Images

This reference map depicts the Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater that began on December 23, 2024. As of this posting on March 2, 2026, the eruption has had forty-two episodes, with the most recent occurring on February 15.

On Thursday, February 26, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists completed a monitoring helicopter overflight of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea.

At the end of their Kīlauea summit overflight on Thursday, February 26, two USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists were dropped off on the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater to sample lava from summit eruption episode 42 on February 15.

Graphs of ground deformation and earthquake data spanning three eruptions at Mauna Loa.

On February 26, 2026, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff visited and serviced the V3 livestreaming camera on the south rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

Despite hazy conditions on Thursday, February 26, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitoring overflight crew had clear views of the Kīlauea summit eruptive vents during a low pass over western Halema‘uma‘u crater. No lava or incandescence was visible in either the north (lower-right) or south (upper-left) vent. USGS photo by M. Zoeller.

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist collects a cooled lava sample from the front of the episode 42 lava flow on Halema‘uma‘u crater floor at Kīlauea summit. The chemistry of these lava samples is analyzed to better understand the magmatic plumbing system and inform our understanding of eruptive hazards. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

These thermal maps at the summit of Kīlauea show the crater floor after episodes 41 and 42. Episode 41 produced a lava flow that covered much of the eastern crater floor, while episode 42 produced flows that stopped short of reaching the eastern edge of the crater floor. 

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) geologists on a routine KILAUEA summit monitoring helicopter overflight on Thursday, February 26, collected visual and thermal images to map out the changes on the crater floor following episode 42 lava fountaining at KILAUEA summit that took place on February 15, 2026.

This map shows lava flow and tephra accumulation at the summit of Kīlauea volcano associated with episode 42 of the ongoing eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu that started on December 23, 2024, using data recorded by the Italian Space Agency's (ASI) COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation satellite constellation.

This map shows recent deformation at Kīlauea, over the timeframe of February 10–16, 2026.

Tephra accumulated in the community of Pāhala, about 18.5 miles (30 km) to the southwest of north and south vents in Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. A few hours after episode 42 started on February 15, 2026, fine ash of less than 0.03 inch (1 mm) diameter began to accumulate on surfaces.

Long strands of Pele's hair, which is made of volcanic glass, drifted on the wind to the southwest during episode 42 of Kīlauea summit lava fountaining on February 15, 2026. This photo shows a bundle of these long strands of Pele's hair after they had blown around in the wind in the community of Pāhala and became tangled up. USGS photo by D. Downs.

Late in the afternoon on Sunday, February 15, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists monitoring Kīlauea summit eruption episode 42 hiked west of Halema‘uma‘u crater for an angle of both the north and south vent lava fountains side by side. During most of episode, the south vent lava fountain (right) was slightly taller than the north vent's (left).

On Sunday, February 15, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists monitored episode 42 of the Kīlauea summit eruption from the northwest rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater. Despite driving rains, this location provided good views of the north vent's lava fountains and flows on the crater floor. Around 4:20 p.m.

A telephoto view of the base of the two lava fountains, and the narrow gap that was present between them, during episode 42 of the Kīlauea summit eruption on February 15, 2026. On the south side of the north fountain (right), a very small third fountain was active, with frequent bubble bursting. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

The KWcam is located on the northwest rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of Kīlauea. The camera is one of many located around the Kaluapele, Kīlauea summit caldera, that aid in monitoring conditions. This image was captured 6:26 p.m. on February 15, 2026, during episode 42 of lava fountaining. USGS photo. 

Photograph of the north vent fountain during episode 42, taken from the northwest rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater on February 15, 2026. Semi-molten clasts feed a small ‘a‘ā lava flow carrying lava north from the base of the north vent lava fountain within the caldera.

A telephoto view of the south vent fountain, taken from the south rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater at night on February 15, 2026. Molten clasts falling near the base of the fountain were feeding a channelized flow that carried lava into the eastern portion of the crater.

This telephoto view of the base of the Kīlauea summit episode 42 lava fountains shows the advancing spatter-fed ‘a‘ā flow, taken from the south rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater. In the left side of the photo, molten clasts falling from the south fountain accumulate and feed the source of the spatter-fed flow. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

This photo north vent lava fountain during Kīlauea summit eruption episode 42 was captured from the northwest rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater on February 15, 2026.