(BIVN) – The Volcano Alert Level for Kīlauea has been raised from ADVISORY to WATCH, and the Aviation Color Code from YELLOW to ORANGE, as the first lava flows leading up to eruptive episode 49 have started at Halemaʻumaʻu.
The low-level activity began around 4:10 a.m. HST on Sunday morning.
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issued a Volcanic Activity Notice, reporting the low dome fountains that were feeding a short lava flow ended at 4:30 a.m. HST.
From the Volcanic Activity Notice:
Precursory low-level activity for episode 49 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption at the summit of Kīlauea began around 4:10 a.m. HST on Sunday, June 14 with low dome fountains 10-15 feet (3-5m) high feeding a short flow from the north vent. The flow stagnated and lava drained back into the vent at 4:30 a.m. HST.
No volcanic cloud or tephra was produced by this event nor is it expected during precursory activity.
Accordingly, HVO is raising the Alert Level for Kīlauea from ADVISORY to WATCH and the Aviation Color Code from YELLOW to ORANGE. (Alert level and aviation color code definitions).
This low-level precursory activity can continue for hours to days before the lava fountaining episode beings. The forecast for episode 49 of lava fountaining to start is between June 14 to June 16. Another VAN will be published when lava fountaining episode 49 begins.
