Activity Summary:  

The summit eruption of Kīlauea remains paused in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Another episode is likely within the next 1-4 days.

The ninth episode of Kīlauea's ongoing eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Kaluapele (the summit caldera) paused at 8:43 a.m. HST, February 12, after over 22 hours of lava fountains erupting from the north and south vents feeding lava flows onto the crater floor. This was the ninth episode of the eruption that began on December 23, 2024, with each episode characterized by lava fountaining separated by pauses in activity. All recent eruptive activity has occurred in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. No significant changes have been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

Ongoing hazards include volcanic gas emissions and windblown volcanic glass (Pele’s Hair) that may impact Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and nearby communities.

Summit Observations:

Episode 9 ended at 8:43 a.m. HST the morning of February 12, after 22.5 hours of lava fountaining at the north and south vents in the western part of Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea. Episode 9 lava flows covered approximately 50-60% of Halemaʻuʻmaʻu floor. Last night, minimal incandescent areas remained visible on Halemaʻumaʻu floor as recently erupted lava continues to cool. The north and south vents continue to degas and glow was visible in both vents last night, indicating that magma remains at relatively shallow levels in the vents. 

The Uēkahuna tiltmeter (UWD) switched from deflation to inflation at about the same time that episode 9 ended at 8:43 a.m. HST on February 12. UWD has recorded about 7 microradians of inflationary tilt since then. Seismic tremor remains elevated but decreased with the end of episode 9. No significant earthquakes were recorded in the summit region over the past 24 hours. 

Wind conditions and the timing of episode 9 prevented accurate measurements of the sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emission rate. SO₂ emission rates during episode 9 are estimated to have been 10,000 t/d or higher based on emissions measured during earlier episodes. During eruptive pauses, SO₂ emission rates are lower and typically around 1,000 t/d.

Strands of volcanic glass known as Pele’s Hair have been reported on surfaces throughout the summit area of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and surrounding communities. 

• Summit eruption livestream: https://www.youtube.com/usgs/live
• Summit eruption webcams: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/summit-webcams 
• Summit eruption reference map: February 7, 2025—Kīlauea summit eruption reference map | U.S. Geological Survey
• Volcano Watch article about Pele's Hair from this eruption: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-recent-lava-fountains-highlight-peles-hair-hazards

Rift Zone Observations:

Rates of seismicity and ground deformation remain very low in the East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone with no significant earthquake activity in the past 24 hours. Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) from the East Rift Zone remains below detection limit.

Analysis: 

The current eruption is marked by episodic fountaining not seen in any of the other Halemaʻumaʻu eruptions since 2020. Fountains and lava flows have erupted from two vents that we refer to as the north vent and south vent. Each previous fountaining episode lasted from a few hours to over a week and has been accompanied by strong deflation of the summit region. Pauses between the fountaining episodes have been marked by an immediate change from deflation to inflation as the magma chamber recharges and repressurizes.

Episode 9 lasted for 22 hours and 30 minutes. The rapid change from deflation to inflation at the same time the eruption paused on February 12 coupled with glow from the vents over the nights since episode 9 ended suggests another episode will take place. The rate of inflation since episode 9 ended suggests that a new episode is most likely to start in the next 1-4 days, between today, February 16, and Wednesday February 19, if the rate remains relatively consistent.

Timeline of eruptive episodes since December 23, 2024: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/science/eruption-information

HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and is in contact with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and the Hawai‘i County Civil Defense Agency about eruptive hazards.

Please see the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website for visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm.

Hazards: 

The eruption has been occurring within a closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. High levels of volcanic gas—primarily water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2)—are the primary hazard of concern, as this hazard can have far-reaching effects downwind. As SO2 is continuously released from the summit during an eruption, it will react in the atmosphere to create the visible haze known as vog (volcanic smog) downwind of Kīlauea. Vog information can be found at https://vog.ivhhn.org/.

Additional hazards include Pele's hair and other volcanic fragments from lava fountains. Pele's hair are strands of volcanic glass often produced by lava fountaining activity. Volcanic fragments can fall on the ground within a few hundred yards (meters) of the eruptive vent(s), or on the western caldera rim downwind of the vent(s). Strong winds may waft light particles to greater distances downwind. Once they are on the ground, they can sometimes cluster and tangle together giving it the appearance of a tumbleweed. The extent of Pele's hair is dependent on lava fountaining activity and current wind conditions.  Residents and visitors should minimize exposure to these volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation. More information about how Pele's hair is formed is available here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-peles-hairs-a-beautiful-hazard-island-hawaii. A Frequently Asked Questions document developed for the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption includes information about potential health effects of Pele's hair and is available here: https://vog.ivhhn.org/sites/default/files/FAQ_on_air_quality_and_health_during_Mauna_Loa_eruption_v1.6.pdf

Hawaiian lava flows generally advance slowly downslope, and during this eruption flows have been confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater and the southwest side of Kaluapele, Kīlauea's summit caldera. 

Other significant hazards also remain around Kīlauea caldera from Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes within the area closed to the public. This underscores the extremely hazardous nature of Kīlauea's caldera rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since late 2007.

For discussion of Kīlauea hazards, please see: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hawaiian-volcano-observatory/hazards.