(ABOVE MAP) Inset taken from today’s Civil Defense Lava Flow Map, which was updated on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 7:00 am. Full map below.

NEWS BRIEFS

• The lava flow front has advanced approximately 225 yards in a North Northeast direction in the last 24 hours. The active flow front is now 2.2 miles upslope of the Highway 130 and Pahoa Village Road intersection.
• Although the future flow path of the flow is uncertain, civil defense observations (marked in the map above) show the flow has thus far followed the southern line of deepest descent in the flat topographical area where several lines of steepest descent nearly converge.

INSIGHTS

Here is part of today’s discussion that took place during the 11 a.m. media conference call with Hawaii County Civil Defense.

RECENT RELATED VIDEO

Here is footage from yesterday’s overflight (Dec. 8) shot by Mick Kalber aboard Paradise Helicopters, edited with yesterday’s civil defense message (Dec. 8).

PRIMARY SOURCES

This morning’s assessment shows that the flow front remains active and has advanced approximately 225 yards in a North Northeast direction in the last 24 hours. The active flow front is approximately 2.2 miles upslope of the Highway 130 and Pahoa Village Road intersection. Current activity does not pose an immediate threat to area communities and Civil Defense and Hawaiian Volcano Observatory personnel are maintaining close observations of flow activity. Residents down slope will be kept informed of any changes in flow activity, advancement, and status.

Smoke conditions were light to moderate this morning in the immediate area with a light south west wind blowing the smoke in a north northeast direction. Smoke conditions may increase in some areas and residents that may be sensitive or have respiratory problems are advised to take precautions and to remain indoors.

The Pahoa Village Road remains open to all traffic and motorists are advised to exercise caution as some utility pole protection material remains in place. Everyone is asked to please respect the residents of the area who were affected by the lava flow and to not trespass on private property.

Once again we would like to thank everyone for your patience and understanding and your cooperation and assistance is greatly appreciated. Hawaii County Civil Defense on Dec. 9 at 8:30 a.m. HST

Civil Defense map created in Dec. 9, 2104

Kīlauea Volcano continues to erupt at its summit and within its East Rift Zone. A narrow lobe of lava west of the flow field below the crack system remains active but advanced little since yesterday. The leading edge of this lobe is approximately 3.5 km (2.2 miles) above the intersection of Pāhoa Village Road and Highway 130, near the Pahoa Marketplace. Inflationary tilt dominated over the past 24 hours with deflation beginning in the last couple of hours.

June 27th Lava Flow Observations: HVO is monitoring a narrow flow lobe that branches off the west edge of the flow field below the crack system. A Civil Defense overflight on Tuesday found that flow had continued its slow advance. The leading edge of the flow was about 3.5 km (2.2 mi) upslope from the intersection of Pāhoa Village Road and Highway 130, near the Pahoa Marketplace. The front of the flow is in area where several lines of steepest descent nearly converge due to flat topography and is probably the main factor in the decline of the advance rate. Until the flow passes this area of flat topography, the future flow path is uncertain. The flow front has also entered a burn scar which has significantly reduced the amount of smoke seen from the flow front in our webcams. HVO is conducted field work and observations around the June 27th Lava Flow today.

Puʻu ʻŌʻō Observations: There was weak inflation at Puʻu ʻŌʻō over the past several hours after a prolonged phase of deflation. All other monitoring data indicate no significant changes at Puʻu ʻŌʻō. Seismic tremor is low and steady, and webcams revealed no strong variations in the pattern of glow from degassing vents or the configuration of the crater floor. GPS-measured deformation across the cone has shown neither extension nor contraction since July. The most recent measurement of sulfur dioxide emissions from the East Rift Zone was about 250 tonnes per day on November 26, 2014.

Summit Observations: There was inflationary ground tilt at the summit since about 10 AM yesterday. Its possible that this inflation is also being reflected at Puʻu ʻŌʻō. Over the past couple of hours, weak deflationary tilt has begun. The summit lava lake showed the usual fluctuations associated with changes in spattering behavior, which are also manifested as variations in tremor amplitudes. Small amounts of particulate material were carried aloft by the plume. The average emission rate of sulfur dioxide was 4,300 tonnes/day for the week ending on December 2USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on Dec. 9 at 8:50 a.m. HST