Images

This reference map depicts the Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater that began on December 23, 2024. The data for this map were collected during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight on January 2, 2026; as such, the provided statistics are reflective of the first thirty-nine episodes of the eruption through December 24, 2025.

On January 12, 2026, Kīlauea had its 40th fountaining episode of the ongoing eruption within Halema‘uma‘u. This view was taken at 10:50 a.m. H.S.T. from the publicly accessible viewing area at Uēkahuna within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, showing north vent fountaining. USGS photo by N. Deligne. 

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists observe episode 40 fountains from the Uēkahuna overlook within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. This episode had multiple days of precursory overflows from both the north and south vents, leading to fountains primarily from the north vent starting on January 12 and reaching up to 800 feet (250 meters).

On January 12, 2026, Kīlauea had its 40th fountaining episode of the ongoing eruption within Halema‘uma‘u. This photo was taken at 4:37 p.m. HST from the publicly accessible viewing area at Kūpinaʻi Pali (Waldron's Ledge) within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, showing north vent fountaining. The episode ended about an hour and a half after this photo was taken.

The telephoto shows lava flowing east across the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, fed by the lava fountains in the west part of the crater.  Preliminary estimates suggest that approximately 6 million cubic meters (7.8 million cubic yards) of lava were erupted during episode 37, based on ground deformation data. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

Map of seismic stations in the Yellowstone region, with numbers of channels indicated by number and sensor type by color.  Inverted triangles indicate stations operated by University of Utah Seismograph Stations (UUSS), and squares indicate stations operated by other agencies.

This reference map depicts the volcanoes of the Manuʻa Islands, American Samoa, which are monitored by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

A USGS geologist collects a molten sample of the episode 30 lava flows, quenching the sample in a bucket of water. The chemistry of these lava samples is analyzed to better understand the source and storage of magma driving Hawaiian eruptions. USGS photo by M. Patrick taken on August 6, 2025.

A helicopter overflight on the morning of August 6, during episode 30 of the ongoing Halema‘uma‘u eruption, provided aerial views of the lava fountaining and numerous channelized lava flows covering the crater floor. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

Plots of earthquake magnitudes (top) and numbers (bottom) over the course of the July 8 - August 25, 2025 seismic swarm at Mount Rainier, Washington.  The swarm was greatest in terms of numbers of events on the morning of July 8.  After that time, earthquake rates slowly decreased over the course of the following days.

A low-angle aerial view of the vents where episodic fountaining has been occurring since the start of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption on December 23, 2024. A white plume of volcanic gas rises from the north vent (center right) and south vent (center left) cones in the southwest corner of Halema‘uma‘u crater, as viewed during a monitoring overflight.

This low-level aerial view of the tephra deposit from Kīlauea's ongoing summit eruption was captured during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight on Friday, March 14.

A wide aerial view of the summit caldera (Kaluapele) at Kīlauea volcano, showing recent lava flows (center of photo) filling the deepest portion of Halema‘uma‘u crater. The white outgassing plume from the recently active vents is carried to the southwest in the tradewinds.

An aerial view of the December 31, 1974 fissures and lava flows taken during an overflight of Kīlauea summit and upper Southwest Rift Zone on March 14, 2025. The 1974 eruption lasted 6 hours and occurred in Kīlauea's upper Southwest Rift Zone.

On Friday, March 14, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists on a morning helicopter overflight captured aerial photography to map tephra deposits downwind (southwest) of vents from the Kīlauea summit eruption that began December 23, 2024.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists captured this aerial view of Kīlauea summit on March 14, 2025, during a helicopter overflight. Three days after the end of episode 13 of the ongoing eruption, the north and south cones are degassing in the southwest corner of Halema‘uma‘u.

On the morning of March 14, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists conducted an overflight of Kīlauea summit to capture thermal and surficial imagery of the ongoing (paused) eruption. Three days after the end of episode 13, this telephoto aerial view shows the north cone degassing in the southwest corner of Halema‘uma‘u.

On the morning of March 14, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists conducted a monitoring overflight of Kīlauea. This aerial view shows cones formed during the September 2023 eruption, surrounded and partially buried by lava erupted within the past few weeks during the ongoing (and currently paused) eruption within Halema‘uma‘u. USGS photo by N. Deligne.

A closer view of Halema‘uma‘u and the downdropped block, within the deepest portion of Kīlauea's summit caldera. Lava flows have crept eastward (towards bottom left in photo) as the crater floor rises with recent infilling. USGS photo taken on March 14, 2025, by M. Patrick.

A closeup view of the south cone at the summit of Kīlauea, showing the semi-molten nature of the cone flanks. During fountaining, lava accumulates on the cone's flanks at such a high rate that the material remains hot and semi-molten, despite the appearance of cooled, solid material on the surface.

An orange five-gallon plastic bucket, secured by heavy weights, was one of several used to collect tephra from the ongoing lava fountaining at the summit of Kīlauea. The episode 13 fountaining, however, cast large bombs (some of them molten) in this particular area, battering the ground.