Images

Pieces of lava (called tephra because they travel through the air before being deposited on the ground) blanket the crater rim downwind of the erupting vents in Kīlauea summit caldera (Kaluapele). Geologists collect samples of this material to analyze later to learn about the magma storage conditions before the eruption.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists captured this image of the Kīlauea Overlook within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park during an early morning helicopter overflight on January 3, 2025. Using the cars as a scale, it's easy to see how close the overlook is from the edge of the cliff.

This photo, taken from near the S2cam, shows the active lava fountain within Halema‘uma‘u, Kīlauea, the cone (brown) that has built up around the lava fountain, the southwest portion of the lava lake (silver and black), and the rising plume of volcanic gas.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists captured this aerial view of Kīlauea summit on January 3, 2025. The shadow of Kīlauea eruption plume is visible on Mauna Loa. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

A close-up view of an active lobe of pāhoehoe lava flowing in Kaluapele, the summit caldera of Kīlauea volcano, on January 3, 2025. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

This telephoto view shows the active lava fountain within Halema‘uma‘u as seen from the south looking north. Since the eruption started on December 23, 2024, a 125-foot (38 meter) cone has built up around the lava fountain shown here.

From the Volcano House Hotel in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, the Kīlauea summit eruption plume was visible the morning of January 3, 2025. Mauna Loa is draped in morning alpen-glow in the right side of the image. USGS photo by K. Mulliken. 

Volcanic gas scientists service one of the volcanic gas monitoring stations downwind of Kīlauea summit, with the eruption plume passing overhead. Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions have remained elevated over the past week and were measured as 30,000 tonnes per day on January 2. USGS photo by B. Lopez.

Lava fountaining in the southwest portion of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) has producing tephra cone perched along the caldera wall. USGS photo by M. Patrick on January 2, 2025. 

On January 2, USGS-Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists measured lava fountains at Kīlauea summit reaching heights of 262-295 feet (80-90 meters). USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

Two vents were active today at Kīlauea summit. The southern vent was producing the dominant fountain (left side of image) and had built a large pyroclastic cone abutting the western caldera wall. The northern vent had a lower fountain (right side of image) and a smaller cone. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

A view from the west rim of Kaluapele (Kīlauea summit caldera) of the vents erupting at Kīlauea summit. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

A broader view of the activity at Kīlauea summit. The lava fountaining has produced a large pyroclastic cone against the western wall, with deposits draped on the walls. Lava pours out of the vents into a large ponded area in the southwest portion of Halema‘uma‘u crater.

Over the past day, vents in the southwest portion of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) have continued producing a fan of lava flows covering the western portion of the crater floor during sustained lava fountaining. USGS photo by M. Patrick on January 2, 2025. 

Graph of tilting at the summit of Kīlauea recorded by the UWD tiltmeter, located near Uēkahuna bluff on the north side of the caldera and the SDH tiltmeter located south of the caldera.

Koaʻe kea (white-tailed tropicbirds) continuously fly around the lava fountain and above the lava pond at Kīlauea summit. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

This reference map depicts the Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u as of January 2, 2025. Since the onset of the eruption on December 23, 2024, it has covered a total of 673 acres (272 hectares) with new lava (pink area), and approximately half that area still hosts active flows (red area).

Another telephoto view of the vents erupting at Kīlauea summit on January 2, 2025. View is from the closed west rim area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

Here, a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist takes images and measurements of lava fountain heights during the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption on December 31, 2024; the eruption began on December 23 and has continued in episodic pulses. Geologists conduct shifts throughout the week to monitor the eruption and note any changes.

Shortly after sunrise on December 31, 2024, the eruption at Kīlauea's summit continued with 50–80 foot (15–25 meter) lava fountains continuously feeding flows across the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

At dawn on December 31, 2024 the eruption in Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) continued. The plume of volcanic gas seen here was blown to the southwest of Kaluapele across the closed Crater Rim Drive in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by K. Lynn.