USGS
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Kīlauea
black circleEruption Update
black circleEruption Summary
black circleHazards
black circleHistory
Mauna Loa
black circleCurrent Status
black circleCurrent Monitoring
black circleFAQs-Mauna Loa
black circleHazards
black circleHistory
Webcams
Earthquakes
black 
              circleCurrent EQs
black circleFelt EQs
black circleDestructive EQs
black circleSeismicity
black circleHazards, Zoning
black circleInstrumentation
Other 
              Volcanoes
black circleHualālai
black circleHaleakalā
black circleLōʻihi
Volcanic Hazards
black circleVog Dashboard
black circle
FAQ-SO2, Vog, and Ash
black circleCurrent HVNP Air Quality
black circleFAQ-Lava-Flow Hazard Zones
black circleOcean Entry
black circleVolcano Hazards in Hawaiʻi
About HVO
black circleHistory of HVO
black circleVolunteer program
black circleLocation
black circleContact Us

Links to info about Hawaiʻi's two most active volcanoes:

Kīlauea: Daily eruption updates, maps and photos/videos.

Mauna Loa: Weekly updates and current monitoring data.


Volcano Awareness Month

January 2017 is our 8th annual "Volcano Awareness Month on the Island of Hawaiʻi." With two ongoing eruptions on Kīlauea and a restless Mauna Loa, awareness is essential for us to live in harmony with the active volcanoes that are our island home.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, in cooperation with Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo will provide a month-long series of programs about the volcanoes on which we live:

USGS photo: Kīlauea lava flow advancing toward the ocean on July 25, 2016."At-a-Glance" Program Schedule

Program descriptions:
January 3, 2017, also marks the anniversary of Kīlauea Volcano's ongoing East Rift Zone eruption, which began in 1983. During the past 34 years, lava flows have buried over 142 km2 (55 mi2) of public and private land, destroying 215 structures and vast tracts of native forest. This destruction reminds us why it's important to be aware of how Hawaiian volcanoes work.

The vent at the summit of Kīlauea, which opened in March 2008, is the site of an active lava lake that, at times, enthralls visitors with spectacular views of spattering lava. But it is also the primary source of sulfur dioxide gas that causes vog (volcanic air pollution), which has far-reaching impacts on the island, and sometimes, across the state.

Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on Earth, has erupted 33 times in the past 174 years, most recently in 1984. In September 2015, the Volcano Alert Level for Mauna Loa was elevated from "Normal" to "Advisory" based on increased seismicity and deformation at the volcano—another reminder of the need for volcano awareness on Hawaiʻi Island.



 

More Volcano Information from HVO and Beyond

Earthquake seismogramReport a felt earthquake to HVO using this form.
More USGS Volcano Web sites

Volcano WatchCurrent issue of Volcano Watch essay, written weekly by USGS scientists.
National Park ServiceHawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, home to HVO. Find visitor information and resources here. Graphic: Kids DoorVolcanoes for kids, from the Volcano World website.
Skip past main content navigational bar


Homeblank spacerVolcano Watchblank spacerProductsblank spacerGalleryblank spacerPress Releases
How Hawaiian Volcanoes Work

U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California, USA
URL http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/
Contact HVO
     phone: 808-967-7328 M-F 8 am - 4:30 pm H.s.t.
     email: askHVO@usgs.gov
     webmaster: hvowebmaster@usgs.gov

| USGS Privacy Statement | USGS Disclaimer | Accessibility |
Last modification: 28 Nov 2016 (pnf)