Volcano Watch

The Island of Hawai'i consists of five coalesced volcanoes, a submarine volcano that has already subsided below sea level, and another, Lō‘ihi...

The 15 volcanoes that comprise the eight principal Hawaiian Islands are the youngest in a linear chain of about 125 volcanoes that stretches for about...

The long-lived eruption on Kīlauea's East Rift Zone took a short break starting Tuesday, August 22. Before the pause in activity, we observed that the...

A recent visitor to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory was involved with the removal of abandoned vehicles from the area surrounding the Sand Hill cone...

The rapidly changing geology in the Hawaiian Islands has profound consequences for the plants and animals in Hawai'i on several time scales.

The eruption on Kīlauea's East Rift Zone continues with little change. Lava is erupting from two vents located on the south and west flanks of the Pu...

The mission of the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is to monitor the volcanoes of Hawaii, to study the geological processes...

Soufriere Hills Volcano on the island of Montserrat in the Caribbean became active on July 18, 1995. This is the first eruption of the volcano in...

For several weeks we have been fielding calls from anxious people in Kona asking about an imminent eruption of Hualālai Volcano.

Last week we discussed the different land surveying techniques HVO scientists use to monitor the swelling and movement of active volcanoes.
 

The ground around an active volcano swells, deflates, or shifts as magma moves in and out of the volcano's underground plumbing system. The...

Hawaii is a land of rugged beauty and untamed natural forces swathed in a beguiling gentleness that is unmatched anywhere else on Earth.
 

The formation of new islands invariably sparks the imagination. On June 6th a submarine eruption began at Metis Shoal in the Tonga Islands. A passing...

On Monday and Tuesday of this past week, large waves generated by a storm near New Zealand caused considerable damage on the west coast of Hawai'i...

Hawaii is seismically very active. During a typical month, there are invariably several earthquakes that are large enough to be felt. This past month...

The eruption along Kīlauea's East Rift Zone continues with little change. Lava from two vents on the south and west sides of the Pu'u 'O'o cone is...

Maps showing volcanic hazard zones for the Big Island were first prepared in 1974 by the U.S. Geological Survey.

The main function of the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is to reduce the risk from volcanic activity.
 

The current eruption along Kīlauea's East Rift Zone continues with passive effusion of lava. The lava is transported underground to the coast along...

Sitting at lunch on Wednesday, many residents of the island of Hawaii might have thought that someone or something had kicked their chairs. Of course...