Videos

The eruption continues in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. This video shows the dominant fountain at the west vent, from two different angles, as well as the smaller fountaining source emerging through the lava lake. 

Lava fountains from the western fissure vent in the Halema‘uma‘u crater wall, at Kīlauea's summit during the ongoing eruption. Sustained fountain heights from this fissure ranged from about 10–15 meters (33–49 ft) with occasional higher bursts of spatter. This video clip was recorded on October 2, 2021, from the western crater rim.

Lava fountains through the southern part of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea's summit during the ongoing eruption. Sustained fountain heights from this fissure ranged from about 5–10 meters (16–33 ft) with occasional higher bursts of spatter. This video clip was recorded on October 2, 2021, from the southern crater rim.

Low lava fountains near the southeast edge of the main island in the Halema‘uma‘u lava lake, during the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption. One of the small (less than 5 meters or 16 feet) fountains has built a cone on the edge of the island.

The eruption in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea, continues with lava fountaining and a rising lava lake. The overflight on Friday, October 1, showed fewer fountaining sites in the center of the lake, compared to the previous day. USGS video by M. Patrick.

An eruption in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea, began yesterday afternoon and continues this morning. During an overflight at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST on September 30, 2021, several fountaining sources were active in the crater, including those in the lake center and on the west wall. USGS video by M. Patrick.

Lava fountains through the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u, at Kīlauea's summit, create waves or ripples in the lake surface. The ripples are visible on the surface as thin crustal plates move apart and back together again as the wave motion passes by (like inner tubes in a crowded wave pool), creating a moving arc of increased glow.

A new Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater began at approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, with fountains appearing on the central crater floor, where a lava lake had been active from December 2020 until May 2021. Just after 4:40 p.m., a new vent opened on the west wall of the crater, and the initial moments were captured in this video.

A new Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater began at approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, with fountains appearing on the central crater floor, creating a new lava lake. This video shows numerous vents active on the west crater wall. USGS video by M. Patrick.

A new Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater began at approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, with fountains appearing on the central crater floor, creating a new lava lake. This video shows numerous fountaining sources in the central portion of the lava lake during the evening of September 29, 2021. USGS video by M. Patrick.

A new Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater began at approximately 3:20 p.m. HST on September 29, 2021, with fountains appearing on the central crater floor, creating a new lava lake. This video shows the dominant fountain, south of the lake center, on the evening of September 29, 2021. USGS video by M. Patrick.

Join USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory retired geologist Don Swanson on a virtual field visit to an exposure of the Keanakāko‘i Tephra near the summit of Kīlauea as part of Volcano Awareness Month.

The eruption in Halema`uma`u crater, at the summit of Kilauea, is no longer active. The lava lake that was active between December 2020 and May 2021 remains solidified at the surface. A routine summit overflight observed no signs of residual incandescence in cracks, and only a diffuse gas plume rising from the northern portion of the lake.
 

This video shows a typical day on Mauna Loa, captured from a new webcam looking south towards the volcano. The field of view covers the summit region and much of the Northeast Rift Zone.

The area of active surface lava has diminished over the past month in Halema`uma`u crater, at the summit of Kilauea. Today, active surface lava was limited to a small pond, about 20 meters (yards) long. The pond surface was normally covered with a stationary crust, but occasionally resurfaced. This video shows crustal foundering during a resurfacing event.

The lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu crater, at the summit of Kīlauea, remains active but has diminished in area and vigor over the past month. This thermal timelapse sequence shows the changes in the lake activity over the past month. In mid-April the area of active surface lava in the lake was approximately 7.5 acres (3 hectares).

The lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u Crater, at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, remains active. This video is shown at 30x speed and shows the lava supplying the lake from the western fissure, with scattered crustal foundering across the lake surface. 
 

The lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u Crater, at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, remains active. This video is shown at 20x speed and shows the lava supplying the lake from the western fissure. 
 

The lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u Crater, at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano, remains active. This video shows spattering from a small vent at the western fissure. 
 

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists conducted a routine helicopter overflight of the lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u Crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. Active surface lava remains limited to a small area in the western portion of the lake, with the eastern portion solidified at the surface.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists visited the east rim of Halema‘uma‘u Crater to make observations of Kīlauea's summit lava lake and survey the eastern portion of the crater. This video compilation shows different aspects of the lake activity in the western portion of the crater.