If you’re waiting for a massive, cinematic river of fire to swallow a highway, you might be looking at the wrong map. Hawaii is currently doing something much weirder. And, honestly, much more fascinating.
Right now, the latest volcano eruption in Hawaii isn't a single "event" you can pin to a calendar. It’s a rhythmic, stuttering performance that’s been going on for over a year. Since December 23, 2024, Kīlauea has been acting like a giant, pressurized faucet that somebody keeps turning on and off.
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We just saw Episode 40 wrap up on January 12, 2026. It was short. It was violent. It sent lava fountains screaming 800 feet into the air. And then? It just stopped.
The silence right now is actually the most important part of the story.
The 2026 Pulse: What’s Happening at the Summit?
As of mid-January 2026, the eruption at Kīlauea’s summit is technically "paused." But don't let the park rangers' quiet morning fool you. Underneath the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, the ground is literally swelling like a balloon.
Scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) are currently tracking a series of earthquake swarms that started popping off around January 13th. These aren't the kind of quakes that knock your coffee off the table. They’re tiny. Most are magnitude 1 or 2, buried about a mile or two under the surface.
But for geologists, these "volcano-tectonic" quakes are like hearing the pipes groan before a boiler explodes. It means magma is shoving its way into new cracks.
Why Episode 40 was different
Episode 40 was a beast. It lasted less than 10 hours on January 12th, but in that window, it vomited out over 5 million cubic meters of lava. That’s enough to fill about 2,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The fountain heights were the real talk of the island. Reaching 800 feet, they weren't quite as high as the record-breaking 1,400-foot fountains from Episode 39 back in December, but they were high enough to be seen from miles away, painting the night sky a deep, bruised crimson.
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Is Mauna Loa Waking Up Too?
Whenever Kīlauea gets rowdy, everyone looks over their shoulder at the big brother: Mauna Loa.
Currently, Mauna Loa is at a "Normal" alert level. It’s basically sleeping off its 2022 hangover. However, the GPS data is showing some slight inflation. The mountain is stretching. It’s refilling its magma chambers, particularly in the southern caldera region.
It’s not an emergency. It’s just how volcanoes breathe. But if you’re planning a trip, keep an eye on Kīlauea; it’s the one actually doing the heavy lifting right now.
The Hazards Nobody Tells Tourists About
Lava is the star of the show, but it’s rarely the thing that ruins a vacation. It’s the invisible stuff. And the "hair."
Pele’s Hair is everywhere right now. These are thin strands of volcanic glass formed when lava droplets are stretched by the wind. They look like golden tufts of hay, but they’re basically fiberglass. If you touch them, they splinter into your skin. If you’re downwind, they can get in your eyes.
Then there’s the Vog.
Volcanic smog (SO2) has been hitting levels between 1,000 and 5,000 tonnes per day during these pauses. When the fountains are actually active, those numbers skyrocket. If you have asthma, the "latest volcano eruption in Hawaii" isn't a photo op—it’s a respiratory hazard.
Planning Your Visit: The "Episode 41" Window
If you want to catch the next show, you have to be fast. Most of these episodes in the 2024-2026 cycle only last 12 to 24 hours. You can’t wait for the morning news to book a flight.
The current HVO models suggest that Episode 41 is likely to kick off between January 20 and January 25, 2026.
Tips for seeing the lava:
- Check the UWD Tiltmeter: This is a public graph on the USGS website. When that blue line starts a steep dive, the eruption has usually just started.
- The South Vent is Key: In recent episodes, the south vent has been the "consistent" glow. Even during pauses, you can often see a faint orange shimmer from the Kīlauea Overlook.
- Construction Matters: The Kīlauea Visitor Center is currently under massive renovation (as of January 2026). Don't go there looking for a bathroom; use the temporary facilities at Kilauea Military Camp instead.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Eruption
People keep asking when the eruption will "start."
The truth? It hasn't stopped. We are in a single, massive eruptive era that began in December 2024. This episodic fountaining is a specific style of volcanism that Hawaii hasn't seen with this much consistency since the 1969 Maunaulu eruption.
Back then, it lasted for years. We might be looking at the same thing here. The volcano isn't "broken"; it’s just found a new way to vent its pressure in short, intense bursts rather than one long, lazy flow.
What You Should Do Next
If you are on the Big Island or arriving this week, your first move shouldn't be driving to the park. It should be checking the HVO Daily Update.
- Monitor the "Watch" Level: Kīlauea is currently at ORANGE/WATCH. If that bumps to RED/WARNING, it means fountaining is imminent or happening.
- Pack for "Vog": Check the University of Hawaii Vog Forecast. If the trade winds die down, the sulfur dioxide tends to sit in the caldera and the Kona side of the island.
- Respect the Closures: The Kīlauea Overlook was recently closed to protect a nesting nēnē (Hawaiian goose) family. These closures change daily. Don't be the person who gets a federal fine for a selfie.
Stay flexible. The volcano doesn't care about your dinner reservations. But if you catch it during that 10-hour window when the fountains are active, it’s a sight that stays with you for the rest of your life.