June 13-22: Kilauea Webcam Timelapses

Hawaii 24/7 puts out weekly timelapse videos collecting all the screencaps from the USGS/HVO webcams.

Lower East Rift Zone (Fissure 8)

Past timelapses: May 5-10 |  May 10-17| May 17-24May 24-31| Jun 1-7Jun 7-14

Wide Angle HVO Observation Tower

Past timelapses: May 10-17| May 17-24May 24-31| Jun 1-7| Jun 7-14

Kilauea Caldera (Halema’uma’u Panorama)

Past timelapses: (older) |  Mar 29-Apr 5 |  Apr 5-12Apr 12-19 |  Apr 19-26 |  Apr 26-May 6  | Apr 26-May 3May 3-10May 10-17May 17-24| May 24-31Jun 1-7 | Jun 7-14

Halema’uma’u Overlook Vent (former!)

Past timelapses:  (older) |  Mar 29-Apr 5Apr 5-12 |  Apr 12-19Apr 17-26Apr 26-May 6 | Apr 26-May 3May 3-10May 10-17May 17-24May 24-31 | Jun 1-7 | Jun 7-14

And here’s a search for Pu’u O’o webcam timelapses on this channel. (Why, Google, don’t you let us sort them in order?!)

Pele’s Path: Eyewitness to History

HawaiiNewsNow has had the most in-depth and on-the-ground local coverage. Wednesday night they aired a half-hour documentary, Pele’s Path: Eyewitness to History.

Hawaii News Now – KGMB and KHNL

It’s a day by day look at how this has unfolded for the shaken residents of Puna, for the state officials scrambling to address this fast-moving crisis, and for those who are front-row witnesses to the power of nature at its most destructive… and yet beautiful.

May 22: Reactivated Fissures Near Geothermal Plant

News media have finally gotten wind of Civil Beat’s livestream. Some have gotten the homeowner’s permission to film broadcasts on the same porch, so you may hear them if you tune in. At other times, the homeowners or friends they’ve let use the house stop by. It’s surreal yet oddly comforting to hear the homey noises of people, a pet parkeet (?), and wild chickens outside while towering, terrifying yet magnificent lava fountains boom and chuff.

As for the big picture, we’re starting to settle into a routine with Kilauea’s ongoing double eruption:

(1) Lava in Lower East Rift Zone

  • Lava fountains/flows in the Lower East Rift Zone continue vigorously, claiming more land and displacing more residents in Lower Puna.
  • Some fissures stop, but others reactivate. See HVO maps for what’s active.
  • Coast guard, police are trying to keep spectators away from lava entry into ocean; toxic “laze” plume from lava/seawater interaction is dangerous.
  • Puna residents are concerned about lava now encroaching on Puna Geothermal Venture site, because PVG’s lack of transparency and tardiness in capping wells has not been reassuring. (see HNN reporter Mileka Lincoln’s brief, damming synopsis). Lava-breached wells might emit toxic hydrogen sulfide.
  • Leilani Estates, where fissures started, doesn’t have much erupting now but cracks in some roads are now chasms (photo).
  • Lava is now faster, hotter, more voluminous due to clearing out old lava from 1955 that was pooled under rift zone; now it’s fresh lava from drained Pu’u O’o.

(2) Kilauea Summit Ash Explosions

  • Minor ash explosions continue intermittently at Kilauea’s summit crater, Halemau’ma’u. Between explosions, white plume of steam seen on webcams.
  • This morning, another ash explosion, 10,000 foot cloud, 3:30 AM. Here’s this morning’s Civil Defense ashfall warning with advisory for Kau.
  • See NWSHonolulu on Twitter for ashfall advisories.
  • We don’t know if crater has ejected more “ballistics” (flying rocks) since USGS scientists aren’t risking personnel by entering the possible “flying rocks” zone. Right now they’re working from a temporary base of operations in Hilo.
  • Hawaii Volcanoes National Park remains closed, not only to keep public out of range of flying rocks, but because of earthquake damage to trails and some park structures. These need to be assessed/repaired.
  • Park Rangers have set up in Hilo Bayfront to educate public about this historic eruption.

Oh look, another hazard from lava entering ocean: WATERSPOUTS.

And even when fissures don’t spout lava, they can still be dangerous:

 

May 18/19: Good Summary of Eruption to Date

USGS aerial view of lava flow, May 19. (full-sized)

Volcanologist Erik Klemetti pulls everything together for us, reviewing how the Leilani Fissure lava eruptions and the summit ash/steam eruptions have progressed.

Link:

Kilauea Eruption Continues: How Long Could It Last?

The eruption at Kīlauea is still captivating the nation, as it should because this volcano hasn’t behaving like this in almost a century. I thought I’d take a moment to step back and review of the main events so far and what it might all mean for Kīlauea and the people who live around the volcano. These eruptions are separated by a long way if you look at the satellite data and should almost be treated at two different events..


Also, here’s today’s CivilDefense briefing and BigIslandVideonews’ splice of afternoon USGS briefing with geologist Carolyn Parcheta plus recent video footage.

Taking from video  (basically telling us which fissures are doing what):

Continue reading May 18/19: Good Summary of Eruption to Date

March 22, 2018: Volcano Watch

Ah, the innocent days before everything changed! HVO’s weekly Volcano Watch column on March 22 discusses the fluctuating levels of Kilauea’s lava lake, and new technology being used to measure it.

Also, as was usual for Volcano Watch posts before the current eruption, the end of that entry provides a status update for  Kīlauea, Puʻu ʻŌʻō, and Mauna Loa. This was the status quo before fissure 8 became the New Normal.