One week ago on November 5, episode 56 of Kīlauea’s ongoing summit eruption lasted from 12:10 PM to 6:01 PM, similar in length to episode 55. Cycles of lava overflows began ahead of the episode on November 2, all from the north vent which again hosted the episode’s single lava fountain reaching a maximum height of 660 feet or 200 meters. An estimated 6 million cubic meters of lava erupted, covering “much of the western and northern portions of the crater floor … with flows reaching into the eastern end of the crater,” according to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. This puts it within the group with the highest output rates of the whole eruption, similar to episode 55, but also to the era of twin fountains during episodes 34 to 43.
Monitoring signals once again show the recharge pattern typical between episodes, leading to a current forecast window for episode 57 from November 16 to 21. While the occurrence of episode 56 “on schedule” inspires some confidence that the previous, predictable pattern has been reestablished, the deviations prior to episode 55 have also shown that caution is warranted. Meanwhile, lava was seen roiling “in both vents about 130-165 feet (40-50 meters) deep” during a helicopter overflight on November 10, while in darkness its glow has been evident persistently at the southwest vent and intermittently at the north vent over the past week.
Strong trade winds limited the impact of tephra and vog to nearby communities, and yet the volcanic plume rose to 18,000 feet or 5,500 meters above sea level, where “upper level winds from the east and southeast carried the higher-level plume northwest towards Mauna Loa summit… HVO geologists reported trace fallout of Pele’s hair west of the summit on Highway 11 and the town of Pāhala.” 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/. Trades are expected to continue into next week, during which emissions can be carried substantial distances across the south side of the island, wrapping around to the Kona coast as reflected by today’s air quality readings.
Earthquakes rates remain low under Kīlauea summit, with long-term patterns continuing on the south flank and around the hotspot feeder zone. Maunaloa quakes slightly increased last month, within the long-term filling pattern evident over the past 2 years. Deep earthquakes beneath Maunaloa continue at somewhat elevated rates, reminiscent of the 2002-2005 intrusion but still consistent with refilling following the 2022 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 and discussing live viewer questions as we go.
