(ABOVE PHOTO) This USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory photo shows a new lobe of lava burning along Cemetery Road / Apaʻa Street after it crossed early Sunday morning.

NEWS BRIEFS

• The flow front remains stalled 480 feet from the Pahoa Village Road with very little activity and has not advanced.
• A lava breakout in the area of Apa’a Street near the cemetery has entered a private property and is only 5 yards away from the garage area of a residential structure. Civil defense says it is possible that these buildings may be affected by the advancing flow later today.

PRIMARY SOURCES

This morning’s assessment shows that the flow front remains stalled with very little activity and has not advanced. The front remains approximately 480 feet from the Pahoa Village Road. An upslope breakout in the area of Apa’a Street near the cemetery has entered a private property and is approaching a residential structure. The advancing breakout is approximately 5 yards from the garage area of the structure and it is possible that these buildings may be affected by the advancing flow later today. Smoke conditions are currently moderate to heavy with light trade winds blowing the smoke in a south southwest direction towards the Leilani and lower Puna areas. Smoke conditions may increase in some areas and residents down wind that may be sensitive or have respiratory problems are advised to take necessary precautions and to remain indoors.
The evacuation advisory for those residents down slope of the flow will continue and residents will be kept informed of the flow status and advancement.

The Pahoa Village Road between Apa’a Street and the Post Office Road will remain closed and limited to area residents only. In addition, Civil Defense and public safety personnel will be operating in the area round the clock to maintain close observations of flow activity. Additional updates will be broadcasted as conditions change.Hawaii County Civil Defense on Nov. 10 at 8 a.m. HST

Kīlauea volcano continues to erupt at its summit and within its East Rift Zone. The leading edge of the June 27th lava flow has not advanced beyond where it stalled on October 30. HVO scientists on the ground monitoring the flow on Sunday observed localized breakouts of lava in scattered locations upslope of the stalled leading flow edge. A new breakout emerged near Apaʻa Street and crossed the road, and a Monday morning assessment by County Civil Defense observed that lava had approached to within 5 m (5 yards) of a residential structure. Minor deflationary tilt of Kīlauea’s summit was recorded, and the level of the summit lava lake at Halemaʻumaʻu Crater decreased slightly from the previous day.

June 27th Lava Flow Observations: HVO scientists were on the ground on Sunday monitoring the progress of the lava flow. The leading edge of the flow had not advanced beyond where it stalled on October 30, in a residential area approximately 155 meters (170 yards) above Pāhoa Village Road, but breakouts were observed in areas upslope of the leading edge. The most vigorous activity was observed at a new breakout which emerged roughly 75 m (82 yards) above Apaʻa Street, on the north side of the flow, and crossed the road. The flow advanced at about 5 m/h (5 yards/hour) on Sunday afternoon and an assessment by County Civil Defense observed that this lobe had approached to within 5 m (5 yards) of a residential structure’s garage by Monday morning. A lobe of lava also moved near the transfer station at about 3 m/h (3 yards/hour), and more sluggish breakout activity continued downslope of Pāhoa Cemetery.

Puʻu ʻŌʻō Observations: No significant changes were noted near Puʻu ʻŌʻō. Seismic tremor continued with a fluctuating amplitude, no earthquakes were located in the vicinity of the cone, and webcams revealed no strong variations in the pattern of glow from degassing vents nor the configuration of the crater floor. The tiltmeter at Puʻu ʻŌʻō has been repaired but it is too early to tell if the work has corrected the malfunction there. The GPS-measured length across the cone has not changed significantly since July. Several earthquakes were located beneath Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone and south flank. The most recent sulfur-dioxide emission-rate measurement for the East Rift Zone was 320 tonnes per day (from all sources) on October 31, 2014.

Summit Observations: Minor deflationary summit tilt began late Sunday morning. Thermal camera images show minor fluctuations in the surface height of the lava lake in the Overlook vent, and the surface height was measured at 48 m (52 yards) below the vent rim on Sunday at 1800h, about 3 m (3 yards) lower than on Saturday afternoon. Several small earthquakes were located beneath the summit, and volcanic tremor persisted with a fluctuating amplitude. Summit emissions of sulfur dioxide ranged from 3,400 to 6,400 tonnes/day (see caveat below) through the week-long period ending November 4, 2014.USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on Nov. 10 at 8:36 a.m. HST

USGS HVO photo shows the inflated flow field below the Pāhoa cemetery looking northeast toward the houses on Pāhoa Village Road. Note geologist in the center of the photo for scale.