Summary of Kīlauea Volcano Update (April 3, 2025)

Kīlauea Volcano Update (April 3, 2025)

• Current Status:

  • Alert Level: WATCH

  • Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

  • The ongoing eruption at Halemaʻumaʻu crater (Kīlauea's summit) entered Episode 16 on April 2, 2025, with lava fountaining stopping by noon HST.

  • The eruption began on December 23, 2024, and has had 16 episodes of varying lava fountaining intensity.

  • Eruption activity is confined to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, with no significant activity in Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

• Recent Observations:

  • The cessation of lava fountaining (Episode 16) occurred at 12:03 p.m. HST on April 2.

  • Gas emissions are high but have decreased slightly from the fountaining levels, with sulfur dioxide (SO2) being the primary component. The plume is blowing northward.

  • The volcano has been undergoing summit inflation, indicating magma re-pressurization and suggesting that another fountaining episode may begin in the next week (April 10–13, 2025).

  • Pele's Hair and volcanic glass fragments remain present around the summit area, with wind potentially spreading these hazards.

• Volcanic Hazards:

  • Gas emissions (including SO2 and vog) pose health risks, especially downwind.

  • Pele's Hair—fine volcanic glass—can irritate skin and eyes and be dispersed by wind.

  • Rockfalls, ground cracking, and wall instability around the summit and caldera remain significant hazards, particularly near the closed area of Halemaʻumaʻu crater.

• Rift Zone:

  • Seismic activity and ground deformation are minimal in the East and Southwest Rift Zones.

  • Sulfur dioxide emissions from the rift zone are below detection limits.

• Expected Next Activity:

  • Based on inflation data, a new lava fountaining episode is expected within 7-10 days (April 10-13, 2025). Further updates will refine the prediction window.

• Additional Information:

  • Cameras and sensors have been temporarily offline due to damage sustained during high fountaining events on March 26, 2025.

  • Continued monitoring by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and coordination with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and local Civil Defense.