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yesterday

Kīlauea’s Nine-Hour Summit Episode Ends With Alert Levels Lowered

The eruption stayed inside Halemaʻumaʻu with ash and fine volcanic fibers reaching nearby roads.

Episode 46 of lava fountaining in Halemaʻumaʻu began at the summit of Kīlauea at 08:17 HST on May 5, 2026. This panoramic photograph, taken from the south rim of Halemaʻumaʻu at 13:00 HST, shows the lava fountain from the north vent feeding a channelized lava flow across the crater floor. Credit: USGS/M. Patrick.
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Overview

  • Kīlauea’s 46th summit episode, which ran Tuesday from 8:17 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. HST, ended after about nine hours.
  • USGS lowered the Volcano Alert Level to Advisory and the Aviation Color Code to Yellow to reflect reduced hazards.
  • Fountains from the north vent climbed to about 200 meters and fed an ash and heat plume that rose near 6,000 meters.
  • Tephra reached areas outside closed park zones, with fist-sized clasts on Highway 11 and glass-like Pele’s hair reported as far as Mountain View.
  • Activity stayed confined to Halemaʻumaʻu, yet downwind air hazards prompted an NWS Ashfall Advisory for areas north and northeast, and officials continue close monitoring.