Unified Interior Regions
Hawaii
The Pacific Region has nine USGS Science Centers in California, Nevada, and Hawaii. The Regional Office, headquartered in Sacramento, provides Center oversight and support, facilitates internal and external collaborations, and works to further USGS strategic science directions.
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Small-scale map of flow field
This small-scale map shows Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow in relation to the eastern part of the Island of Hawai‘i.

Map showing flow field changes
This map shows recent changes to Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow field.

Small-scale map of flow field
This small-scale map shows Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow in relation to the eastern part of the Island of Hawai‘i.

Map showing flow field changes
This map shows recent changes to Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow field.

Landsat satellite image shows June 27th lava flow
This satellite image was captured on Tuesday, October 13, 2015 by the Landsat 8 satellite.

Map showing flow field changes
This map shows recent changes to Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow field.

Small-scale map of flow field
This small-scale map shows Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow in relation to the eastern part of the Island of Hawai‘i.

Large-scale map with thermal mosaic overlay
This map overlays a georeferenced thermal image mosaic onto a map of the flow field to show the distribution of active and recently active breakouts.

Small-scale map of flow field
This small-scale map shows Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow in relation to the eastern part of the Island of Hawai‘i.

Satellite image shows June 27th lava flow
This satellite image was captured on Wednesday, September 2, by the Advanced Land Imager instrument onboard NASA's Earth Observing 1 satellite.

Map showing flow field changes
This map shows recent changes to Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow field.

Map showing flow field changes
This map shows recent changes to Kīlauea’s active East Rift Zone lava flow field.
Lava flowing into Halema‘uma‘u from multiple channels 12/28/2020
Lava flowing from the western fissure vent feeds multiple channels. This video was taken by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory's geology field team on December 28, 2020, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. The team is located at an observation point on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater, and is using a telephoto lens to document fissure behavior. During the three-hour period, the field team
Using a laser ranger finder to measure Kīlauea summit eruption
HVO field crews have been using a laser range finder to measure the vertical distance between points of known elevation and features of the ongoing eruption, such as the lava lake surface level and the erupting vents. This morning, the eruption continues at the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u, and streams of lava about 40 m (131 ft) pour from the vent to the lava lake surface.
...December 28, 2020, sunrise at Kīlauea's summit
Sunrise at the summit of Kīlauea, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, on the morning of December 28, 2020. Portions of Crater Rim Drive that down-dropped during Kīlauea's 2018 collapse events, are visible in the lower left. This area remains closed to the public due to hazardous conditions. USGS photo by C. Parcheta.
Overflight of Halema‘uma‘u lava lake and active west vent, 12/28/20
28 December 2020 - Kīlauea Volcano, US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory - A helicopter overflight this morning (9:30 a.m. HST) provided aerial views of the eruption in Halema‘uma‘u. This video shows the lava lake and active west vent. The spatter rampart built by the northern/eastern vent that is no longer erupting is visible on the crater wall. Visual and
December 26, 2020—Kīlauea summit topographic changes
This graphic depicts the changes to Kīlauea Volcano's summit resulting from the eruption that began on December 20, 2020. Pre-eruption topography of Halema'uma'u crater, collected in 2019, is shown on the left and compared to the topography at the summit on December 26, 2020. The models show that the deepest portion of Halema'uma'u at Kīlauea Volcano's summit has been
...Kīlauea summit eruption - Dec. 28, 2020 at 6 p.m. HST
The eruption with Halema‘uma‘u continues on the evening of December 28, 2020. This photo shows an HVO scientist making observations of Kīlauea's summit lava lake, with Mauna Loa in the background. HVO scientists have been monitoring the eruption from within an area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park that remains closed to the public for safety reasons. No major changes
...KW webcam image taken December 27, 2020, just after 6:30 a.m. HST.
Kīlauea summit KW webam image taken on December 27, 2020, just after 6:30 a.m. HST. The eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu continues and this photo shows that activity remains focused at the west vent as of Dec. 27 morning. You can view live KW webcam images here.
...Kīlauea summit eruption - Dec. 27, 2020 at 7:15 a.m. HST
The western vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater wall at Kīlauea summit remains active but field crews monitoring the eruption this morning (December 27) noted that its vigor is somewhat reduced from yesterday. Where three open channels were observed yesterday, there are only two today. Of the three locations that have been erupting at the west fissure vent, the eastern one has
...Kīlauea summit eruption - Dec. 27, 2020 at 7:15 a.m. HST
HVO field crews were unable to observe early morning eruption activity in Halema‘uma‘u crater at Kīlauea's summit due to high winds. Upon return to the eruption site this morning, HVO field crews noted the reduced vigor at the western vent. The northern/eastern vent remains inactive. At approximately 7:30 a.m. HST today (Dec. 27), HVO field crews measured the lava lake as
...December 27, 2020—Kīlauea summit eruption contour map
This map of Halema‘uma‘u at Kīlauea's summit shows 20 m (66 ft) contour lines (black) that mark locations of equal elevation above sea level (asl). The map shows that the lava lake (approximate outline marked in red) has filled 177 m (580 ft) of Halema‘uma‘u since the eruption began at approximately 9:30 p.m. HST on December 20, 2020 (nearly one week ago). The lava lake
...Evening views of the eruption in Halema‘uma‘u, 12/27/2020
27 December 2020 - Kīlauea Volcano US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory - Evening views of the eruption in Halema‘uma‘u. The west vent remained active overnight, with strombolian-like bursts and lava cascades. Lava cascading from the vent plunges into the lava lake in multiple places, causing local upwelling. As the cascades enter the lava lake, they cause the
Kīlauea summit west vent - Dec. 26, 2020 at 5:15 a.m. HST
As of about 2:40 a.m. HST on December 26, 2020, activity at the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater wall at Kīlauea's summit has increased. This photo, taken at approximately 5:15 a.m. HST shows fountaining at the west vent, and lava pouring from the north end of the fissure into the growing lava lake. HVO field crews monitoring the activity overnight measured the west vent
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2018 Kīlauea lower East Rift Zone eruption and calderal collapse described in Science paper.

USGS Fact Sheet, written by HVO scientists, won the 2018 Shoemaker Award for Communications Product Excellence for the Small Print category.

Information about how to stay informed about Hawaiian volcanoes.

A temporary monitoring camera on the west rim of Kīlauea caldera now provides views looking east toward the bottom of the recently enlarged Halema‘uma‘u.

With the end of Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption, the Island of Hawai‘i was able, at long last, to say goodbye to strong vog—volcanic smog produced by voluminous sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions.

January 2019 is Hawaiʻi Island's 10th annual Volcano Awareness Month.

Earthquakes in Hawaii are intimately related to the volcanoes. In addition to helping scientists track moving magma, sometimes they happen simply because the earth under the island chain gets bent out of shape.

The 2018 lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) eruption of Kīlauea brought an end to the 35+ year eruption at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō. With the draining of the summit and the collapse of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, Puna residents were concerned that the eruption in the LERZ could be long-lived.

One of the most frequent questions asked of USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) scientists the last several months has been, “Is the lower East Rift eruption over?” But the same question could – and should – be asked of the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō eruption.

Due to the lapse in appropriations, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists are unable to present public lectures as planned.

Due to the lapse in appropriations, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists are unable to present lectures as planned.

During the current federal government shutdown, the Volcano Hazard Program and all five U.S. Volcano Observatories will continue to issue updates, warnings, and notifications through the usual channels, including websites, email, and social media.