Kīlauea
Current Eruption
Kīlauea volcano began erupting on 20 December 2020 at about 9:30 p.m. HST in Halema‘uma‘u crater.
See the Frequently Asked Questions about Kīlauea's Current Eruption
Graph showing the depth of the Halema‘uma‘u crater lava lake at Kīlauea Volcano's summit. Measurements began one day after the start of the eruption on December 20, 2020 and are updated by geologists making observations from the field. HVO field crews use a portable laser range finder to measure the vertical distance between points of known elevation and the lava lake surface. Frequent sets of repeat manual measurements were averaged and plotted to derive the lava lake depth.
On January 8, 2021, a novel laser rangefinder was stationed at Kīlauea Volcano's summit. The fixed instrument continuously measures the distance to the lava lake surface, and telemeters data to HVO in real time. The raw data has been edited for this graph, with a running mean average filter of 3600 seconds.
Variations in plotted depth can occur due to alternating field crews, the uneven surface of the lava lake, or laser rangefinder returns on gas rather than the lake surface.
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rates measured using an upward-looking ultraviolet spectrometer. These data are collected by traversing the gas plume in a vehicle or helicopter, downwind of Halema‘uma‘u, generally within and/or southwest of Kīlauea caldera. Results from multiple traverses during a day are averaged to yield the emission rates shown here. Successful measurements depend on wind, weather, and staff availability. Values are preliminary and are subject to revision.
(Public domain.)
"Volcano Watch" articles relevant to the ongoing eruption
- A New Eruption and a New Era at Kīlauea Volcano - published Dec. 24, 2020
- Kīlauea’s ongoing eruption: a rising lava lake - published Dec. 31, 2020
- Gas math—how we know how much sulfur dioxide volcanoes emit - published Jan. 14, 2021
Additional resources related to the eruption:
- Search for past volcano updates
- Subscribe to the USGS Volcano Notification Service to receive eruption updates
- Kilauea geology and history
- Vog Information Dashboard
- Kīlauea eruption creating potential air quality hazards
- General Hawai‘i County Civil Defense information or subscribe to CD alerts and updates
- Follow USGS Volcanoes on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
- Volcano viewing information from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
- Eruption Status Checks
- Kīlauea Volcano Erupts - USGS Featured Story
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park remains open with COVID restrictions. However, the Jaggar area is closed. Please visit the Park website to learn more about their operations.
Related Content
Eruption Status Checks
These short eruption status checks provide a quick synopsis of events occurring at Kīlauea volcano.
Volcano Watch — Gas math—how we know how much sulfur dioxide volcanoes emit
Volcanic gases are an important part of eruptions—they help magma to rise within the earth and erupt, they can tell us how much lava is being erupted, and the volcanic air pollution (vog) they cause can be a hazard. So it is important for the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) to measure how much of what kind of gas is being emitted by our volcanoes.
Volcano Watch — Kīlauea’s ongoing eruption: a rising lava lake
It has been an exciting week at Kīlauea Volcano as the summit eruption that began on the evening of December 20th continues. The eruption remains confined within Halemaʻumaʻu crater. Monitoring data show no signs of activity migrating from the summit into the rift zones, nor indications of summit collapse like those in 2018.
Volcano Watch — A New Eruption and a New Era at Kīlauea Volcano
‘Twas the Sunday before Christmas, the eve of the winter solstice, and festive holiday lights blinked of bright red and green. And then, shortly after 9:30 p.m. HST on December 20, so did the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s (HVO’s) volcano alert level/aviation color codes for Kīlauea!
Kīlauea Volcano Erupts
Shortly after 9:30 p.m. HST on Sunday, December 20, an eruption occurred within Kīlauea’s summit caldera. This is an evolving situation. To get up-to-date information, please check the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website. For press inquiries, please email volcanomedia@usgs.gov. [update: 12/21/2020; 10:14am HST]