Hawaiian Volcano Update: Kīlauea Summit Eruption’s Episode 43 - March 12, 2026

After the expected 22-day pause, Kīlauea’s summit eruption produced its 43rd episode on March 10 between 9:17 AM and 6:21 PM, with high lava fountains from both the south and north vents reaching up to 1300 feet or 400 meters high. Southerly winds led to tephra fallout primarily to the north of the caldera, most severely affecting the Uēkahuna overlook (up to 7 inches or 18 cm accumulated), the Kīlauea Military Camp (2 inches or 5 cm accumulated), and the Volcano Golf Course subdivision, with the largest pieces up to 5 inches or 13 cm in diameter. Finer fallout of lava glass including Pele’s hair was reported all the way to the island’s eastern coast, from Hawaiian Paradise Park through Hilo and up to Honomu, a result of the plume exceeding 30,000 feet above sea level. The fallout near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park led to the closure and evacuation of the summit area as well as Highway 11 and a nearby school. Overall, the impact appears to be less than during episode 41, although still quite significant in nearby areas.

The output from both fountains fed lava flows that once again filled roughly half of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, producing 11.9 million cubic meters at rate similar to episodes 41 & 42. With a similar magnitude of deflation as during episode 42, as well as the rebound of inflation and other refilling signals following episode 43, another pause of roughly 3 weeks is projected, roughly bracketed by a preliminary window for episode 44 between March 28 and April 12. As is typical between fountaining episodes, both vents are degassing their typical 1,000 to 5,000 tonnes of SO2 per day, which while low-level for the current activity, is still much greater than industrial standards and impactful to downwind residents. 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/. 

As usual, we summarize the monitoring signals, imagery, and reports available courtesy of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, annotating the presentation on-screen as we go and discussing live viewer questions.