Images

The leading tip of the flow has moved only 40 m (130 feet) since yesterday's mapping and the lava activity at the tip was still very weak. The leading lava lobe had a dull surface and rough texture suggesting that it may have cooled somewhat within the flow interior.

The flow front activity was relatively weak today, but still active and advancing. The flow front at midday was about 1 km from the ocean (0.6 miles), having moved about 130 m (140 yards) since yesterday's mapping.

This map shows recent changes to Kīlauea's East Rift Zone lava flow field. The area of the active flow field as of June 30 is shown in pink, while widening and advancement of the active flow as mapped on July 8 is shown in red. Older Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō lava flows (1983-2016) are shown in gray.

This pāhoehoe lava flow was advancing slowly across the gentle coastal plain on the southern flank of Kīlauea. The flow front was about 1 km (0.6 miles) from the ocean, having moved about 130 m (140 yards) since yesterday's mapping.

One of the many breakouts upslope of the flow front.

A deep hole remains open on the upper northeast flank of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, revealing a forked stream of swiftly moving lava (just visible in this photo). Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater is visible in the upper part of the photo.

A wider view of the fume-filled crater at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō. The deep hole near the crater rim (see photo at left) is just left of center in this image.

After rapidly advancing across about half of the coastal plain, the flow front slowed considerably over the past day. The front moved only moved about 90 m (300 feet) since yesterday's mapping, and activity at the leading tip of the flow was fairly weak today. The position of the lava flow front relative to the shoreline can be seen in this aerial photograph.

Channelized ‘A‘ā lava flows were still active on the steep sections of the pali. Dark brown areas are recently active ‘A‘ā, and the shiny gray areas are pāhoehoe lava.

View of an ‘A‘ā flow surging down the face of the pali. Narrower ‘A‘ā channels are visible below.

As Kīlauea Volcano's active pāhoehoe flow spreads across the coastal plain on July 6, the new lava appeared more shiny or silvery compared with the older lava beneath it. Molten "toes" of lava breaking out from the leading edges of the flow can be seen in the lower right quadrant of the photo. USGS photo.

The flow front remains active, and consists of slow-moving pāhoehoe lava. This afternoon (July 7) the flow front was roughly 2.2 km (1.4 miles) from the base of the pali, 1.2 km (0.7 miles) from the ocean, and 1 km (0.6 miles) from the road.

This map of Kīlauea Volcano's lava flow shows the locations of Hawai‘i County's designated lava-viewing and parking areas (http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/lava-viewing/), as well as the lava flow's location relative to the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park boundary (green line).

Close-up view of a typical surface on pāhoehoe lava.

As this small channel of lava flows into a depression, its semi-congealed surface twists and wrinkles—forming the ropy surface commonly seen on pāhoehoe flows. Flows on the pali are visible in the background.

The flow front remains active, and was more than half way across the coastal plain today (July 6). This afternoon, the flow front was roughly 2 km (1.2 miles) from the base of the pali, and 1.3 km (0.8 miles) from the ocean. The front consisted of slow moving pāhoehoe.

The hardened crust of this pāhoehoe lava is pushed upward as the flow advances, exposing the incandescent lava beneath.

The flow front remains active, and continues to advance across the coastal plain. This afternoon, the flow front was approximately 1.7 km (1.1 miles) from the ocean. The leading front of the flow is the light gray area in the low center area of the photograph.

A comparison of a normal photograph (left) with a thermal image (right) taken from roughly the same vantage point. The thermal image shows the concentration of hot surface lava near the flow front, as well as areas of surface breakouts on and above the pali.

The amount of channelized lava on the pali has decreased over the past week, but there were still several open channels active today.

A closer look at the swiftly moving channelized lava on the pali.