HVO’s B1cam captures the opening moments of the afternoon eruption at Kīlauea Volcano on January 5, 2023

During the early morning hours of January 5, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists were closely monitoring an increase in earthquake activity and changes in the patterns of ground deformation at Kīlauea’s summit, indicating movement of magma in the subsurface. The geophysical signals intensified around 3 pm and HVO raised Kīlauea’s volcano alert level and aviation color code because an eruption was possible.

The remote B1 webcam, set up to view conditions within Halema‘uma‘u crater, showed steaming and then the dramatic opening of a new vent and lava erupting onto the crater floor at 4:34 pm HST on January 5, 2023.