Kīlauea Starts Episode 53 With 500-Foot Lava Fountains as Plume Rises to 18,000 Feet
Updated
Updated · Big Island Video News · Aug 12
Kīlauea Starts Episode 53 With 500-Foot Lava Fountains as Plume Rises to 18,000 Feet
3 articles · Updated · Big Island Video News · Aug 12
Summary
High lava fountains broke out at Kīlauea’s summit at 3:45 p.m. HST, marking Episode 53 after hours of precursory spatter, short overflows and a sustained north-vent flow.
At 1:45 p.m., output jumped sharply with a switch to deflationary tilt, forming a double dome fountain that fed an overflow extending more than 2,000 feet from the vent.
A 6,000-foot ground-level gas plume and low-level northeast winds could spread ash, Pele’s hair and other tephra west or southwest of Halemaʻumaʻu, while higher winds may carry material farther if fountains intensify.
The National Weather Service said fountaining episodes usually last less than 12 hours, warned of possible road or park closures, and urged downwind residents and visitors to limit ash exposure and stay alert.