USGS: “High winds at the summit of Mauna Loa ripped several solar panels from their masts, damaging them. HVO staff performed a partial fix to the site to bring the summit webcams back online November 7, 2024.” (USGS photo by M. Patrick)

(BIVN) – After spending months offline, the Mauna Loa summit webcams are back with live views from high atop the active volcano. 

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory recently shared photos from the field, showing the scientists making the trip to the cold and windy summit of the giant volcano in order to fix the webcams. 

High winds damaged several components at the radio telemetry site, and ripped several solar panels from their masts.

HVO staff performed a partial fix to the site to bring the Mauna Loa summit webcams back online.

The USGS webcam view from the north rim of Mokuʻāweoweo, the summit caldera of Mauna Loa

Mauna Loa is not erupting, but remains active. The volcano last erupted in late-2022.

Seismicity beneath Mauna Loa’s summit and upper-elevation flanks remains low, with no changes in other data monitoring streams. The USGS Alert Level for the volcano remains at NORMAL.

USGS: “HVO staff inspected the radio telemetry site at the summit of Mauna Loa and found wind damage to several components. Mauna Kea is in the background.” (USGS photo by M. Patrick)