Kīlauea Volcano Eruption Window Opens

Big Island Video News

May 24, 2026

STORY SUMMARY

HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK - On Saturday, scientists said forecast models suggest that episode 48 will occur sometime between Sunday and Tuesday.

(BIVN) – The eruption at the summit of Kīlauea remains paused, and the next episode of high lava fountaining is expected to occur soon.

According to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on Saturday, the window for episode 48 opens between today, Sunday, May 24, and Tuesday, May 26.

From the Observatory on Saturday:

Kilauea summit inflation continues. The M6.0 earthquake last night on the west side of the island caused shaking and a small instrumental offset in the tiltmeter data. This morning the inflation rate is steady but at a lower rate compared to earlier in the week. Since the end of lava fountaining episode 47 on May 15, the Uēkahuna tiltmeter (UWD) has tracked about 13 microradians of inflationary tilt. This instrument recorded 15.6 microradians of deflationary tilt during episode 47.

USGS webcam shows the summit of Kīlauea on Sunday morning

Precursory lava activity has yet to be observed at the summit, although geologists on a helicopter overflight Friday morning observed active lava deep within both the north and south vents. “Lava spattering and overflows from one or both of the eruptive vents are expected to precede the next lava fountaining episode,” the Observatory stated.

Glow continues to be visible overnight from both Halemaʻumaʻu eruptive vents.

USGS: “USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists conducted a monitoring overflight of Kīlauea summit the morning of May 22, 2026. During the overflight, they collected imagery to create a three-dimensional model of the crater floor, thermal imagery to determine the extent of episode 47 lava flows, and traversed beneath the volcanic plume to measure emission rates. Sulfur dioxide emission rates were an average of about 2,000 tonnes per day, which is on par for what is expected during pauses during the ongoing eruption of Kīlauea.” (USGS photo by D. Downs)

About The Featured Image

USGS: "During a monitoring overflight on May 22, 2026, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists captured this aerial view looking down into the south vent in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea. Magma was visible within both the south and north vents during the overflight; the north vent is visible degassing on the right side of this image. Forecast models suggest that episode 48 of lava fountaining will occur sometime between Sunday, May 24 and Wednesday, May 27." (USGS photo by M. Cappos)

Big Island Video News has been serving Hawaiʻi island since 2008.