Hawaii – Lava has begun to flow into the Halemaʻumaʻu crater as Kīlauea’s north vent cone overflowed early this morning.

At approximately 5:54 a.m., what began as scattered spattering at the north vent shifted into a continuous, powerful outflow.

The current eruption marks episode No. 25 of the Big Island volcano’s ongoing activity, which began in late December.

Experts at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory forecast that the new eruption episode will officially begin Wednesday or Thursday.

However, they warn that high lava fountaining could erupt as early as today.

In past episodes inside Halemaʻumaʻu crater, the buildup to major eruptions has included hours or days of preliminary activity.

This low-level activity includes spatter from the volcano’s vents, dome fountains, and lava overflow from one or both vents.

All eyes remain on Kīlauea as the volcanic drama intensifies.

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