Exciting New Eruptive Activity at Kilauea

While Hurricane Cosme (which turned out to be nothing) distracted us on the Big Island and obscured views of the crater, Pu'u 'O'o started doing something new and exciting! New flows erupted east of the crater in a new area. It's too early to tell how big they are or what they might do and you can't get to them by hiking, but a helicopter flyover (when the weather clears - it's rainy and foggy now) will probably be awesome in the days to come!

My local newspaper has a great picture on the front page today of scientists standing on or near a slow-moving surface flow with small projectiles of red-hot lava flying in the air behind them. Kilauea Volcano is fascinating!

Well, I just discovered this photo is courtesy of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory so I can post it too! Neat picture, yeah?

Latest Kilauea Update - Mid July 2007

Sorry I haven't updated since the lava has been back in activity - I've had family in from New Jersey and have been busy doing the tourist thing.

So, the volcano is no longer in a pause! The crater where all the activity has been for years is once again active, but a little less active than it was before all this started happening a few weeks ago. There is a lava pool within Pu'u 'O'o again but no current lava flows anywhere aboveground. Scientists expect that surface flows will start again in the future, or that the crater will fill and overflow, sending flows down the mountain. When is anybody's guess.

The neatest thing I have discovered recently is the lava cam! You can see an almost live picture of what the crater looks like right now here. enjoy!