Images

On September 24, 2025, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews collected samples from a cooled 'a'ā lava flow erupted during episode 33 (left half of photo in foreground) at Kīlauea volcano. This was part of a morning monitoring helicopter overflight of Kīlauea summit.

This thermal map shows the temperature distribution on the crater floor at the summit of Kīlauea. The ongoing eruption has covered the crater floor in successive layers of new lava flows. This thermal map shows that the flows that erupted during episode 33 (September 19) remain warm, and are visible along the north and south margins of the crater.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists took this oblique angle view of north (center) and south vents (to the right and closer to top of photo) during a Kīlauea summit monitoring overflight on September 24. The brown sand-like material that covers the right and top parts of the photo are tephra erupted during episode 33.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory's helicopter overflight on September 24 provided aerial views of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) from the east looking west. The vents of the eruption that started on December 23, 2024 are degassing on the western side of Halema‘uma‘u crater. Mauna Loa can be seen in the background. USGS photo by N. Deligne.

Episode 33 lava fountain from the north vent, as seen from Volcano House, on the morning of September 19, 2025, at approximately 7:15 am. The lava fountain was approximately 300–400 feet (90–120 meters). Photo by USGS geologist D. Downs.

A lava bomb from the north vent above the crater rim that was found not long after it landed and cooled. As the molten bombs fly through the air, they cool and form a glassy crust with the interior full of vesicles. Most shatter into many pieces upon impact with the ground, but on rare occasions some stay mostly intact.

The episode 33 lava fountain from the north vent, at the summit of Kīlauea, is seen beyond the collapsed end of Crater Rim Drive. This portion of Crater Rim Drive was destroyed during the 2018 summit collapse events, and is closed to the public. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

Photo of the lava fountain peeking over the crater rim and the gas plume in white lofting to the southwest with the trade winds. Photo by USGS geologist D. Downs.

HVO geologists collect video and make visual observations of the episode 33 lava fountain, at the summit of Kīlauea. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

HVO geologists make an initial assessment of the episode 33 lava fountain from the collapsed end of Crater Rim Drive, at the summit of Kīlauea. This portion of Crater Rim Drive was destroyed during the 2018 summit collapse events, and is closed to the public. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

Activity at the Halema‘uma‘u summit eruption is increasing prior to episode 33. North vent is experiencing gas pistoning cycles (lava fills vent, overflows, drains). Lava flows from north vent are contained to a single dominant channel exiting the cone. North vent is approximately 20 m (65 feet) from base of the vent to the perched lava pond.

Cyclic rising and falling of the lava pond at the Halema‘uma‘u north vent was indicative of ongoing gas pistoning during the morning of September 17. Seismometers have tracked this gas pistoning since shortly after the end of Kīlauea summit eruptive episode 32 on September 2, but only in the past couple days has lava risen high enough for the cycles to be visible.

At 8:38 a.m. HST on September 17, the Halema‘uma‘u north vent overflowed for the first time in advance of Kīlauea summit eruptive episode 33.

This reference map depicts the volcanoes of the Manuʻa Islands, American Samoa, which are monitored by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

This reference map depicts the Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater that began on December 23, 2024. As of this posting on September 12, 2025, the eruption has had thirty-two episodes, with the most recent occurring on September 2.

Photo of the USGS Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring station on western Ta‘ū Island in the Manuʻa Islands of American Samoa. The station consists of a GPS unit, which can measure very slight movements of the ground, placed on a tripod that is leveled and centered over a benchmark.

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist descends from the new tephra mound at Kīlauea summit that has been deposited over part of Crater Rim Drive (closed to the public) in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The short wooden post in the bottom left is the top of a sign post for the road. A tephra collection bucket is situated here for tephra sampling.

South of the active vents at Kīlauea summit, sections of Crater Rim Drive (closed to the public) in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park are covered in thinner deposits of tephra. The main axis of deposition of tephra was to the west of the vents, where the tephra has formed a mound over 20 meters (yards) deep over the road. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists visited the caldera rim at Kīlauea summit to assess the aftermath of episode 32 lava fountaining. The vent was quiet, with no audible sounds, and a thick outgassing plume rose from the vents. The broad lava channel that was fed from episode 32 lava fountaining can be seen here extending to the left side of the image.

This photo, taken from a boat, shows Olosega Island on the left, and Ofu Island further away on the right, in the Manuʻs Islands of American Samoa. These islands, connected by a one-lane bridge (out of sight), are the top of Ofu-Olosega volcano. USGS photo by N. Deligne.

Broadband seismometer site on eastern Taʻū, American Samoa, before (inset) and after a work party cleared rapidly growing vegetation which had covered the solar panels along with the boulders to the right of the main photo. Due to lack of power from the solar panels being unable to charge during the day, the station was offline for many months.