See It: Kilauea spews rivers of lava ahead of anticipated 40th eruptive episode since 2024

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii – Rivers of lava flowed down several vents of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater on Hawaii's Kilauea volcano overnight Monday — the latest signs of activity for one of the world's most active volcanoes.

HAWAII’S KILAUEA VOLCANO NEARS 40TH ERUPTIVE EPISODE AS ACTIVITY INCREASES

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), intermittent lava flows and dome fountaining have been ongoing through the weekend.

Dome fountains are smaller bubbles of lava that are typically precursors to much taller lava fountains, which are essentially jets of lava ejected hundreds of feet into the sky.

HAWAII’S KILAUEA SHOOTS 500-FOOT FOUNTAIN OF LAVA

According to the USGS, Kīlauea has been erupting episodically since Dec. 23, 2024, with each episode lasting less than 12 hours and separated by pauses that can be longer than two weeks.

Based on volcanic activity over the weekend, the agency expects the 40th eruptive episode to begin sometime between now and Saturday.

In a Sunday update, the USGS indicated that the prolonged precursor activity observed over the weekend makes the 40th eruption more likely later in the week.

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These eruptions are occurring in a part of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island that has been closed since late 2007.

However, volcanic gas, which is made up of water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, can be released during eruptions and can be hazardous to areas immediately downwind of the eruption.

Kilauea's last eruptive episode was on Dec. 24, 2025.