Thick gas plume and fresh tire tracks in Kilauea tephra 12/21/20

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews captured this photo of the thick gas plume, produced by the Kīlauea summit eruption, obscuring the intensity of the sun. Crater Rim Drive (a closed region of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park) is covered in a layer of tephra—volcanic glass—which has been transported by trade winds in the eruption plume, blanketing the pavement below. Fresh tire tracks are visible in the tephra on the road. View is looking to the southwest.