What is happening with Kīlauea volcano's recent eruptions at Halemaʻumaʻu Crater?

Current Eruptive Status

The ongoing eruption of Kīlauea within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is currently in a paused state. Episode 45 ended on April 23, 2026. During normal operations, the volcano has been producing episodic lava fountaining events. Consistent glow has been observed from both vents on webcams, with the south vent producing significantly brighter glow. Both vents have produced occasional flames caused by ignition of volcanic gases escaping the vents.

Forecast for Next Eruptive Episode

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory forecasts that Episode 46 will begin sometime between Sunday, May 3 and Thursday, May 7, 2026, based on tilt data analysis. The Observatory notes this forecast window may be adjusted based on continuing observations. Seismic tremor continues with regular pulses at the summit.

Ground Deformation and Seismic Activity

The Uēkahuna tiltmeter is currently recording slight deflationary tilt, which is normal during eruptive pauses. Since the end of Episode 45 on April 23, the tiltmeter has measured a total of 9.0 microradians of inflationary tilt. Scientists recorded 96 small earthquakes at the summit on Wednesday morning, primarily located within Halemaʻumaʻu crater and south/southwest of the caldera. All recorded earthquakes were less than magnitude 2.0.

Volcanic Gas and Monitoring

With the eruption paused, sulfur dioxide emission rates are likely varying within a typical range of 1,000 to 5,000 tonnes per day. The USGS Volcano Alert Level for Kīlauea remains at ADVISORY, and the Aviation Color Code is YELLOW. Fluctuations in tilt during eruptive pauses are considered normal by the Observatory.

Historical Context of Halemaʻumaʻu Eruptions

While eruptions at Kīlauea's summit most frequently occur within Halemaʻumaʻu Crater in recent decades, historically eruptions have occurred outside the modern caldera. A decade-long lava lake formed within Halemaʻumaʻu starting in 2008 and drained during the 2018 caldera collapse. This was replaced by a water lake for a year and a half before the December 2020 eruption, which led to multiple subsequent Halemaʻumaʻu eruptions.