Massive lava fountains return to Halemaumau crater

Kilauea volcano reawakened in spectacular fashion Friday night with massive lava fountains returning to Halemaumau crater.

Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said that episode 35 of the ongoing eruption began at about 8:05 p.m. with 500-foot-plus lava fountains from the north vent.

“The fountains rapidly grew to about 500 feet when the south vent began erupting at 8:50 p.m.,” geologists said. “The south vent fountains grew rapidly and within 20 minutes equaled the north vent fountains in size. “

At 10 p.m., the south vent fountain was just under 1,500 feet high and the north vent fountains were about 1,100 feet, which “would be the highest single fountain and highest pair of fountains seen during this eruption.”

The plume of gas above the fountains extends to over 16,000 feet above ground level, USGS said.

Tephra, or rock fragments and ash from the eruption, was reported by Hawaii County Civil Defense to be falling on Highway 11 southwest of the vents, officials said.

“Fine ash and Pele’s hair can be carried long distances and may impact a broad area of Kau along the southern and southwestern parts of Mauna Loa,” according to a USGS update.

Scientists said overnight winds are blowing from the north, “which suggests that volcanic gas emissions and volcanic material may be distributed south of Kilauea summit.”

The on-again, off-again Kilauea eruption began Dec. 23 with all lava activity confined to Halemaumau crater in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Most episodes of the lava fountaining since the start of the eruption have continued for around a day or less and have been separated by pauses in eruptive activity of at least several days, geologists said.

The Kilauea alert level remains “watch,” while the aviation color code remains orange, officials said. No changes have been detected in the volcano’s east or southwest rift zones.