Hawaiian Volcano Update: Slumping After Episode 36, Kīlauea Summit Eruption - November 20, 2025

In the first few days following episode 36 of Kīlauea’s ongoing summit eruption, the latest lava deposits continued to move and slump in the familiar pattern following recent episodes, with material moving by gravity away from the growing cinder cone and piles of cinder draped against the southwest caldera wall. This past weekend, however, in a less usual sagging event, the cone and nearby areas in the crater began to drop for several days, opening several new, glowing cracks upslope and around the north vent. Signs of magma build-up are still evident in monitoring signals, with USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory inflation models suggesting a likely onset of episode 37 between tomorrow and next week Wednesday, November 26.

In between eruptive episodes, the typical venting of gas continues in the range of 1,200 to 1,500 tonnes of SO2 per day, this past week carried southwest by the trade winds into the persistently affected communities of southwest Hawaiʻi Island. 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/. 

All eruptive activity has been confined to Kīlauea’s summit caldera within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, with no increased lava threat to people. There continue to be no significant changes on either of Kīlauea’s rift zones. Maunaloa continues to inflate its established post-eruption pattern, including a slight uptick in earthquakes in recent months. 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. 

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