Volcano Watch

Active volcanoes are inherently hazardous places to work. Even when a volcano is quiet, volcanic gases, ground cracks, earthquakes, and uneven...

During volcanic crises, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) plays a pivotal role, sharing information on activity and associated hazards with...

It’s hard to believe that nearly one year has passed since Mauna Loa erupted. Mauna Loa has been mostly quiet since the end of the 2022 eruption, but...

For over thirty years, high-precision GPS (Global Positioning System) measurements have been a key tool used by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory...

The most recent eruption at Kīlauea’s summit began on Sunday, September 10, 2023. Following weeks of heightened unrest, fissures opened on the Halema...

Distinguished volcanologist Dr. James P. “Jim” Kauahikaua, Ph.D., passed away in the early morning hours of Sunday, October 8, 2023. James Puupai...

The Great Hawaii ShakeOut is a yearly event for kamaʻāina and visitors to practice and prepare for when a large damaging earthquake hits the Hawaiian...

Here in Hawaii nei, we don’t have the dramatically changing leaf colors and brisk temperatures that mark the arrival of Fall. And as October arrived...

Kīlauea’s recent summit eruptions and lava lakes are exciting for residents, visitors, and scientists. However, Kīlauea has had numerous explosive...

It’s 3 a.m. and you’re halfway through a 12-6 a.m. graveyard shift at the NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) in Honolulu, Hawaii. 

Kīlauea is now erupting at the summit for the fifth time since 2020! The ongoing eruption offers an opportunity for Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)...

Measuring how a volcano deforms in response to moving magma is one of the cornerstones of volcano monitoring. Our instrumentation includes a number of...

Volcanic eruptive activity may take many forms, from gently erupting basaltic fissures in Hawaii to intense explosive eruptions like those of Mount St...

Dr. Lis Gallant has spent the last two and a half years at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) as a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral...

Last month a "Volcano Watch" article discussed the bicentennial of the first visit of westerners to Kīlauea caldera, led by English missionary William...

Understanding the eruptive history of volcanoes in Hawaii requires a tremendous amount of time and effort examining deposits. Typically, older...

It's been one year since Taʻū volcano in American Samoa started shaking residents of the Manuʻa Islands (Ofu-Olosega and Ta‘ū Islands). Fortunately...

Ocean swells are constantly occurring across the Earth’s oceans. These swells interact with the ocean crust below, creating continuous ocean noise...

Kīlauea’s activity from 2018 until now has been compared to cycles of summit collapse and refilling prior to 1924. However, Kīlauea also exhibited...

On August 1, 1823, an English missionary named William Ellis visited Kīlauea caldera with his Hawaiian guides on a tour of the Island of Hawaiʻi.  He...