Kilauea eruption: what travellers need to know right now

HVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice

            Volcano: Kilauea (VNUM #332010)

            Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Previous Volcano Alert Level: ADVISORY

Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Previous Aviation Color Code: YELLOW

            Issued: Monday, November 2, 2026, 2:06 PM HST

            Source: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

            Notice Number: 2026/H509

            Location: N 19 deg 25 min W 155 deg 17 min

            Elevation: 4091 ft (1247 m)

            Area: Hawaii

            Summary: Precursory low-level eruptive activity before episode 56 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began around 11:43 a.m. HST on Monday, November 2.

            Volcanic Activity: Precursory low-level activity preceding episode 56 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began around 11:43 a.m. HST on Monday, November 2, with a large flow lava from the north vent. The initial rise of lava to the surface and overflow was passive with no spattering or low dome fountaining, indicating the magma was highly degassed. Minor spatter then began in the vent at about 12:30 p.m. HST. Drainback accompanied by vigorous spattering began at 12:45 p.m. HST and ended the initial overflow. Several minutes of vigorous spattering accompanied the rise of lava again within the north vent and preceded the onset of the second overflow at 1:00 p.m. HST. Once lava reached the surface and began overflowing the vent, spattering became subdued with minor spatter bursts less than 3 feet (1 meter) high on the lava pond surface.
Accordingly, HVO is raising the Alert Level for Kīlauea from ADVISORY to WATCH and the Aviation Color Code from YELLOW to ORANGE. Alert level and aviation color code definitions: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/alert-level-system. This low-level precursory activity can continue for hours to days before the lava fountaining episode beings. 
The forecast for episode 56 of lava fountaining to start is between this afternoon to November 7, revised from November 4-7 based on the onset of voluminous precursory overflows. 
Another VAN will be published when lava fountaining episode 56 begins.
All eruptive vents and lava flows are confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Tephra fall from volcanic ash clouds is greatest within 3 miles (5 km) of the vents, lighter ash and Pele's Hair may stay suspended for large distances from the vents.
Support science and community awareness by reporting tephra fall: https://hawaiiash.science/report_form 
Three Kīlauea summit livestream videos that show eruptive lava fountains are available here: https://youtube.com/@usgs/streams 
KPcam and MKcam provide views of the plume height for aviation purposes
Additional short updates as the episode progresses will be posted here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages 
Timeline of eruptive episodes since December 23, 2024: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/science/eruption-information 
Most lava fountaining episodes since December 23, 2024, have continued for a day or less.

            Remarks: Hazard Analysis: 
Volcanic Gas: water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) are continuously released during an eruption. SO2 reacts in the atmosphere to create the visible haze known as vog (volcanic air pollution) downwind, which may cause respiratory and other problems. Further information on vog can be found at https://vog.ivhhn.org/.
Tephra: small glassy volcanic fragments—volcanic ash, pumice, scoria, Pele’s hair and reticulite—are created by the lava fountains. A combination of fountaining dynamics and wind conditions determines where tephra fall may occur for any given eruption episode. Larger particles fall near the vents while light particles may be wafted greater distances. These particles may be remobilized during windy conditions following recent eruptive episodes. Residents and visitors should minimize exposure to these fragments, which can cause skin, eye, and respiratory irritation. More information and guidance on tephra fall hazards is available at https://seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/resource-and-guidance-for-volcanic-tephra-fall/. 
Lava flows: generally advance slowly downslope, and during this eruption flows have been confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater and the southwest side of Kaluapele, Kīlauea's summit caldera.
Other significant hazards exist around Kīlauea caldera from Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes. Close to the vents, the tephra material on the crater rim is prone to cracking, slumping, and small landslides that sometimes expose hot and molten material within. This underscores the extremely hazardous nature of Kīlauea's caldera rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since late 2007.

Contacts: [email protected]

Next Notice: HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and will issue additional notices as needed based on activity. Regularly scheduled daily updates for Kīlauea are posted on the HVO website at https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/volcano-updates  
More Information:
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm
Kīlauea webcam images: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/webcams
Kīlauea photos/video: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/photo-and-video-chronology
Kīlauea lava-flow maps: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/maps
Kīlauea FAQs: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/faqs

Subscribe to these messages: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns2/
Summary of volcanic hazards from eruptions: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hazards
Recent earthquakes in Hawaiʻi (map and list): https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo
Explanation of Volcano Alert Levels and Aviation Color Codes: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcanic-alert-levels-characterize-conditions-us-volcanoes