(BIVN) – The next eruptive episode, Episode 14, is set to begin at Kīlauea volcano. 

Several sluggish, short-lived lava flows have been observed at the vents within the summit caldera starting at around midnight, early Wednesday morning. Some intermittent spattering has also been seen. 

“The continuous eruption of lava accompanied by fountaining that would mark episode 14 has not yet begun but is likely to start in 24 hours or less,” the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory stated. 

USGS webcam shows a small, active lava flow just before dawn

From a USGS HVO update issued Wednesday morning:

Tilt has remained relatively flat through each of these events though they are marked by very small spikes in tremor. Inflationary tilt remains stalled since yesterday evening and has recovered only 11.5 microradians in the last week of the 13 microradian deflationary loss during episode 13. Seismic tremor remains near background levels except for the small increases associated with the short-lived lava flows.

The continuous eruption of lava accompanied by fountaining that would mark episode 14 has not yet begun but is likely to start in the next 24 hours. If this episode follows the pattern of prior episodes preceded by short-lived flows in the current eruption, continuous eruption of lava should begin within 12 hours after the onset of the small flows or by noon today. The onset of fountains would be expected within a few hours after that.

Kīlauea Volcano Alert Level/Aviation Color Code remain at WATCH/ORANGE. All current and recent activity is within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, scientists say.