(ABOVE VIDEO) Video footage courtesy Hawaii County showing lava crossing Apa’a Street – again – on November 9th.

NEWS BRIEF

• Although the flow front remains stalled, a breakout sent lava across Apa’a Street along the north margin of the existing flow early Sunday morning. By the afternoon, that breakout had separated into three lobes (details below). The lobes were advancing relatively slowly, at a rate of 6 yards per hour or less.

PRIMARY SOURCE

Scientists of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory conducted ground observations of the June 27th lava flow throughout the day on Sunday, November 9, 2014. The leading edge of the flow has not advanced since October 30. The closest active lava to Pāhoa Village Road is located on the north margin of the flow field between the cemetery and private property. Small, sluggish breakouts and flow inflation were also occurring in the vicinity of the cemetery.

More significant lava activity was occurring upslope of the cemetery. Early Sunday morning, a breakout just above Apaʻa St. / Cemetery Road sent lava across the road along the north margin of the existing flow. By the afternoon, that breakout had separated into three lobes: 1) moving along the existing flow margin towards the cemetery, 2) moving down the road towards the transfer station, and 3) moving towards an abandoned set of buildings across the street from the transfer station. These lobes were advancing at a rate of about 5 meters (6 yards) per hour or less. By Sunday afternoon, the lobe along the road had come into contact with the cinder pile surrounding a newly installed metal power pole.

The lobe near the transfer station remains active and has advanced to within about 20 meters (22 yards) of the station fence. Small-scale topography is expected to direct this flow parallel to the fence line, however.

There was no net summit deformation over the past day. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on Nov. 9 at 6:47 p.m. HST