Overview
- The Dec. 6 summit episode began at 8:45 a.m. HST and ran for 12.1 hours, ending abruptly at 8:52 p.m., after covering roughly half of Halemaʻumaʻu’s floor with new lava.
- Three vents erupted simultaneously in a rare triple‑fountain sequence, with jets reaching about 1,000–1,200 feet and a plume rising above 20,000 feet as VAAC analyses tracked SO2 and minor ash up to roughly 35,000 feet.
- An intense south‑vent fountain buried the USGS V3 streaming camera on the crater’s south rim between 9:55 and 9:57 a.m. HST, knocking out a key close‑range view.
- All activity remained confined to Halemaʻumaʻu inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, with officials reporting vog and Pele’s hair downwind and larger fragments falling near Chain of Craters Road but no threats to communities or airports.
- USGS instruments recorded strong summit deflation during the event followed by rapid inflation, the alert level stayed at WATCH/ORANGE, and scientists say further episodes could occur in the coming weeks.