USGS releases Kīlauea lava fountain height data

The US Geological Survey published the announcement Friday 30 October 2026 and released a new data release from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. It provides measurements of lava fountain heights during episodes 1 through 50 of the ongoing episodic eruption in Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea. The eruption began December 23, 2024.

The eruption is at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on Island of Hawaiʻi. According to the announcement, lava fountains reached a scale not seen in the summit caldera since written records began in 1823. The activity is described as an ongoing episodic eruption at the summit.

By August 2026, 54 episodes of lava fountaining had occurred, with peak heights exceeding 500 meters. Two main vents, north and south, had been active. The vents often produced dual fountains.

These fountains fed lava flows that spread across the crater floor. The flows raised the western crater floor elevation by over 100 meters. Most lava fountaining episodes had lasted 6 to 12 hours, with one to two weeks of repose between episodes. The announcement said the eruption was visible to the public and media, with viewing easy from numerous viewpoints along the caldera rim.

The version updated in August 2026 includes fountain height data and timelapse images for episodes 1 through 50 of the eruption. The USGS said the eruption was ongoing at the time of publication, with 54 episodes to that point.

Episodes after episode 50 will be included in a future version of the data release. The release covers the episodes that had occurred by the August 2026 update at that time of the ongoing eruption.