Hawaiian Volcano Update: Kīlauea Eruption Resumes Buildup to Ep.55 - September 24, 2026

The 6 satellite vents which erupted from September 14 to 16 remained quiet with no activity this past week, even as magma rose higher within the established vent system, began visibly spattering, and eventually overflowed for the first time in 10 days on Tuesday evening, September 22. Glow and flames were persistent at the north and west vents all week, with the south vent joining as spattering intensified on the evening of September 19 in the buildup to the 25 overflows from the north vent in the past 42 hours. The main vent complex overflowed over 104 times during September 7 to 12, before the magma’s heightened pressure forced open a path into the inner crater’s perimeter crack system which then fed the newest vents. Apparently the conduit system has restabilized, and resumed the previous buildup pattern towards a potential episode 55.

A bigger concern for Hawaiʻi Island over the next two days is soon-to-be Hurricane Nolo, crawling slowly closer from the south and bringing the expectation of incredible amounts of rain and the possibility of very strong winds, even while the southern part of the island is still deep in recovery from the impacts of Hurricane Lala last month. The threat of a repeat disaster has prompted serious preparation with school and government office closures in effect from earlier today, and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park closing at 5pm. Between the Park closure and winds expected from the east regardless of strength, a limited impact is expected from volcanic emissions and tephra fallout in nearby communities; however, the stormy conditions create the possibility of localized, temporary impacts during the great outburst of gas expected at the start of the next fountaining phase.

Between episodes, the vents continue to emit roughly 1,000 to 5,000 tonnes of SO2 per day, which while low-level compared to the output during fountaining episodes on the order of 200,000 tonnes, is still much greater than industrial standards. Both during and between episodes, vog and tephra remain the most common hazards for island residents, and the usual precautions and preparations apply, especially for those with respiratory sensitivities

The latest USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory updates state “the two most likely possibilities are that activity continues at the north-south-west vent complex, or it activates another weak crack system in the summit region. Neither of these events are likely to produce a strong seismic precursor, so that alert levels have been left at ORANGE/WATCH as the volcano continues to ‘exhibit heightened unrest with an increased potential for eruption.’ Note that as in prior storms and heavy rainfall events, non-volcanic excursions on tiltmeters are expected. As usual, we summarize the monitoring signals, imagery, and reports available courtesy of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory as well as our broader community, annotating the presentation on-screen and discussing live viewer questions as we go.