Latest news with #Kīlauea
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Kīlauea could put on another spectacular show soon
VOLCANO, Hawaii (KHON2) — Kīlauea could put on another spectacular show in the coming days. On May 25, episode 23 left witnesses in awe as lava fountains reached 1,150 feet, which is the highest fountaining since the eruption began in December 2024. 'As soon as episode 23 ended, the activity we saw on the surface stopped but immediately pressure started building up again underneath the ground,' explained Dr. David Phillips, USGS Hawaiian Volcano observatory deputy scientist in charge. He said they use tilt meters and GPS to measure the shape of the ground. 'And we can see the inflation happening right now and that's telling us that the pressure is building up again,' he continued. 'It's the same pattern we've seen before, all previous 23 episodes, so that tells us that yes a 24th episode is coming very soon.' And he says it's likely to begin in the next one to five days. 'It's a higher probability that's when it will start, but it's not guaranteed,' Phillips said. Kīlauea began erupting back on Dec. 23, and has had periodic fountaining episodes ever since. He said the last time there were similar fountaining eruptions like this in the east rift zone was in 1983 at the beginning of the Puʻu ʻŌʻō eruption. 'The last time we had fountains like this at Kīlauea summit was actually back in 1959,' he added. He said that eruption lasted one month and fountains were almost 2,000 feet tall. Experts are not sure if the upcoming episode will mirror Sunday's episode. Phillips said it's just like watching your favorite TV show. 'Just like you never know what's coming next on your favorite episode on TV, we may get something similar, it may be higher, lower we'll find out when episode 24 arrives,' he said. Overnight, USGS reported intermittent glow with occasional spatter in both vents and says strands of volcanic glass also known as Pele's hair are present through the summit area of the park and nearby communities. 'It's nice to look at, but it can be very dangerous because it's shards of glass and it can cut you, don't ingest it, and don't rub it if it gets on your car,' he continued. He said all activity is currently at the summit, and he says any episode could be the last so if you're interested in seeing it, make sure you check out the park in the coming days. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Eruption at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Captured in Mesmerizing Footage
A lava flow captured after a Kīlauea eruption at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park this weekend has led to a dramatic lava show as the molten orange glow has shot fountains over 1,000 feet into the air, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, which posted dramatic photos of the event. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported that the dramatic eruption produced mountainous lava flows that covered approximately half of the Halema'uma'u crater floor. According to their measurements, the volcanic plume from the eruption reached heights of more than 14,000 feet into the sky, which is almost the height of the Eiffel Tower. Since an eruption on 23 December, activity around the volcano has been stop-start, lasting as little as 13 hours to as long as eight is a livestream of the awe-inspiring show available here. Tourists on the Big Island can see the orange-hued glow for miles. Despite the dramatic fountaining show, there is no danger to the public. All activity remains within a closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, and no unusual activity has been observed along other parts of the volcano, officials said. But, officials say there is a phenomenon known as "Pele's Hair" that is a hazard, which is described as "windblown volcanic glass," along with tephra, which are gases, that "have impacted Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and nearby communities," scientists warn.
CBC
28-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Kīlauea: a living volcano and natural lab
Kīlauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island is erupting again, shooting lava over 300 metres into the air in a rare display of sustained lava fountaining. As Johanna Wagstaffe explains, this kind of eruption isn't just dramatic — it's also a gold mine for scientists.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Watch: 1,000-Foot Lava Jets Erupt From Hawaii's Kīlauea Volcano
Kīlauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, is at it again. The infamous crater has been spurting fountains of lava on and off since the end of last year, and on May 25, it shot a fiery jet of molten rock over 300 meters (1,000 feet) into the sky. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) livestreamed a video of the uncontrolled outburst – the volcano's 23rd tantrum since December 2024, and the biggest of the bunch. All in all, Kīlauea's latest blowup lasted for just over six hours. Beginning at 4:15 pm Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time, thin jets of lava began erupting from the north vent, turning from sporadic bursts to sustained fountains of lava. Within half an hour, the situation at the north vent had escalated quickly, and a lava fountain reached its pinnacle of 300 meters. Soon after, in a south vent, other fountains of lava reached 250 meters in height. "Large lava flows erupted from both vents and covered about half of Halema'uma'u crater floor," reads a USGS update. By 10:25 pm that night, both vents had calmed down. Luckily, for now, all of the eruptions have been contained within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on the island of Hawai'i. But that doesn't mean surrounding populations won't face fallout. The eruptive plume of ash, volcanic glass, and rock produced by Kīlauea on May 25 reached at least 1,500 meters into the sky. Scientists at the USGS say their primary concern is the volcanic gas, which could travel downwind and impact human health, possibly causing respiratory issues if concentrations in the air are high enough. Eruptions like these, however, can also produce strands of volcanic glass, called Pele's hair, which can also travel on the wind and cause skin and eye irritation. The volcano has quietened down for now, but in its current phase it seems to be kicking up a fuss every week or so. There's no signs a larger eruption is growing, but another outburst of lava is likely on the horizon. Giant Megalodon's Prey Finally Revealed, And It's Not What We Thought Earth's Core Holds a Vast Reservoir of Gold, And It's Leaking Toward The Surface Scientists Peered Inside The Echidna's Mysterious 'Pseudo-Pouch'
Fox News
26-05-2025
- Science
- Fox News
Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano erupts with 1,000-foot 'lava fountaining'
Kīlauea Volcano – located along the southeastern shore of Hawaii Island – experienced "lava fountaining" that reached at least 1,000 feet high over the weekend. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) describes Kīlauea as one of the world's most active volcanoes. It has been erupting intermittently since Dec. 23, 2024, within the summit caldera in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The 23rd episode of precursory activity began late last week with "low-level spattering and flames." According to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, small lava fountains and lava overflows from the north vent started around 11:30 a.m. Saturday. "Sustained fountaining expected any time through the weekend," Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Service wrote. The USGS reports that Kīlauea "is in a unique phase of activity in Halemaʻumaʻu, with numerous episodes of dual lava fountains since the eruption began." "Two eruptive vents are located in the southwest part of the caldera, referred to as the north and south vent, and they have been intermittently active, producing new lava flows over parts of Halemaʻumaʻu crater surface," according to the USGS. As of 5:20 p.m. local time on Sunday, the south vent had lava fountains 230 feet high, while the north vent had lava fountains 1,000 feet high, according to Hawaii News Now. USGS livestreams of the eruption site showed the lava fountains dropping in height and later stopping. The vents were still glowing and lava was still visibile on the crater floor. The volcano's last "fountaining phase" extended for about 10 hours on May 16, according to the USGS. Kīlauea experienced other recent fountaining phases this month on May 11, May 6 and May 2, lasting eight hours, 4.5 hours and eight hours, respectively. During the ongoing eruption, the USGS reported that pressure building beneath the surface caused an inflationary tilt prior to a lava fountaining episode. As pressure within the magma is released when lava fountaining begins, a switch to a deflationary tilt occurs. That pattern of inflation and deflation with every recent lava fountain episode "creates a saw-tooth pattern in ground tilt records over the past several months," according to the USGS, though the government agency reports that the summit has shown little net change in pressurization since the eruption began on Dec. 23, 2024.
