(BIVN) – Clean up continues after the 43rd episode of high lava fountaining in the ongoing Kīlauea volcano eruption. 

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is working to reopen areas around the summit that were closed during the March 10th event. Tephra blanketed the ground outside the closed area of the park, along the north rim of the caldera and into adjacent communities. 

Tephra as large as 6 inches was reported from the Volcano Golf Course, and fine ash and Peleʻs hair was reported as far away as Hilo. The heaviest tephra fall was recorded at the Uēkahuna overlook in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which received about 4 to 7 inches of total accumulation. The glassy material also covered the grounds of the Kīlauea military reserve, and forced the closure of Highway 11 for miles.

photo of the tephra cleanup on roads within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (from NPS video)

An estimated 16 million cubic yards of lava (12 million cubic meters) erupted during the 9 hour episode. Maximum fountain heights were estimated to be at least 1,300 feet, or 400 meters high. The light winds produced the tephra fallout, which was similar to but not as great as episode 41. Since the episode ended, the Volcano Alert level has returned to WATCH.

When the episode ended, deformation at the summit switched to inflation. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported Thursday that preliminary models suggest the forecast window for the onset of episode 44 will be sometime between March 28th to April 12th.

As a side note, the USGS webcam that was knocked over by falling tephra during the event has been accessed by Observatory crews, and it’s been determined to have suffered internal damage and will need to be replaced.

The National Park, a well as the entire island, is now preparing for heavy rainfall and strong winds associated with a Kona low storm system. A hula performance at Volcano Art Center Gallery scheduled for this Saturday has already been cancelled. And the summit of Mauna Loa volcano has been closed, where blizzard conditions are expected soon. The Hawaii island summit could see over a foot of snow, and wind gusts over 110 miles per hour.

UPDATE – (3:10 p.m.) – According to the National Park Service, the following closures are in effect Friday, March 13 at 2 p.m.:

• Mauna Loa Road from Kīpukapuaulu to Mauna Loa Lookout will close to all use, including pedestrians and bicycles
• Kīpukapuaulu Trail
• Tent camping at Nāmakanipaio campground
• All backcountry camping sites including Red Hill cabin, the coastal backcountry and Pepeiao cabin
• Chain of Craters Road at the Crater Rim Drive intersection near Devastation Trail

The Kahuku Unit will be closed Saturday and Sunday.

From the National Park Service:

Kīlauea summit areas will remain open at this time, including the Welcome Center, Kilauea Military Camp, Volcano House and front country trails. Crater Rim Drive West is open from the park entrance to Kilauea Military Camp (KMC). Road access to areas west of KMC, including Kīlauea Overlook and Uēkahuna, is closed due to ongoing cleanup to remove large amounts of tephra from the recent eruption. Access to areas west of KMC on Crater Rim Trail is allowed.

Visitors are advised to use extreme caution on roadways, trails and crosswalks due to reduced visibility, watch out for falling trees and branches and be prepared for heavy rain and wind.

National Park Service staff will reassess conditions Monday and if safe, will reopen closed areas. Additional unannounced closures could occur due to the severe weather.