Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Volcano Watch

Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. 

Filter Total Items: 1763
Volcano Watch — Kīlauea's eruptions haven't always been as tame as now

Volcano Watch — Kīlauea's eruptions haven't always been as tame as now

Kīlauea is famous for eruptions of the type we are now experiencing--quiet effusion of lava that makes the eruption approachable. However, not all of...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — Updated volcano maps incorporate new hazard zones

Volcano Watch — Updated volcano maps incorporate new hazard zones

A few weeks ago, several members of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff presented information about volcanic hazards on Hawaii to the Hawaiian...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — Action aplenty this week at Kīlauea volcano eruption

Volcano Watch — Action aplenty this week at Kīlauea volcano eruption

The past week has been eventful with many changes in the on-going eruption. The eruption stopped once again starting Thursday, April 14, in the...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — Kīlauea flows are large

Volcano Watch — Kīlauea flows are large

The eruption along Kīlauea's east rift zone continues without interruption. The lava is erupting from two vents, which we call the episode 51 and 53...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — Volcano observatory was founded in 1912

Volcano Watch — Volcano observatory was founded in 1912

The U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is located adjacent to the Thomas Jaggar Museum on the rim of Kīlauea caldera. The...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — Geologists reexamine big earthquake of 1868

Volcano Watch — Geologists reexamine big earthquake of 1868

April 2 marks the anniversary of the largest earthquake to occur in the Hawaiian Islands in historic time. This great earthquake occurred in 1868 and...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — Mauna Loa eruption gave Hilo scare

Volcano Watch — Mauna Loa eruption gave Hilo scare

Friday, March 25, marked the tenth anniversary of the last eruption of Mauna Loa Volcano. The 1984 eruption followed a nine-year period of quiescence...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — Pause in eruption gives way to flows again

Volcano Watch — Pause in eruption gives way to flows again

Following the spectacular display of steam explosions and lava fountaining at the ocean entries last week, this week began with another pause in the...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — Volcano erupts in big show

Volcano Watch — Volcano erupts in big show

Lava activity at the coast where the flows enter the ocean has been spectacular this past week. The activity has included high lava spattering and...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — Eruption takes brief pause, then resumes

Volcano Watch — Eruption takes brief pause, then resumes

The 11-year-long eruption on Kīlauea's East Rift Zone took a brief pause on Thursday, but activity resumed within a matter of hours. 
 

Read Article
Volcano Watch — The hazards of post and pier foundations

Volcano Watch — The hazards of post and pier foundations

The column last week summarized the types of damage to structures resulting from shaking during large earthquakes beneath Hawai‘i.

Read Article
Volcano Watch — Earthquake building tips for a hyper-seismic isle

Volcano Watch — Earthquake building tips for a hyper-seismic isle

Over the last several weeks, we have run suggestions of specific things that you can do to reduce your exposure to damage caused by earthquakes. 

Read Article
Volcano Watch — Dangerous ledge collapses becoming more common

Volcano Watch — Dangerous ledge collapses becoming more common

Lava from the 11-year long eruption along Kīlauea's East Rift Zone continues to pour into the ocean near Kamoamoa inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — More tips for surviving the next big quake

Volcano Watch — More tips for surviving the next big quake

The magnitude-5.2 earthquake that occurred at 12:02 a.m. Tuesday morning served as a not-so-gentle reminder of the seismic hazard on the Island of...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — How to reduce your earthquake risk

Volcano Watch — How to reduce your earthquake risk

Large, damaging earthquakes have occurred frequently in Hawai`i in the past and will occur again in the future, as we discussed last week. However...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — Most of Hawaii is vulnerable to big LA-style earthquakes

Volcano Watch — Most of Hawaii is vulnerable to big LA-style earthquakes

A magnitude-6.6 earthquake devastated the Northridge area of Los Angeles on Monday, January 17, at 4:31 a.m. The extent and type of damage in the Los...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — Eleven years of activity at Kīlauea volcano - part II

Volcano Watch — Eleven years of activity at Kīlauea volcano - part II

Editor's note: The following is part two of an 11-year retrospective look at Kīlauea Volcano - October 1992 through the end of 1993.
 

Read Article
Volcano Watch — Kīlauea: The longest and most destructive eruption

Volcano Watch — Kīlauea: The longest and most destructive eruption

Editor's note: Today's "Volcano Watch" includes the first half of a 11-year retrospective of the Kīlauea eruption up to October 1992. Next week, the...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — Mauna Kea a good place to observe glacier action

Volcano Watch — Mauna Kea a good place to observe glacier action

The snow that fell this past week at the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa volcanoes reminds us that it can get cold enough to snow, even here in the...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — 67,145 quakes recorded at HVO so far this year

Volcano Watch — 67,145 quakes recorded at HVO so far this year

The staff and associates of the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory extend a warm and cheerful holiday greeting to all of the...

Read Article
Volcano Watch — The Big Isle's rapidly sinking into the sea, researchers say

Volcano Watch — The Big Isle's rapidly sinking into the sea, researchers say

The National Science Foundation recently supported a scientific drill hole to examine the long-term growth of a Hawaiian volcano. The objective...

Read Article
Was this page helpful?