(BIVN) – Episode 16 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption ended shortly after noon on Wednesday. 

The eruptive episode lasted just over 37 hours, with the last 25 hours and a half hours consisting of fountains from the south vent. High fountains of 600 to 700 feet (180-210 meters) were sustained for 23 hours. 

Scientists with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory have not given an estimate on when the next episode is expected to begin. 

USGS photo posted to social media. “View of Hawaiian high fountains from the historic Volcano House in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park,” the USGS Volcanoes caption read. “The last time we were treated to a scene like this was over 65 years ago! Truly a once in a lifetime experience.”

From the USGS HVO update at 12:23 p.m. on Wednesday:

During episode 16, lava flows covered over 50% of the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu within the southern part of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera). Weak winds also resulted in deposition of Pele’s hair and tephra in closed areas of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and on Highway 11 between mile marker 35 and 37 on April 1. Additional details about the eruption were posted earlier in the March 31 Status Report and the April 1 Status Report and the April 1 Daily Update for Kīlauea along with the April 2 Daily Update for Kīlauea.

The UWD tiltmeter recorded just over 14 microradians of deflation during episode 16, with 11 microradians lost on the SDH tiltmeter. Deflation rate was constant throughout the first part of the eruption reflecting the stable nature of activity from the south and north vents. The deflation rate slowed slightly after the north vent shut down April 1 at 9:22 p.m. HST. The end of the eruption was coincident with a rapid change in tilt from deflation to inflation at the summit and a decrease in seismic tremor intensity when the fountains ceased at 12:03 p.m. HST.

The USGS Volcano Alert Level for Kīlauea remains at WATCH.