Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano began its 55th eruptive episode since December 2024 just after 3 a.m. local time on Saturday, following an unusually long two-month pause, FOX Weather reported.
Lava fountains reached 250 feet in height, with the USGS saying on social media that “the fountain is feeding a broad sheet of lava into Halema’uma’u crater.” Wind blew from the northeast, keeping volcanic tephra within the closed area of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, the agency said.
The previous episode ended on August 25. Since then, USGS scientists said, a shallow magma intrusion beneath Halema’uma’u crater in late September and early October, along with a series of earthquakes, made it impossible to predict exactly when the next episode would begin. Kilauea is considered one of the world’s most active volcanoes.
By later Saturday, the episode had ended after about six hours of lava fountaining, and the USGS lowered the volcano alert level from WATCH to ADVISORY and the aviation colour code from ORANGE to YELLOW, according to USGS data tracked by hawaii-watch.com.
Volcanic gas from the eruptions can affect people downwind, particularly those with respiratory issues, FOX Weather reported. Eruptions can also release Pele’s hair, strands of volcanic glass that can irritate skin, eyes and the respiratory system.
Source: FOX Weather
