(BIVN) – The ongoing eruption at the summit of Kīlauea volcano is currently paused, as inflation indicates the next episode of lava fountaining could begin as early as next week. 

Scientists with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory estimate Episode 35 is likely to start between October 15th and October 20th. 

“Variable weak to moderate incandescence” has been visible from both cones since the end of Episode 34 on October 1st. This glow, and the pattern of seismic tremor, indicates gas piston events are occurring in both vents. 

Overnight, the south vent was producing a bright, intermittent glow that was visible on webcams. 

USGS webcam view of the Kīlauea summit on Monday morning

From the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on Sunday:

Episode 34 precursory activity began at approximately 9:47 p.m. HST on September 28, with gas piston events that produced small, sporadic spatter fountains 10 feet (3 meters) high, and numerous short overflows. Over 120 gas piston events occurred intermittently between then and 11:43 p.m. HST on September 30, when sustained overflows and low-level fountaining began within the north vent. Lava fountains within the north vent began to increase in size and volume along with the onset of deflation at 12:53 a.m. on October 1, marking the start of episode 34. Lava fountains from the north vent increased in vigor quickly, reaching up to 330 feet or 100 meters and were inclined slightly to the northeast. At 1:45 a.m. HST on October 1, the south vent began erupting and became the dominant fountain as the episode progressed, reaching vertically up to an estimated 1300 ft (400 m). Fountaining from both vents persisted for just over 6 hours but gradually declined in height. The two vents generated lava flows that covered a large portion of the western part of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor with channelized lava flows. The south vent stopped erupting at approximately 7:00 a.m. and the north vent followed shortly after at 7:03 a.m. HST, marking the end of episode 34. Deflationary tilt at UWD totaled approximately 26 microradians during the fountaining, with an estimated volume of approximately 12 million cubic yards (9 million cubic meters or 2.5 billion gallons) of lava erupted overnight. The dual fountains also produced a record combined effusion of 500 cubic yards per second, about twice the maximum eruptive rate measured in previous episodes.

The USGS Volcano Alert Level remains at WATCH.