Volcano Watch

The limited collapse of the inner part of Kīlauea Volcano's caldera this summer fell well short of the larger summit-wide collapses that occurred in...

Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption and summit collapse provided a rare opportunity to study dynamic eruptive processes beneath and...

In 1902, Thomas A. Jaggar, a geologist and founder of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), visited the scene of one of the most deadly volcanic...

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) has an extensive network of instruments that helps us monitor how the ground deforms due to magma moving...

Many Island of Hawai‘i residents are familiar with the volcanic air pollution known as "vog." The main culprit in the formation of vog is sulfur...

The visible part of Kīlauea from the summit to the Lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) makes up only a small portion of the total volcano. Much of Kīlauea...

Since the morning of August 4, 2018, activity at Kīlauea Volcano's summit and its lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) has diminished dramatically—and the...

"How long will it last?" is one of the most challenging questions asked about a volcanic eruption, including Kīlauea Volcano's current lower East Rift...

"What's happening inside the volcano?" is just one of many questions asked about Kīlauea's ongoing lower East Rift Zone eruption. Looking at the...

Since May 3, 2018, Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone eruption has destroyed more than 700 structures, covered more than 32 sq km (12.4 sq mi) of...

For many Hawaii residents, interactions with Kīlauea Volcano's eruptions is through vog—a hazy mixture of sulfur dioxide gas and sulfate particles...

We are currently witnessing extraordinary events at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. For weeks the summit has subsided both in a continuous fashion and...

At the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, Halema‘uma‘u has changed dramatically since early May 2018. As the crater walls and inner caldera slump inward, the...

For more than six months, earthquakes at Mauna Loa have diminished and deformation has slowed, indicating that the volcano is no longer at an elevated...

When volcanic gases are released into the atmosphere, resulting plumes sometimes appear to have a faint color. Is this color indicative of a certain...

Small explosions that produce ashfall from Kīlauea Volcano's summit are not new. However, the mechanism, vigor, plume heights, and extent of ash...

With the current activity at the volcano's lower East Rift Zone and summit, it's an understatement to say that Kīlauea has been making worldwide...

Numerous hazards are associated with active lava flows, and USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists have written about many of them in past...

False rumors about the ongoing volcanic activity at the summit and lower East Rift Zone of Kīlauea Volcano are causing unnecessary anxiety and...

Last week's Volcano Watch focused on the East Rift Zone eruption, which continues to impact the lower Puna District on the Island of Hawai‘i. Changes...