A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist checks a webcam located on the rim of Kīlauea caldera. The webcam network at the summit of Kīlauea volcano is crucial for monitoring eruptions such as the one that began today, December 23, 2024, in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS image by M. Patrick.

(BIVN) – The new eruption that began early Monday morning at the summit of Kīlauea volcano slowed significantly between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., and appears to be paused.

The USGS Alert Level for Kīlauea remains at WATCH, and the Aviation Color Code remains at ORANGE.

From a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory update shared on Monday evening:

The eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Kaluapele (Kīlauea summit caldera) that began at 2:20 a.m. HST this morning, December 23, continued through most of the day within a closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. There was no immediate threat to human life or infrastructure, but emission rates of volcanic gases were very high. Webcam imagery and field crew observations showed continued lava fountaining from vents in the southwest portion of the caldera with new lava covering approximately 650 acres, including all of Halemaʻumaʻu and most of the adjacent downdropped block. The area covered so far is a little more than 1 square mile (2.6 square kilometers) and represents about one quarter of the area of Kaluapele. The lava is estimated to be about 1 yard (1 meter) thick, giving an estimated average effusion rate of 110 cubic yards per second (85 cubic meters per second) for the first 8 hours of the eruption. Initial fountain heights were estimated to be about 260 to 300 feet (80-90 meters) and had decreased to about 55 yards (50 m) by 1:00 p.m. Vigorous fountaining produced a plume of volcanic gas and particles that was transported downwind, in a southwest direction over a closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Conditions prevented measuring SO2 gas emission rates by normal methods, but nearby monitoring stations estimated over 100,000 tonnes of SO2 per day around 8:00 a.m. and decreasing by half in the early afternoon. These estimates are similar to values measured in the early stages of previous summit eruptions in the past 4 years.

Around 3 p.m. today, tilt at the summit stopped showing deflation and seismic tremor began decreasing. By 3:30 p.m., lava fountains were barely visible. By 4 p.m., fountaining had stopped and seismic tremor was close to background levels. Visible volcanic gas emissions have also decreased significantly. These observations indicate that the eruption has slowed significantly and appears to be entering a pause.

Later on Monday evening, the Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense reminded the public in a radio message that Kīlauea remains under an alert level of WATCH, and also advised motorists of heavy traffic congestion in and around Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which was causing increased travel times along Highway 11.