Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano Is Erupting Right Now — Watch It Live

Kīlauea volcano has been putting on a jaw-dropping natural spectacle for over a year and a half — and the eruption shows no signs of stopping, with Episode 48 now building toward another explosive fountaining event.

Story Highlights

Kīlauea has erupted episodically since December 23, 2024, from two vents inside Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the volcano’s summit.
Episode 46 on May 5, 2026, sent lava fountains shooting 650 feet into the air from the north vent, lasting approximately nine hours.
The U.S. Geological Survey forecast Episode 48 fountaining to begin between May 31 and June 1, 2026, with precursory lava activity already underway.
All eruptive activity remains confined within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, posing no immediate threat to surrounding communities.

An Eruption That Keeps on Going

Kīlauea, located on Hawaii’s Big Island, has been erupting episodically from two vents — north and south — inside Halemaʻumaʻu crater since December 23, 2024, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). ^[5] Each eruption episode typically involves dramatic lava fountaining that lasts several hours before activity pauses and the cycle begins building again. The ongoing eruption has now stretched well past fourteen months, making it one of the most sustained and publicly watched volcanic events in recent Hawaiian history. ^[19]

The USGS monitors the volcano around the clock through a network of webcams and seismic instruments, providing daily updates and live summit livestreams available to the public. ^[8] This level of transparency allows residents, scientists, and curious viewers worldwide to watch the eruption unfold in real time. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has consistently tracked precursory signals — including ground inflation and increased seismic activity — that reliably forecast the onset of each new fountaining episode. ^[16]

Episode 46 and 47: Spectacular Fountains on Record

During Episode 46 on May 5, 2026, the north vent at Kīlauea’s summit erupted lava fountains reaching a maximum height of 650 feet, according to USGS documentation. ^[9] The episode began at 8:17 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time and lasted approximately nine hours before activity subsided. ^[11] Episode 46 followed the same general pattern as previous episodes — a period of precursory lava overflow followed by intense, sustained fountaining from the main vents. ^[18]

Episode 47 continued the trend just days later. That eruption ran for nine hours on May 14, 2026, beginning at 3:27 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time and concluding just after midnight on May 15. ^[13] Each episode adds to a remarkable streak that the National Park Service confirmed had already reached more than 41 episodes — all contained within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. ^[10] The visual scale of these eruptions, with thousand-foot lava columns lighting up the crater, has drawn visitors from across the country.

Episode 48 Builds as Forecasters Watch Closely

As of late May 2026, the USGS forecast the onset of Episode 48 fountaining between May 31 and June 1. ^[5] Precursory activity — including sluggish south-vent lava overflow and north-vent spattering — had already begun, signaling the volcano was entering its buildup phase. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has documented 29 precursory eruptions leading into prior fountaining episodes, giving scientists a reliable pattern to work from when issuing forecasts. ^[5]

All activity remains confined to the summit caldera within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and the USGS has not issued community-level hazard warnings for surrounding residential areas. ^[20] For Americans who appreciate the raw, unfiltered power of nature, Kīlauea’s ongoing eruption is a reminder of just how dynamic and alive the land beneath our feet truly is. The USGS webcam feeds and daily updates ensure that anyone, anywhere, can witness one of Earth’s most extraordinary ongoing natural events — no plane ticket required. ^[8]