Welcome Back Madam Pele!!

 

Madam Pele has done it again! 

 At 3:20 pm HST on September 29, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) detected glow in Kīlauea summit webcam images indicating that an eruption has commenced within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in the Kīlauea summit caldera. The new eruption began four months after the end of the previous Kīlauea eruption which ended in May.

 Randal and I were going to go to the summit to look, but we had guests to greet first and we wanted to ensure our current guests knew it had happened since their time here is more limited than ours is.

 By day you can see the plume of gas and steam.  At night you can see the glow.  From the pictures I have seen taken by my neighbors and friends, it is anywhere from light pink to blood red!

 As a reminder to our upcoming guests, the park is currently open 24 hours a day, and the public is reminded to stay safe by following these precautions:

 - Maintain social distance of six feet from others and wear a mask to reduce the spread of COVID-19. If you are sick, please visit another day.

- Volcanic eruptions can be hazardous and change at any time. Stay on marked trails and overlooks, and avoid earth cracks and cliff edges. Do not enter closed areas.

- Hazardous volcanic gases are billowing out the crater and present a danger to everyone, especially people with heart or respiratory problems, infants, young children and pregnant women.

- Slow down and drive safely. Expect long waits for parking spaces at popular vantage points like Uēkahuna (formerly the Jaggar Museum).

- At 1,219 meters, (4,000 feet), the summit of Kīlauea can be chilly at any time. Bring a rain jacket, wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. Bring a flashlight if visiting at night.

Eruption status updates, live web cams, and planning tips are available on the park website.

“Viewing lava at the summit of Kīlauea is awe-inspiring. During this COVID-19 pandemic, we ask the public to recreate responsibly, maintain social distance and to wear a mask,” said Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Rhonda Loh. “We want to keep the park open for all to experience this new phase of volcanic activity, but we can only do so if visitors follow guidelines that keep everyone safe. We continue to work with USGS scientists to receive the latest volcanic updates, and remind visitors that the eruptive activity and accessibility could change at any time,” Loh said.

USGS HVO has elevated the Kīlauea volcano alert level to WARNING and its aviation color code to RED.

All areas that were open in the park before the new eruption began remain open. Vantage points for viewing the new eruption include Uēkahuna (former Jaggar Museum parking), Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff), Kīlauea Overlook, and other overlooks along Crater Rim Trail.

We hope to see you soon!!

 

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