Volcano Watch

This is, without a doubt, the most intellectually exciting time to be a volcanologist at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. The current inactivity...

In this season of giving thanks, Island of Hawai‘i residents and visitors can be thankful for the return of good air quality, generally free of...

November 2018. Has it already been six months since lava began flowing through Hawai‘i County's lower Puna District? Has it only been three months...

The prolonged yet dramatic partial collapse of Kīlauea caldera this past summer was the first to be observed in detail and the largest measured by...

During Kīlauea Volcano's recent lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) eruption, lava-flow maps were a staple of the public outreach effort by the USGS Hawaiian...

The 2018 summit collapse and lower East Rift Zone eruption at Kīlauea Volcano were dramatic and, for many Island of Hawai‘i residents, tragic events...

Sulfur dioxide (SO2)-rich emissions have long been a feature of Kīlauea Volcano's summit activity. However, vigorous volcanic ash production during...

On May 4, 2018, a powerful magnitude-6.9 earthquake on the south flank of Kīlauea Volcano shook the Island of Hawai‘i. It was the largest quake in...

My 37-year stint with the U.S. Geological Survey—16 years at the Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) and 21 at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)...

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) uses a diverse set of instruments to monitor active volcanoes in Hawaii. These include seismometers, gas...

The limited collapse of the inner part of Kīlauea Volcano's caldera this summer fell well short of the larger summit-wide collapses that occurred in...

Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption and summit collapse provided a rare opportunity to study dynamic eruptive processes beneath and...

In 1902, Thomas A. Jaggar, a geologist and founder of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), visited the scene of one of the most deadly volcanic...

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) has an extensive network of instruments that helps us monitor how the ground deforms due to magma moving...

Many Island of Hawai‘i residents are familiar with the volcanic air pollution known as "vog." The main culprit in the formation of vog is sulfur...

The visible part of Kīlauea from the summit to the Lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) makes up only a small portion of the total volcano. Much of Kīlauea...

Since the morning of August 4, 2018, activity at Kīlauea Volcano's summit and its lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) has diminished dramatically—and the...

"How long will it last?" is one of the most challenging questions asked about a volcanic eruption, including Kīlauea Volcano's current lower East Rift...

"What's happening inside the volcano?" is just one of many questions asked about Kīlauea's ongoing lower East Rift Zone eruption. Looking at the...

Since May 3, 2018, Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone eruption has destroyed more than 700 structures, covered more than 32 sq km (12.4 sq mi) of...