HVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice

Volcano: Kilauea (VNUM #332010)

Current Volcano Alert Level: ADVISORY
Previous Volcano Alert Level: WATCH

Current Aviation Color Code: YELLOW
Previous Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Issued: Tuesday, July 23, 2024, 9:04 AM HST
Source: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Notice Number: 2024/H248
Location: N 19 deg 25 min W 155 deg 17 min
Elevation: 4091 ft (1247 m)
Area: Hawaii

Volcanic Activity Summary:

Kīlauea is not erupting. Localized earthquake and ground deformation rates in Kīlauea’s upper East Rift Zone decreased significantly following the burst of intense activity at approximately 3:30 a.m. HST on July 23, 2024. Accordingly, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) is lowering the Volcano Alert Level for ground-based hazards from WATCH to ADVISORY and the Aviation Color Code from ORANGE to YELLOW.    

Earthquake activity this morning was centered near Pauahi Crater in the upper East Rift Zone, along Chain of Craters Road in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. More than 100 events occurred between 3:00–9:00 a.m. HST this morning, at depths of 1–3 km (0.6–1.8 miles) beneath the surface. Most events were smaller than magnitude-3, though there were 8 events larger. The largest event was a magnitude-3.4. Earthquake activity was accompanied by an abrupt change in ground deformation patterns in the upper East Rift Zone, shown by the ESC tiltmeter. Tiltmeters in Kīlauea summit region (instruments SDH, southwest of the summit, and UWE, northwest of the summit) did not show significant changes associated with this activity.  

The onset of this morning’s upper East Rift Zone swarm was similar in intensity to that seen preceding Kīlauea summit eruptions of the past few years. This coupled with the sharp displacement on the ESC tiltmeter and strong clustering of these earthquakes in the area beneath Pauahi Crater suggests that an intrusion of magma began at 3:30 this morning. The region around Pauahi Crater has a long history of intrusive and eruptive activity. The pulsing nature of this activity may represent stages in intrusive activity beneath this region in the past 24 hours. Additional seismic pulses or swarms may occur with little or no warning and result in either continued intrusion of magma or eruption of lava. 

A map of past eruptive activity in the upper East Rift Zone of Kīlauea is available here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-cruising-chain-craters-road-recent-earthquakes-and-past.

HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea. Should volcanic activity change significantly, a new Volcanic Activity Notice will be issued.

HVO is in close contact with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Temporary closures have been implemented as a result of this elevated activity: https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/news/20240722-earthquakes.htm  

Hazards are present on Kīlauea and are described below. Residents and visitors should stay informed and follow County of Hawai‘i and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park guidelines.  

For more information about the meaning of volcano alert levels and aviation color codes, see https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcanic-alert-levels-characterize-conditions-us-volcanoes 

Recent Observations:
[Volcanic cloud height] N/A
[Other volcanic cloud information] N/A
[Ballistics] N/A
[Lava flow/dome] N/A
[Lava flow] N/A

Hazard Analysis:
[Volcanic gas] Elevated sulfur dioxide emissions for days to weeks up to 5,000 to 6,000 feet a.s.l.

Remarks:

Hazard Analysis: 

Shallow magma movement and eruptions can produce minor to severe ground fractures and subsidence features, which can affect the landscape, human activity, and infrastructure. These ground cracks can continue to widen and offset as magma migration continues, may have unstable overhanging edges, and should be avoided.  

Other significant hazards also remain around Kīlauea caldera from Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes within the area closed to the public. This underscores the extremely hazardous nature of the rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since early 2008.   
 
For discussion of Kīlauea hazards, please see: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hawaiian-volcano-observatory/hazards. 
 
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) continues to closely monitor Kīlauea Volcano. 

Please see the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website for visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm. 

Contacts:

askHVO@usgs.gov

Next Notice:

Kīlauea updates will be issued daily. Should volcanic activity change significantly, a new VAN will be issued. Regularly scheduled updates are posted on the HVO website at https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/volcano-updates  

More Information:

• Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm
• Kīlauea activity summary also available by phone: (808) 967-8862
• Kīlauea webcam images: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/webcams
• Kīlauea photos/video: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/photo-and-video-chronology
• Kīlauea lava-flow maps: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/maps
• Kīlauea FAQs: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/faqs
• Kīlauea hazards discussion: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hawaiian-volcano-observatory/hazards
   

Subscribe to these messages: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns2/
Summary of volcanic hazards from eruptions: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hazards
Recent earthquakes in Hawaiʻi (map and list): https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo
Explanation of Volcano Alert Levels and Aviation Color Codes: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcanic-alert-levels-characterize-conditions-us-volcanoes