater floor and thermal and visual images around Halemaʻumaʻu after episode 43 that occurred on March 10, 2026.

This map shows the tephra fall associated with episode 43 of Kīlauea's episodic summit eruption, on March 10, 2026. Tephra is a generic word for any material erupted by a volcano that travels through the air before landing on the ground.

Highway 11 near Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park was affected by fallout from episode 43 lava fountains at the summit of Kīlauea on March 10, 2026. The Highway, which was nearly continuously covered with tephra, was closed on March 10 as material was cleared using heavy equipment.

Fallout from Kīlauea episode 43 is continuing to be cleared as of the morning of March 11, 2026. This photo shows a pile of tephra that was cleared from a roadway in Kilauea Military Camp, in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, where the fallout continuously covered the ground. USGS photo. 

Heavy rainfall the evening of March 10-11 eroded pathways in the tephra deposit from Kīlauea episode 43 lava fountaining. This photo was taken near the Volcano Golf Course and shows the tephra fallout deposit and underlying road. USGS photo. 

In Volcano Village, located northeast of the eruptive vents at the summit of Kīlauea, fallout from episode 43 was less extensive than the areas to the west. This photograph shows a parking area that nearly continuously covered with tephra particles ranging up to a couple inches in diameter. USGS photo. 

The Volcano Golf Course, located north-northeast of the eruptive vents at the summit of Kīlauea received fallout from episode 43 lava fountains that nearly continuously covered the ground with tephra particles up to several inches in diameter. USGS photo. 

Tephra fallout from Kīlauea episode 43 lava fountaining accumulated on a water tank cover in Volcano Village, photographed on March 11, 2026. USGS photo. 

Ash fallout from Kīlauea summit lava fountaining episode 43 in Hilo just before 3 p.m. HST on March 10, 2026. USGS photo. 

Nearly 5 hours into episode 43 of the ongoing eruption at Kīlauea, the lawn at Kīlauea Military Camp was covered with about an inch of tephra (2 to 3 cm). The underlying grass was barely visible. The deposit included reticulite bombs (large foamy tephra clasts) mixed in with smaller denser lapilli tephra. USGS photo by N. Deligne. 

This building within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National park is nearly 3 miles (4.7 km) east-northeast of north and south vents of the ongoing eruption of Kīlauea volcano. Tephra from episode 41 and 43 lava fountains of the ongoing Kīlauea eruption was deposited on this building. The upper portion of the roof is steeper and so falling tephra slide down it.

This photo shows the gap between the south (left) and north (right) lava fountains on March 10, 2026, as well as the lava channels that transport lava from the vent to the eastern crater floor. These fountains were active during episode 43 at the summit of Kīlauea. USGS photo by M. Patrick.