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.)
Lastest eruption map
See additional maps on the Kīlauea Maps Page
This map of Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea shows 20 m (66 ft) contour lines (dark gray) that mark locations of equal elevation above sea level (asl). The map shows that the lava lake has filled 224 m (735 ft) of the crater, to an elevation of 741 m (2431 ft) asl since the eruption began on December 20, 2020. Contour lines highlighted in green, purple, and blue mark the approximate rim of Halema‘uma‘u, the edge of the eastern down-dropped block, and the approximate rim of the 2018 collapse, respectively. Lava is expected to be within view of the Kīlauea Overlook visitor area shortly before it rises to the level of the green contour line at 800 m (2625 ft) asl. USGS map.
(Public domain.)
"Volcano Watch" articles relevant to the ongoing eruption
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A New Eruption and a New Era at Kīlauea Volcano - published Dec. 24, 2020
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Kīlauea’s ongoing eruption: a rising lava lake - published Dec. 31, 2020
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Gas math—how we know how much sulfur dioxide volcanoes emit - published Jan. 14, 2021
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A closer look at Kīlauea’s newest lava - published Jan. 21, 2021
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Words matter: lava, not fire, but island or raft or basalt berg? - published Jan. 28, 2021
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What’s going on at Kīlauea’s summit lava lake? - published Feb. 18, 2021
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Seismicity preceding the 2020 eruption of Kīlauea Volcano - published March 4, 2021
Additional resources related to the eruption:
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Subscribe to the USGS Volcano Notification Service to receive eruption updates
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General Hawai‘i County Civil Defense information or subscribe to CD alerts and updates
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Volcano viewing information from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
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Kīlauea Volcano Erupts - USGS Featured Story
Hawai‘i 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 — Seismicity preceding the 2020 eruption of Kīlauea Volcano
Pele returned to the summit of Kīlauea on the evening of December 20, 2020. Incredible video documents the start of the new eruption in Halema‘uma‘u and the dynamic ongoing activity. There was no significant change that suggested lava would erupt again so rapidly, but there were subtle signs of restless...
Volcano Watch — What’s going on at Kīlauea’s summit lava lake?
Kīlauea’s current lava lake formed on December 20th and rose rapidly within Halema‘uma‘u crater during the dynamic first week of the ongoing summit eruption. Near the end of December, the eruption stabilized and the lava lake has been slowly changing since then.
Volcano Watch — Words matter: lava, not fire, but island or raft or basalt berg?
Words matter in volcanology just as in the rest of society. Words matter among volcanologists themselves, of course, but they particularly matter in our dealings with the public, when we attempt to both tell what is happening and educate about how volcanoes work. Accuracy of words promotes understanding and clarity of thought and is essential to both telling and educating.
Volcano Watch — A closer look at Kīlauea’s newest lava
Every rock on Earth is made of up a unique combination of chemical elements, and lavas/tephra formed during Hawaiian eruptions are no exception. What is the geochemistry of Kīlauea’s newest tephra—and how can it help us understand the processes driving the ongoing eruption?
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]