(BIVN) – Episode 31 in the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption is likely to start today or tomorrow, scientists say, as activity at the Hawaiʻi island volcano picked up overnight. 

After a few days of deflation, rapid inflation has returned to the summit. Overnight and into this morning, lava spattering was visible at the summit vent via USGS webcams. 

Gas piston events – the rise and fall of magma – started when the summit began to inflate, and were about 10 minutes apart. 

USGS graph shows electronic tilt at Kīlauea summit over the past three months. Each peak in inflation, with the immediate deflation drop, correlates to an episode of lava fountaining. Station UWD is located near Uēkahuna, on the western rim of Kīlauea’s summit caldera.

On Thursday night, a short lava overflow from the north vent was reported. “Drainback and fountaining followed the flow, typical of gas piston cycles,” the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported. “More short overflows may be expected if current conditions continue.” 

As of Friday morning, the gas piston cycles continued in the north vent. 

The USGS Volcano Alert Level for Kīlauea remains at WATCH.

This story will be updated when more information is available.