(BIVN) – The ongoing eruption at the summit of Kīlauea is paused, although scientists anticipate the cycle of activity will continue with a new lava episode in the next week.  

In a Friday update, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported Episode 21 is likely to start in the next two to four days. 

Episode 20 ended on May 6. Sine the eruption began on December 23, 2024, all eruptive activity has been confined to the summit within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. No significant activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone, the USGS says. 

USGS: “A view of north vent of the ongoing eruption within Halema‘uma‘u at Kīlauea volcano, about 12 hours after the end of episode 20. The solidified lava with a smooth silvery appearance in the center of the photo was produced as lava overflowed from north vent. The darker rougher solidified lava on the right formed are “spatter-fed” flows, formed as material from the lava fountain fell onto the rim of north vent, and was hot enough to consolidate and flow. The south vent is partially visible on the left edge of the photo, with a white plume of volcanic gas (mostly water vapor) rising from it.” (USGS photo by N. Deligne)

From the USGS’s summit observations provided on Friday:

The current eruption has been characterized by episodic fountaining not seen in any eruptions since the 1983-86 episodic fountains at the beginning of the Puʻuʻōʻō eruption. Fountains and lava flows have erupted from two vents that we refer to as the north vent and south vent. Each of the previous 19 fountaining episodes lasted from a few hours to over a week and have 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.

The rapid rebound of recorded UWD and SDH tilt from deflation to inflation at the end of episode 20 indicate that another episode of sustained fountaining is likely.

Data indicate that episode 21 is likely to start in the next 2-4 days. The window will be adjusted as more data become available.

The USGS Volcano Alert Level remains at WATCH.