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Episode 53 is one of the fountaining episodes of Kīlauea's ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption, which has produced numbered episodes every one to four weeks since December 2024. The daily USGS status entries that reference it are collected below, and the full daily updates log has the complete day-by-day record.
Lava fountains in Episode 53 reached about 490 feet (150 meters), the 37th highest fountain height of 54 recorded episodes and 29% below the median of 700 ft.
The episode erupted an estimated 4.6 million cubic metres of lava, 12% below the median of 5.2M m³.
Fountaining lasted 10 hours, essentially the median (10 hours). Kīlauea's episodes are short and intense: most last hours, not days.
The summit then paused for 12 days while magma recharged before the next episode began.
Comparisons computed across the 54 eruptive episodes USGS has recorded for the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption. Figures are USGS preliminary values and can be revised.
Kīlauea volcano is not erupting; the summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu is paused. Episode 53 ended at 1:23 a.m. HST on August 13. Initial reinflation indicates another episode is likely but more data are needed to determine the forecast.
Kīlauea volcano is not erupting; the summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu is paused. Episode 53 ended at 1:23 a.m. HST on August 13. Reinflation indicates another episode is likely but more data are needed to determine the forecast.
Kīlauea volcano is not erupting; the summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu is paused. Episode 53 ended at 1:23 a.m. HST on August 13. Reinflation indicates another episode is likely but more data are needed to determine the forecast.
Kīlauea volcano is not erupting. Rapid inflation slowed around 6 a.m. HST. Inflation models forecast the start of episode 53 fountains sometime later today, August 12, through Friday, August 14, depending on inflation rates.
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