Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Lava fountaining episode 47 of Kīlauea Volcano began at 3:27 p.m. HST on May 14, 2026, at the summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater.
This video captures the dramatic start of episode 47, including a rotating, tornado-like vortex forming near the lava fountain. The correct scientific term is not “tornado,” but a volcanic whirlwind—more specifically, depending on the material involved, a lava devil, ash devil, or tephra devil. USGS has described these small volcanic “twisters” as a type of wind vortex related to dust devils, formed when intense heat, rising gas, and unstable air create localized rotation.
In this case, the vortex appears to develop alongside the active lava fountaining from Kīlauea’s north vent, where intense heat and turbulent updrafts can spin volcanic gas and fine material into a visible rotating column. Terms like “volnado” or “lavanado” are sometimes used informally, but they are not formal scientific terms.
According to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, episode 47 fountaining began at 3:27 p.m. HST, with activity focused at the north vent, while the south vent continued to cyclically overflow. Ground-level sensors near the eruptive vents indicated winds blowing from the northeast, which suggested volcanic gas emissions and volcanic material could be carried southwest from Halemaʻumaʻu.
Kīlauea has been erupting episodically since December 23, 2024, from vents inside Halemaʻumaʻu crater. These lava fountaining episodes can produce rapidly changing conditions, including volcanic gas, tephra fall, Pele’s hair, lava spatter, and strong localized turbulence near the vents.
This video is for observation and educational purposes. For official updates and hazard information, follow the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense.
Official USGS HVO updates:
usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages
Lava fountaining episode 47 of Kīlauea Volcano began at 3:27 p.m. HST on May 14, 2026, at the summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater.
This video captures the dramatic start of episode 47, including a rotating, tornado-like vortex forming near the lava fountain. The correct scientific term is not “tornado,” but a volcanic whirlwind—more specifically, depending on the material involved, a lava devil, ash devil, or tephra devil. USGS has described these small volcanic “twisters” as a type of wind vortex related to dust devils, formed when intense heat, rising gas, and unstable air create localized rotation.
In this case, the vortex appears to develop alongside the active lava fountaining from Kīlauea’s north vent, where intense heat and turbulent updrafts can spin volcanic gas and fine material into a visible rotating column. Terms like “volnado” or “lavanado” are sometimes used informally, but they are not formal scientific terms.
According to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, episode 47 fountaining began at 3:27 p.m. HST, with activity focused at the north vent, while the south vent continued to cyclically overflow. Ground-level sensors near the eruptive vents indicated winds blowing from the northeast, which suggested volcanic gas emissions and volcanic material could be carried southwest from Halemaʻumaʻu.
Kīlauea has been erupting episodically since December 23, 2024, from vents inside Halemaʻumaʻu crater. These lava fountaining episodes can produce rapidly changing conditions, including volcanic gas, tephra fall, Pele’s hair, lava spatter, and strong localized turbulence near the vents.
This video is for observation and educational purposes. For official updates and hazard information, follow the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense.
Official USGS HVO updates:
usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages
