Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Find U.S. Volcano
HVO monitors earthquakes and the active volcanoes in Hawaii, assesses their hazards, issues warnings, and advances scientific understanding to reduce the impacts of volcanic eruptions. Communicating the results of our work to the public, emergency managers, and the scientific community is an important aspect of the HVO mission.
Active Volcanoes in Hawaii
Very High Threat Potential 1
Kīlauea
Mauna Loa
High Threat Potential 1
Hualālai
Moderate Threat Potential 1
Haleakalā
Mauna Kea
Not Ranked 1
Kama‘ehuakanaloa (Lō‘ihi Seamount)
1. View the threat rankings of US Volcanoes.
Hazards in the Hawaiian Island Chain
Frequent eruptions and earthquakes contribute to numerous natural hazards in Hawaii.
Active Volcanoes in Hawaii
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is responsible for monitoring and reporting volcanic activity in Hawaii.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) is part of the U.S. Geological Survey's Volcano Hazards Program. Founded in 1912 by Thomas A. Jaggar, HVO was the first of the five volcano observatories supported by USGS today.
HVO's methods of observing and analyzing data from instruments and field studies have changed dramatically since Jaggar's time. Presently, our monitoring network across the island consists of more than 200 sensors, including seismometers, GPS, tiltmeters, infrasound, gas detectors, and thermal/visual cameras. These sensors transmit data to HVO 24 hours a day in order to track activity and support research into how volcanoes work.