A summit eruption of Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano began at around 7 a.m. PT Wednesday and lava was still burbling at the site Thursday. Livestream video of the eruption is available through the United States Geological Survey.
So far, all volcanic activity is confined to the Kīlauea summit region in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park said the USGS. During the morning hours Wednesday, the eruption first started within the Halemaʻumaʻu crater.
In March, Audacy reported that Mauna Loa – the world’s largest active volcano – erupted in Hawaii after being dormant for nearly 40 years. This explosion was so powerful that it could be seen from space. At that time, authorities predicted Kīlauea – Hawaii’s second largest volcano – was on the verge of erupting too.
“Summit tilt switched from inflation to deflation around [8 a.m. PT] shortly after the eruption onset,” said the USGS of the Kīlauea eruption. “Summit earthquake activity greatly diminished following the eruption onset and was replaced by continuous eruptive tremor (a signal associated with fluid movement).”
Watch the current eruption here:
According to the USGS, volcanic gas emissions in the eruption area were also elevated, including a sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rate of approximately 65,000 tons per day as of Wednesday morning.
“Residents of Pāhala, 20 miles downwind of Kīlaueaʻs summit) reported a very light dusting of gritty fine ash and Peleʻs hair this morning,” said the survey.
At the Hawaiian volcano continues to erupt, wildfires in Canada created a reddish haze over parts of the northern U.S., including New York City. A little over 200 years ago, the eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Tambora kicked off another summer of strange weather, including a snowstorm that hit England in July.
“Countless tons of volcanic ash circulated in the upper atmosphere for years after the event, blocking out sunlight and lowering averages surface temperatures globally,” said the Paris Review. These strange weather conditions even influenced Mary Shelley as she wrote “Frankenstein.”
In Hawaii this week, “high levels of volcanic gas are the primary hazard of concern, as this hazard can have far-reaching effects down-wind,” said the USGS. “Large amounts of volcanic gas – primarily water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) – are continuously released during eruptions of Kīlauea volcano.”
When sulfur dioxide reaches the atmosphere, it reacts to create a haze known as “vog” that can be dangerous.
“Vog creates the potential for airborne health hazards to residents and visitors, damages agricultural crops and other plants, and affects livestock,” the USGS explained.
In addition to vog and the continued eruption of lava fountains at Kīlauea, the survey warned that glass fragments from the volcano could fall downwind. Some of these fragments can look like what the National Parks Service called “golden mats of hair” known as Pele’s Hair.
“Residents should minimize exposure to these volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation,” the USGS warned.
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