Hawaii's Kilauea volcano has entered its 33rd eruptive episode, characterized by significant lava fountaining at its summit vent early Friday morning, September 19, 2025. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has raised the Volcano Alert Level to "Watch" and the Aviation Color Code to "Orange" due to the heightened activity.
The eruption commenced around 3:11 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time (HST), with lava fountains reaching heights of 700 to 800 feet by 4 a.m. HST. This marks the most vigorous display since Episode 28 in July. The fountains are primarily directed towards the northeast. A secondary eruption from a south vent began at 4 a.m. HST, forming a low dome that fed a brief lava flow before draining back into the vent. All current volcanic activity is contained within the summit caldera of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) reported that the north vent fountains are the main source of activity, with the south vent eruption concluding shortly after its start. This new episode follows precursory activity that began on September 16, including sporadic spattering and gas pistoning events. Small lava flows had started overflowing the vent as early as September 17, with larger overflows occurring on the night of September 17-18.
Past Kilauea eruptions have produced lava fountains exceeding 1,000 feet and volcanic plumes reaching up to 20,000 feet above ground level. The current convective plume is estimated at approximately 10,000 feet above ground level. Winds from the northeast are expected to carry volcanic gases and material southwestward across the Kaʻū Desert within the national park. Commercial airports in Hawaii County, including KOA and ITO, are not anticipated to be affected by this volcanic activity.
Kilauea, known as one of the world's most active volcanoes, has been erupting periodically since December 23, 2024. Its summit eruptions are typically characterized by intermittent lava fountains and flows. The volcano has a long history of eruptions, with nearly continuous activity along its East Rift Zone from 1983 to 2018. The current eruption period, which began in September 2021, has seen low-level lava effusions within the Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake.