Images

Photo calendar compilation of the 48 lava fountaining episodes that have occurred at Kīlauea's summit eruption. The eruption started on December 23, 2024, and episode 48 occurred on June 1, 2026.

About 5 miles (8 km) east northeast of the eruption location in Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of Kīlauea, ash and Pele's hair accumulated on the hood of a white vehicle during episode 48 of lava fountaining on June 1, 2026.

In the early morning hours of June 1, 2026, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists reported to Uēkahuna to watch the beginning of Kīlauea summit eruption fountaining episode 48. The fountaining episode began at 4:40 a.m. HST and by the time the scientists arrived around 5:00 a.m.

Lava fountains of episode 48 started at 4:40 a.m. HST from the north vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea volcano. Lava fountains have reached a maximum height of almost 650 ft (200 m) at their peak, shown here in a photo taken at 06:19 a.m. HST. USGS photo by L. Gallant.

On June 27, 2026, steady trade winds blew the plume from Kīlauea summit eruption episode 50 to the southwest of Halema‘uma‘u.

This reference map depicts the Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater that began on December 23, 2024. Most of the data for this map were collected during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight on May 22, 2026, so the provided statistics are reflective of the entire eruption through episode 47 on May 14–15.

An aerial view from the west side of Halemaʻumaʻu shows the 150-foot (45 meter) high tephra cone that has formed on the rim of the crater during the 2024–ongoing eruption at the summit of Kīlauea. Gas emitted from the north and south vents, not currently erupting, is visible wafting over the rim of the crater. USGS photo by D. Downs.

As USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory traversed under the volcanic plume from Kīlauea summit where it was transported downwind into the Kaʻū Desert area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, they captured this view of the Maunaiki  shield and Kaʻū Desert trail.

A view of Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall near the south sulphur bank area, where the basalt has been altered and weathered by long-term degassing in this area, causing the pastel colors of discoloration.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists conducted a monitoring overflight of Kīlauea summit the morning of May 22, 2026. During the overflight, they collected imagery to create a three-dimensional model of the crater floor, thermal imagery to determine the extent of episode 47 lava flows, and traversed beneath the volcanic plume to measure emission rates.

During a monitoring overflight on May 22, 2026, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists captured this aerial view looking down into the south vent in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea. Magma was visible within both the south and north vents during the overflight; the north vent is visible degassing on the right side of this image.

A view of the volcanic plume from the degassing north and south vents in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea. Trade winds during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitoring overflight on May 22, 2026, transported the plume to the southwest, into the Kaʻū Desert and closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by K. Mulliken. 

This view, from the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of Kīlauea, shows the north and south vents degassing with the slope of the tephra cone on the crater rim visible in the background. USGS photo by M. Cappos. 

Left: Lava fountains on January 1, 1985, during episode 29 of the Puʻuʻōʻō eruption on the middle East Rift Zone of Kīlauea. Right: Lava fountains on January 24, 2026, during episode 41 of the Halemaʻumaʻu eruption.

Comparison of the 1983–1986 Puʻuʻōʻō eruption lava fountain heights (top) with those of the 2024–ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption (bottom).

The area south of Halema‘uma‘u has many ground cracks, many associated with the 2018 Kīlauea summit collapse and others associated with more recent earthquakes and ground deformation. While tephra from the ongoing summit eruption has covered and obscured many ground cracks, the deposit itself in places has deep cracks.

This telephoto view looking northwest shows the south vent (center), with the north vent (right) just out of view, in Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. In the leadup to episode 47, the south vent had about 75 overflows, but only the north vent produced lava fountaining during episode 47. Both vents are degassing in the photo.

Misty weather partially obscured views of episode 47 at the summit of Kīlauea on May 14, 2026. This photo was taken approximately 2 1/2 hours into the eruptive episode, which began at 3:27 p.m. HST. Only the north vent erupted a lava fountain, which fed channelized lava flows across the crater floor within Kaluapele. USGS photo by L. Forster.

The lava fountain erupting from the north vent during episode 47 on May 14, 2026, seen here, sent light tephra into public areas of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and surrounding communities to the northeast. Tephra is a general term for any fragmental material ejected during a volcanic eruption. USGS photo by L. Gallant. 

The north vent (right in photo) in Halemaʻumaʻu erupted a lava fountain during episode 47 at the summit of Kīlauea on May 14, 2026. It reached a maximum height of around 650 feet (200 meters). The south vent (left in photo) had intermittent spattering during the first two hours of the episode. USGS photo by L. Forster.

The lava fountain erupted by the north vent during episode 47 on May 14, 2026, reached about 650 feet (200 m) in height. It fed lava flows that covered portions of the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater and the southwest side of Kaluapele, Kīlauea's summit caldera. USGS photo by L. Gallant.