Kilauea volcano’s record‑breaking 48th eruption episode ends

The summit of Hawai‘i’s Kilauea volcano produced its 48th lava‑fountaining episode on June 1, 2026. The north‑vent eruption began at 4:40 a.m. HST, surged to fountains reaching about 200 m (650 ft), and stopped abruptly at 1:37 p.m. after roughly nine hours. An estimated 7.3 million cubic yards (5.6 million m³) of lava covered about 40 % of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor, setting a new record for the most fountaining episodes in an episodic eruption.

USGS lowered the volcano alert level from WATCH to ADVISORY and the aviation color code from ORANGE to YELLOW. Fine ash, tephra, and Pele’s hair fell across Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and nearby communities, prompting some flight cancellations and diversions at Hilo. The event also generated a seismic swarm as the crust adjusted to the eruptive activity.