Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

September 10, 2023

Kīlauea volcano is erupting. At approximately 3:15 p.m. HST on September 10, 2023, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory observed eruptive activity in Kīlauea summit webcam images and from field reports indicating that an eruption has commenced within Halemaʻumaʻu crater and on the down dropped block to the east in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. 

lava fountains at the summit of Kīlauea
An eruption at the summit of Kīlauea volcano began on September 10, 2023. The main fountain, which HVO geologists estimate is approximately 50 meters tall, is on the eastern margin of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. As of approximately 4:30 p.m., the fissures extend approximately 1350 meters to the northeast, onto the downdropped block that formed during the 2018 summit collapse. 

HVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice



Volcano: Kilauea (VNUM #332010)



Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING

Previous Volcano Alert Level: WATCH



Current Aviation Color Code: RED

Previous Aviation Color Code: ORANGE





Issued: Sunday, September 10, 2023, 3:18 PM HST

Source: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

Notice Number: 2023/H274

Location: N 19 deg 25 min W 155 deg 17 min

Elevation: 4091 ft (1247 m)

Area: Hawaii



Volcanic Activity Summary:

Kīlauea volcano is erupting. At approximately 3:15 p.m. HST on September 10, 2023, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory observed eruptive activity in Kīlauea summit webcam images and from field reports indicating that an eruption has commenced within Halemaʻumaʻu crater and on the down dropped block to the east in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.  The eruption was preceded by a period of strong seismicity and rapid uplift of the summit.



The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is elevating Kīlauea’s volcano alert level from WATCH to WARNING and its aviation color code from ORANGE to RED as this eruption and associated hazards are evaluated.  

The opening phases of eruptions are dynamic. Webcam imagery shows fissures at the base of Halemaʻumaʻu crater generating lava flows on the surface of the crater floor. The activity is confined to Halemaʻumaʻu and the hazards will be reassessed as the eruption progresses.

HVO will continue to monitor this activity closely and report any significant changes in future notices.



HVO is in constant communication with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park as this situation evolves. The activity is confined entirely within the park.

For more information about the meaning of volcano alert levels and aviation color codes, see https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcanic-alert-levels-characterize-conditions-us-volcanoes 

Get Our News

These items are in the RSS feed format (Really Simple Syndication) based on categories such as topics, locations, and more. You can install and RSS reader browser extension, software, or use a third-party service to receive immediate news updates depending on the feed that you have added. If you click the feed links below, they may look strange because they are simply XML code. An RSS reader can easily read this code and push out a notification to you when something new is posted to our site.