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Photo and Video Chronology — January 15, 2025 — Kīlauea summit eruption episode 4

By Hawaiian Volcano Observatory January 15, 2025

Around 9:15 a.m. HST this morning, January 15, 2025, the eruption of Kīlauea within Kaluapele (summit caldera) resumed. Lava fountains are active at two vents in the west part of the caldera. 

 

Color photograph of erupting vents
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Panorama image of the north and south vents in the west portion of Kīlauea caldera are erupting lava fountains during the afternoon of January 15, 2025. Lava fountains are feeding lava flows that are moving in an eastward direction on the caldera floor. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 
Color photograph of volcanic eruption
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Episode 4 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption began this morning, January 15, 2025. Lava fountains resumed erupting from the two vents that have been active in the eruption that began within Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on December 23, 2024. Each episode of the eruption has been separated by pauses in eruptive activity lasting less than 24 hours to 12 days. More details are available in the Information Statement that HVO published on January 10, 2025: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hans-public/notice/DOI-USGS-HVO-2025-01-10T20:11:29+00:00.  USGS photograph by M. Patrick.
Color photograph of volcanic material on car
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USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists collected samples of episode 4 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption, which began the morning of January 15, 2025. The samples were collected from the west rim of Kaluapele, Kīlauea summit caldera. In this closed location of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, tephra from the 100-meter (approximately 328 feet) lava fountains was deposited.  USGS photo by M. Patrick. 
Color photograph of glove on ground
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Around 9:15 a.m. HST this morning, January 15, 2025, the eruption of Kīlauea within Kaluapele (summit caldera) resumed with a small lava flow exiting the north vent. Later in the morning, more vigorous lava fountaining began, which deposited tephra material on the west rim of the caldera in the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. This photo shows shiny newly erupted tephra on the ground, with a glove for scale. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 
Color photograph of scientist monitoring eruption
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USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists monitor episode 4 of the Kīlauea summit eruption that began this morning, January 15, 2025. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 
Color map showing area covered by new lava
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This reference map depicts the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater as of January 15, 2025. Most of the included map data were collected during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight on January 10, so the provided eruption statistics are current as of the end of the third eruptive episode on January 3. Just this morning, January 15, however, a fourth eruptive episode has begun with lava fountaining and flowing on the western side of the crater floor, so the active lava footprint has been mapped using webcam imagery. Also included here are west-to-east profiles across the summit caldera, depicting topographic changes since 2018. Profiles are provided for the periods before the 2018 caldera collapse, shortly after the 2018 collapse, following each of the five summit eruptions from 2020–2023, and for this eruption following the end of its third episode. Also shown is the maximum depth of the 2019–2020 Halema‘uma‘u water lake.
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Video compilation of Episode 4 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption began this morning, January 15, 2025. The first clip shows USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists in the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park collect tephra falling on a closed portion of Crater Rim Drive. Listen to the glassy lava particles tinkering as they land on the road. Later clips show various angles of the erupting lava fountains, which reached up to 100 meters (about 328 feet) in height. Watch as globs of lava fall onto the cone surrounding the vent and listen to sounds of the erupting vents, which some liken to the sounds of the ocean.  USGS videos by M. Patrick.

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