USGS webcam view of the inactive vents on Thursday morning
(BIVN) – The ongoing eruption at the summit of Kīlauea is once again paused.
Episode 15 ended at 7:10 p.m. HST on March 26 when fountaining at the south vent stopped. The episode lasted over 31 hours, with the last 9 hours consisting of high lava fountains predominantly from the south vent.
The fountains reached maximum heights over 1,000 feet (305 meters), the highest measured since the eruption began on December 23, 2024. From the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory:
Fountain heights were higher in episode 15 than in previous episodes, continuing the pattern of fountain growth with time. Fountaining reached maximum heights just over 1,000 feet (305 meters) between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and again around 1:30 p.m. HST. Fountain heights in excess of 600-800 feet (180-250 meters) occurred sporadically through the rest of the episode, with more sustained fountaining at somewhat lower heights of roughly 600 feet (180 meters). Just after 1:30 p.m. HST, the south vent fountain began to incline, or bend over, with fountaining directed toward the southeast. The directed/inclined fountaining reappeared intermittently through the afternoon hours, with a maximum inclination approaching 45 degrees. By 5:30 p.m. HST the south vent fountains became vertical again with sustained heights of 500-700 feet (150-215 meters).
All images and video are courtesy the U.S. Geological Survey. A synthesized text-to-video voiceover was used in the narration for this story.
Pele’s hair and tephra was reported in public areas of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and in populated areas near Kīlauea summit.
During the episode, lava flows covered about 80-90% of the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu. Scientists added:
The UWD tiltmeter recorded just under 9 microradians of deflation during episode 15, with just under 7 microradians lost on the SDH tiltmeter. Initial deflation was very rapid, but slowed when north vent fountains ceased fountaining around noon. The end of the eruption was coincident with a rapid change in tilt from deflation to inflation at the summit and a decrease in seismic tremor intensity when the fountains ceased at 7:10 p.m. HST.
Kīlauea Volcano Alert Level/Aviation Color Code remain at WATCH/ORANGE.
by Big Island Video News
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STORY SUMMARY
HAWAI'I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK - During Episode 15, lava fountains reached maximum heights over 1,000 feet, the highest of the eruption.