December 2024 Summit Eruption

The eruption at Kīlauea appears to be slowing

The eruption that started on December 23, 2024 appears to be slowing. Lava may or may not be visible at this time. A faint glow may be seen at night.

 

On the morning of December 23, Kīlauea volcano began erupting in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. At 2:20 a.m., fissures opened on the caldera floor, releasing lava fountains up to 295 feet high. Lava flows spread across Halemaʻumaʻu crater and a section of the caldera that collapsed during the 2018 collapse events. The eruption was mainly confined to the southwest side of the caldera, and by 9:30 a.m., the lava fountains had decreased to about 230 feet in height.

By 4:00 pm, fountaining ceased, and seismic activity returned to background levels. Volcanic gas emissions also dropped significantly.

Lava covered approximately 650 acres within the Kīlauea caldera. The lava, about 1 meter thick, resulted in an average rate of 110 cubic yards per second (85 cubic meters per second) during the first 8 hours. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, which couldn't be measured directly, were estimated at over 100,000 tonnes per day early in the morning, decreasing by half by the afternoon—similar to emissions in previous eruptions.

This eruption marks the sixth in the summit caldera since 2020.