Kīlauea volcano is erupting. At approximately 3:15 p.m. HST on September 10, 2023, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory observed eruptive activity in Kīlauea summit webcam images and from field reports indicating that an eruption has commenced within Halemaʻumaʻu crater and on the down dropped block to the east in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The eruption was preceded by a period of strong seismicity and rapid uplift of the summit.
Video of the eruption:
https://www.youtube.com/live/tBh-ZhIB1Nk?si=Yf9D6p504-7PLRlW
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is elevating Kīlauea’s volcano alert level from WATCH to WARNING and its aviation color code from ORANGE to RED as this eruption and associated hazards are evaluated.
The opening phases of eruptions are dynamic. Webcam imagery shows fissures at the base of Halemaʻumaʻu crater generating lava flows on the surface of the crater floor. The activity is confined to Halemaʻumaʻu and the hazards will be reassessed as the eruption progresses.
HVO will continue to monitor this activity closely and report any significant changes in future notices.
HVO is in constant communication with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park as this situation evolves. The activity is confined entirely within the park.
For more information about the meaning of volcano alert levels and aviation color codes, see https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcanic-alert-levels-characterize-conditions-us-volcanoes