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Lava lake overflows on Halemaumau Crater floor

Craig Gima
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USGS / HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY This Oct. 3 photo shows spattering along the eastern margin of Kilauea's summit lava lake built an overhanging ledge. A few long stalactites can be seen dangling from the overhang (lower right). These stalactites were flexible enough to be swinging back and forth. The overhang has since been absorbed by the rising and falling lava.
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USGS / HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY

This webcamera image shows lava overflowing on the Halemaumau crater floor after the lake level rose over the vent rim Saturday afternoon.

Lava overflowed on the crater floor at Kilauea’s summit this weekend, the first time the lava lake level at Halemaumau Crater has overtopped the rim since May of last year.

Lava flowed on the crater floor between 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday and at around 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

The lava lake level has since dropped and was about 56 feet below the rim this morning.

At that level, the lava spatter is visible from the Jagger Museum overlook.

The lava lake level has been rising and falling, often within view of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park overlooks for the last several weeks.

On September 22, the lake level rose to within 33 feet of the vent rim. At that time it was the highest level reached since the previous lake overflow in April-May 2015.

The Hawaii Volcano Observatory posted a photo from a webcamera from Saturday showing lava overflowing the lake rim.

Earlier this month, the observatory also posted videos and photos of the active lava spattering in the summit lake. In one of the photos, lava stalactites can be seen dangling from an overhang above the lake. The lava stalactites have since been absorbed into the lava lake as it rose and fell.

One response to “Lava lake overflows on Halemaumau Crater floor”

  1. CEI says:

    Awesome. Wish I was there to see it.

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