The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) reported that the eruption within Kilauea’s Kaluapele summit caldera continued during 15-21 January from both a N and S vent along the SW margin of Halema’uma’u Crater. Webcam images showed continuous incandescence from the N vent overnight during 14-15 January. Low-level continuous lava spattering from the N vent was visible starting at 0540 on 15 January and was followed by a slow-moving lava flow from the N vent at around 0915. Low-level lava fountaining began at around 0955 and flows from the vent increased in size. By 1053 lava flows had covered about 10 percent of the crater floor and the lava fountain was reaching heights of 60 m. Lava fountaining and flows from the S vent began at 1140. During the afternoon field crews onsite observed fountains 90-100 m high from the N vent and 40-50 m high from the S vent. Both fountains were active overnight during 15-16 January. During the morning of 16 January field crews reported fountain heights of 50 m and 40 m from the N and S vents, respectively. Parts of the S vent collapsed at about 0825 causing the fountain height to decrease by half. Lava flows were confined to the SW part of the crater floor, near the vents.

Lava fountains persisted during 16-17 January, occasionally rising as high as 45 m. Lava oozed out of cracks in cooler lava covering the crater floor. Pele’s hair was reported in nearby communities including Uekahuna Overlook, the Kilauea Visitor's Center, the Volcano Golf Course subdivision, Volcano Village, and Ohia Estates. Tephra fell at Uekahuna Overlook and within the closed area of the National Park. Both the N and S vents had built cones that were 30-35 m tall by the morning of 17 January. Lava fountaining continued during 17-18 January, but the fountains remained below the crater rims. Lava ooze-outs on the crater floor continued to be visible. The N vent ceased erupting at around 0945 on 18 January; lava from the S vent continued to flow from the S vent at a lower rate for an additional 20 minutes, stopping at about 1010. Incandescence at the vents persisted overnight during 18-19 January and lava on the crater floor overturned an exposed molten lava. The crater floor was almost entirely dark by the evening of 19 January. Incandescence from the N vent remained strong at least through the morning of 21 January. The Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch (the third level on a four-level scale) and the Aviation Color Code remained at Orange (the third color on a four-color scale).

Geological Summary. Kilauea overlaps the E flank of the massive Mauna Loa shield volcano in the island of Hawaii. Eruptions are prominent in Polynesian legends; written documentation since 1820 records frequent summit and flank lava flow eruptions interspersed with periods of long-term lava lake activity at Halemaumau crater in the summit caldera until 1924. The 3 x 5 km caldera was formed in several stages about 1,500 years ago and during the 18th century; eruptions have also originated from the lengthy East and Southwest rift zones, which extend to the ocean in both directions. About 90% of the surface of the basaltic shield volcano is formed of lava flows less than about 1,100 years old; 70% of the surface is younger than 600 years. The long-term eruption from the East rift zone between 1983 and 2018 produced lava flows covering more than 100 km2, destroyed hundreds of houses, and added new coastline.

Source: US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)