This animated image file (GIF) includes a series of webcam images—one image approximately every ten minutes—from the F1cam thermal camera located on the western rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater, Kīlauea summit. The GIF shows the shift in eruptive activity early on December 26. At approximately 2:40 a.m. HST the western fissure vents (lower center) abruptly increased in eruptive vigor, and shortly after, the drowned northern vent (center left) shut down. Note the change in the lava lake surface motion starting in a general direction trending from north to south and ending up moving in a southwest to north direction by this afternoon. This change in surface motion was caused by the eruptions shift to the western vents, and the slow draining of the lava lake at the northern fissure site. The images, looped continuously, show a 24-hour period from 4:30 p.m. HST on December 25 to 4:30 p.m. HST on December 26. USGS GIF by L. DeSmither.
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists continue to make observations and measurements of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater. At about 2:30 p.m. HST on December 26, geologists measured the lava lake depth at approximately 176 m (577 ft). The peak depth was measured at approximately 179 m (587 ft) yesterday, December 25, at around 9:10 p.m. HST. These measurements are consistent with field observations that the lava lake appears to be slowly draining at the northern fissure site. USGS photo taken by M. Patrick.
There have been no major changes in eruptive activity at Kīlauea summit this evening. Several small channels continue to feed the lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater from the western fissure vents. Late afternoon shadows cast over the lava lake exaggerate the incandescence between the plates of crust. USGS photo taken by N. Bennington at approximately 5:00 p.m. HST on December 26.