Episode 14 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption has not started yet, but six small, short-lived lava flows erupted between midnight and 6:00 a.m. yesterday.

Small, short-lived, sluggish lava flows began overflowing the south vent just before midnight.  The first flow was active from 11:58 p.m. on March 18 to a few minutes after midnight Wednesday. The second took place shortly after for only a few minutes. These were followed by a third tongue of lava from the south vent from 1:57 to 2:01 a.m. and a fourth from 3:36 to 3:46 a.m..  The fifth and sixth sluggish lobes erupted from 4:20 a.m. to 4:28 a.m. and 5:04 to 5:14 a.m. None of the flows lasted more than 10 minutes nor went more than about 50 feet from the south vent.

The continuous eruption of lava accompanied by fountaining that would mark episode 14 has not yet begun but is likely to start soon.

Each episode of Halemaʻumaʻu lava fountaining since December 23, 2024, has continued for 13 hours to 8 days and episodes have been separated by pauses in eruptive activity lasting less than 24 hours to 12 days.

No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

Kīlauea Volcano Alert Level/Aviation Color Code remain at WATCH/ORANGE. All current and recent activity is within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

 

AP Photo