Volcano Watch

To help determine the timing of eruptive activity, geologists use a radiocarbon age-dating technique. Collecting charcoal is the most common method...

While scattered references to "Old Faithful" can be found after 1916, the persistent lava fountain, which played at Kīlauea Volcano for a quarter of a...

The explosive event at Halema‘uma‘u Crater's lava lake on August 6, 2016, was the latest in a series that began in 2008. It is useful to view the...

At 10:02 p.m., HST, on Saturday, August 6, a section of altered, thermally-stressed rock enclosing the Halema‘uma‘u Crater lava lake detached from the...

2016 International Training Program course brings together scientists and technicians from around the globe to learn about and practice volcano...

Lava erupting from the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent entered the ocean along Kīlauea Volcano's south coast this past week for the first time since 2013—perhaps the...

What an exciting time for Kīlauea volcano-watchers! 

On the Island of Hawai‘i, lichens are important colonists of young lava flows, particularly ‘a‘ā lava.

Two years ago, Kīlauea Volcano's "June 27th" flow advanced to the northeast, threatening Pāhoa and creating major disruptions to thousands of...

Readers of Volcano Watch might recall past articles that have described various ways in which the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) studies and...

The engagement of written history and geology, two ordinarily separated academic disciplines, has—once more—proven unexpectedly fruitful in our...

Early on the morning of May 24, 2016, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists were alerted by text message that a tiltmeter on the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō cone...

During the past 148 years, Mauna Loa Southwest Rift Zone eruptions have sent massive lava flows across Hawai‘i Island's main road six times: in 1868...

Island of Hawai‘i residents, especially those living in South Kona and Ka‘ū Districts, which are at particular risk from Mauna Loa's Southwest Rift...

Mosquitoes have been on the minds of Hawai‘i Island residents and visitors due to the recent outbreak of dengue fever. On February 12, 2016, Hawaii...

Mauna Loa's renewed activity, especially the recent earthquake and deformation changes, has HVO scientists polishing old keys while developing new...

Photography continues to be a powerful tool for HVO geologists trying to tease out details of old and new eruptions at Kīlauea and other Hawaiian...

Kīlauea is an explosive volcano that will, almost certainly, explode again.

This past week was Darryl Oliveira's last as the Administrator of Hawai‘i County CD, a position he has held since early 2013. He retires effective May...

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Geologic Map of the Island of Hawaii, known affectionately to local volcanologists as the BIMP (Big Island...