Hawaiian Volcano Update: Kīlauea Eruption’s Episode 48 Sets New Record - June 4, 2026
After a longer-than-expected 17-day pause, episode 48 of Kīlauea’s ongoing summit eruption finally arrived at 4:40 AM on Monday, June 1 and lasted the now-typical 9 hours of lava fountaining from the north vent. In exceeding the Puʻuʻōʻō eruption’s 47 episodes, this current eruption sets the record for the most episodic fountaining events in the historic record of Kīlauea volcano. Largely following the pattern of episodes 44 through 47, a single fountain fed lava flows across Halemaʻumaʻu crater, where 5.6 million cubic meters of lava covered about 40% of the crater floor. Monitoring instruments show recharge ahead of another expected episode, with “forecast models based on summit inflation rates since episode 48 indicate that episode 49 is likely to begin in 10-15 days” barring any natural delays.
According to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, “At first, lower-level trade winds from the northeast pushed most tephra from the lava fountaining to the southwest of Halemaʻumaʻu. As the plume cloud grew, winds from the south at higher elevations between 10,000 feet and 20,000 began moving the plume northward … Sparse pumice up to 1-2 inches (2-5 centimeters) in size fell at the Uēkahuna overlook and Nāmakanipaio campground along with Highway 11 west to the 34-mile marker. Fine ash and Peleʻs hair were deposited around Kīlauea Visitor Center and outside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park in communities to the northeast, including Mauna Loa Estates, Ohia Estates, and Volcano village as well as to the west of the caldera between the 34- and 36-mile markers. Very sparse, fine ash was reported as far as Mountain View. A commercial pilot reported a sulfur and ash cloud off of Laupāhoehoe that resulted in cancellations and diversions of several morning flights to Hilo.” This weaker trade wind pattern, similar to episode 47, may become the norm for this summer with the expected El Niño season.
In the meantime, both vents continue to emit roughly 1,000 to 5,000 tonnes of SO2 per day, which while low-level compared to the output during fountaing episodes on the order of 200,000 tonnes, is still much greater than industrial standards and impactful to downwind residents. According to recent National Weather Service discussion, “breezy trades dominate … through the week.” Emissions can be carried substantial distances across the south side of the island, wrapping around to the Kona coast under these conditions. 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 – more information at https://vog.ivhhn.org/.
Just before the end of episode 48, and similar to episode 44, a swarm of 53 earthquakes mostly smaller than magnitude 2 occurred at shallow depths up to 1 mile or 1.5 kilometers beneath the south rim of Halema’uma’u crater. Around the same time, that same area “also rose by several inches (centimeters)” according to USGS-HVO. “The specific cause of that uplift remains uncertain but it could be related to magma movement.” Previous similar events, including earthquakes marking episode 30’s fissure on the southwest crater wall, did not significantly alter the course of the eruption.
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 as we go and discussing live viewer questions.
