All images and video are courtesy the U.S. Geological Survey, and NPS / Janice Wei. A synthesized text-to-video voiceover was used in the narration for this story.

Next Kīlauea Lava Episode Expected In One Week

Big Island Video News

Sep 23, 2025

STORY SUMMARY

HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK - Scientists say the summit is reinflating, and models indicate that episode 34 is likely to start between September 28 and October 1.

USGS: “HVO geologists make an initial assessment of the episode 33 lava fountain from the collapsed end of Crater Rim Drive, at the summit of Kīlauea. This portion of Crater Rim Drive was destroyed during the 2018 summit collapse events, and is closed to the public.” (USGS photo by M. Patrick)

(BIVN) – The next high lava fountaining event at the summit of Kīlauea is expected to occur early next week. 

The nine-hour Episode 33 started and ended on Friday, September 19th. The summit is now reinflating, and scientists say models indicate that episode 34 is likely to start between September 28 and October 1. 

The USGS Volcano Alert Level remains at WATCH. 

USGS: “A lava bomb from the north vent above the crater rim that was found not long after it landed and cooled. As the molten bombs fly through the air, they cool and form a glassy crust with the interior full of vesicles. Most shatter into many pieces upon impact with the ground, but on rare occasions some stay mostly intact. Bombs like this one can be analyzed to help geologists understand where the magma is coming from and the processes necessary to bring it to the surface.” (Photo by USGS geologist D. Downs)

UPDATE – (10 a.m.) – On Tuesday, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory provided these details:

The UWD tiltmeter shows that the summit has been reinflating since the end of the fountaining episode, with almost 9 microradians of inflationary tilt. This morning, the caldera is quiet with a passive outgassing plume rising from the vents. Overnight, HVO webcams showed that glow was present in the south and north vents.

Elevated degassing continues from the vent. Average sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rates during pauses are typically 1,200 to 1,500 t/d, though emission rates can vary on short time scales.

About The Featured Image

USGS: "HVO geologists make an initial assessment of the episode 33 lava fountain from the collapsed end of Crater Rim Drive, at the summit of Kīlauea. This portion of Crater Rim Drive was destroyed during the 2018 summit collapse events, and is closed to the public." (USGS photo by M. Patrick)
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