August 25, 2026 — Sampling a discontinuous lava flow before episode 54, Kīlauea summit

On a Kīlauea summit monitoring overflight at 8:45 a.m. HST on August 25, 2026, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff sampled a molten lava flow in Halema‘uma‘u. This pāhoehoe flow was from discontinuous overflows during dome fountaining prior to episode 54 fountaining, which started a few hours later at 10:30 a.m. HST. Sampling in this culturally significant location is done with permission from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Studying samples of the overflows is important for understanding how the lava fountaining begins after days to weeks of repose. USGS video by M. Cappos.