HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARKS, Hawaii – The well-known Mount Kīlauea Volcano erupted for the 43rd time on Tuesday in Hawaii, and people in the area are being advised to take protective measures from ashfall.
The 43rd eruption of Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano started on Tuesday morning, when a tremor doubled, and the tilt accelerated downward.
WATCH AS LAVA FLOW ERUPTS FROM KILAUEA CRATER IN HAWAII
"Kīlauea is in a unique phase of activity in Halemaʻumaʻu, with episodes of lava fountaining erupting from two vents (north and south) since the eruption began the night of Dec. 23, 2024," a statement from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reads.
According to the USGS, both north and south vents are above 1,000 feet and are producing voluminous tephra that is spreading to the north.
Tephra, a general term for volcanic rock fragments, has been reported falling around communities, including up to 5-inch fragments.
As a result, the National Weather Service has issued an Ashfall Warning for Tuesday evening, with more than a quarter inch of ashfall accumulation, significant debris, lava or lahar flows likely in areas such as Mountain View and Glenwood, extending to the southeast and southwest.
An Ashfall Warning is issued for a volcano undergoing a major eruption where the public will be affected to a significant extent. This appears to be only the second Ashfall Warning ever issued, with the first being this past January.
Ashfall Advisories are more common, with one being issued in February, two being issued in January and before that, in November 2022 and May 2018, according to the FOX Forecast Center. Ashfall Advisories are issued for a volcano undergoing a minor eruption where the public will be affected by a limited hazard, such as less than one quarter inch of ashfall accumulation.
The Ashfall Warning remains in effect through 6 a.m. Sunday.
The summit of Kilauea is closed and a portion of Highway 11 is also closed, according to the National Park Service. People are being advised to avoid the area.
Footage shared by the USGS from the south crater shows humongous lava fountains shooting up from the ground. Large plumes of smoke slowly rise as the eruption continues to grow in strength.
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Officials warn people to seal windows and doors, and to cover air intakes and open water sources.
At times, the strength and trajectory of the lava fountains shift, covering untouched loans in hot magma.
With volcanic eruptions, there is always the risk of Pele’s Hair at various points around the summit of Kīlauea. These long strands are formed by gas during a volcanic eruption.
WHAT MAKES 'PELE’S HAIR' DURING A VOLCANIC ERUPTION?
As gas bubbles near the surface of a lava flow burst, they can stretch the skin of the molten lava into long threads.
At a certain point, the plumes of smoke become so large they nearly swallow the lava fountains, covering camera footage provided by the USGS.
Plumes have risen to over 25,000 feet and are spreading northward.
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