Images

The north and south vents in Halema‘uma‘u were partially hidden in the shadows of clouds during the monitoring overflight at 12:30 p.m. HST today, February 12, but the plumes of volcanic gas emissions helped to illuminate their positions.

Clear weather during a Kīlauea summit monitoring overflight allowed for views of Mauna Kea in the distance, with the slope of Mauna Loa's Northeast Rift Zone visible on the left side of the image. Small amounts of snow from a recent storm remain visible on the slopes of Mauna Kea. USGS photo by P. Dotray.

Early on February 12, 2025, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews were able to measure lava fountain heights (45-50 m, or 148-164 feet), lava lake levels (about 19 m or 63 feet of vertical change from the fountain base to the distal lava flows), and lava flow velocities (14 meters per second, or 50 feet per second) before activity at both vents ceased over a

Over the course of ten minutes, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews observed the south vent activity cease until lava could no longer be seen or heard from the south vent. At 8:43 a.m. HST on February 12, 2025, episode 9 of the 2024-2025 Halema‘uma‘u eruption was over. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

A patchwork of lava flows of different colors and different ages cover the floor of Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea. Nine lava fountaining episodes in the southwest part of Kalupele since December 23, 2024, have fed lava flows that work their way east across the caldera floor. Although episode 9 of the eruption paused February 12, at 8:43 a.m.

Around 7 a.m. HST on February 12, 2025, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) field crews observed vigorous fountaining from both the north and south vents of the ongoing 2024-2025 eruption. The south and north cones were 31 m (102 feet) and 45 m (148 feet) tall, respectively. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

At 7 a.m. HST on February 12, 2025, episode 9 of Kīlauea's 2024-2025 eruption continued at both the north and south vents with fountain heights of 45-50 m (148-164 feet). The south vent fountain was inclined (at an angle) to the east. Both vents fed active lava flows that stretched over one kilometer (0.62 miles) across the floor of Halema‘uma‘u. USGS photo by K.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists visited the Kīlauea eruption site at Haleaʻumaʻu the morning of February 11, 2025, just prior to the start of episode 9 of the eruption. From the caldera rim, they captured this view within the north vent, where the occasional spattering over the day prior had constructed a small cone within the vent. USGS photo by M.

Episode 9 of the Halema'uma'u eruption at the summit of Kīlauea began at 10:16 am HST today, February 11. Lava is fountaining within north vent, feeding lava flows onto the crater floor within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Each fountaining episode of this eruption has lasted from a few hours to over a week.

The Kīlauea Halema‘uma‘u eruption resumed with the start of episode 9 the morning of February 11, 2025. Both the north and south vent were active the evening of February 11, with the north vent lava fountain reaching heights of 50-60 meters (160-200 feet) and a max height of 75 meters (250 feet) at 7:40 p.m. HST.

On the evening of February 11, 2025, USGS geologists deployed to the rim of Kaluapele to observe and document episode nine of the ongoing December 2024–February 2025 Halema‘uma‘u eruption at the summit of Kīlauea. Near the KWcam site, USGS geologists checked on timelapse cameras that have been capturing the ongoing eruption since December 23, 2024.

View of episode 9 lava fountaining in Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea the evening of February 11, 2025. Lava fountain heights were decreased from the morning of February 11, when episode 9 began. At approximately 8:15 p.m.

This reference map depicts the Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater that began on December 23, 2024. As of this posting on February 7, the eruption has had eight episodes.

This cartoon schematic depicts the Kīlauea 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption and coincident summit collapse. It is the logo for the American Geophysical Union Chapman Meeting on Caldera-Forming Eruptions at Basaltic Volcanoes, to be held in Hilo, Hawaii, from February 9-14, 2025.

These thermal maps show the changing activity this week at Kīlauea summit. They were created from handheld thermal camera imagery collected during helicopter overflights yesterday and today. The February 3 map shows warm but inactive lava flows covering the crater floor, with several hot cracks cutting across the floor.

A closer look at the northern vent at the summit of Kīlauea during the morning of February 4, 2025. Lava fountaining was through a pond contained within the cone, and lava from the pond drained eastward through a notch in the cone wall, then into a narrow spillway channel. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

A ranger in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park talks to a visitor at the Volcano House, where there have been good views of the recent lava fountaining. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

A new episode of lava fountaining began late last night at the summit of Kīlauea, with continued fountaining this morning. Both the north and south vents were active this morning, February 4, with the northern fountains typically about 130-165 feet (40-50 meters) high. In the upper right corner, recent snow on Mauna Kea is visible. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

This telephoto view of the active eruptive vents within Halema‘uma‘u crater was captured during the eighth episode of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption. Like most of the other recent episodes, this one has had two eruptive vents, known informally as the north vent (right) and south vent (left).

The rising gas plume from the lava fountains had a mirror-like resemblance to an ‘Ōhi‘a tree at the Volcano House. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

During the Kīlauea summit eruption's eighth episode, two eruptive vents have been actively fountaining. This telephoto view of those two vents was captured from the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater by geologists visiting to collect lava samples on Tuesday, February 4.