February 2012 Big Island Volcano Update

Something hot always seems to be going on with the active volcano, Kilauea, on Hawaii’s Big Island. Here’s the latest news on where you can see lava activity.

1.  Halemaumau Crater in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park continues to vent  from the lava lake below the crater’s surface. Dusk, night and dawn are the best times to check in on the vent in order to see the lava lake’s red glow emanating from the vent. With this webcam link

, you can watch semi-live scenes from Halemaumau. See my article on Halemaumau.

2.  Though the December 2011 lava flow into the ocean  was short lived, lava is flowing on the pali (hill). This lava flow is visible from the Hawaii County Kalapana lava viewing site at the end of Highway 130. Watching  the ribbons of lava making their way down the pali at night is a sight that’s definitely worth seeing. To check the status of the Hawaii County lava viewing area near Kalapana, call their hotline number at 808-961-8093.

Leigh of Hawaiian Lava Daily blog posted the following YouTube video that shows rivers of lava forcefully flowing on the pali. Leigh is dangerously closer to the lava activity than the general public is allowed. Tourist shouldn’t attempt to get this close.

(Email subscribers: click here to access the video.)

If you’re going to the Big Island to see the lava, please check out my advice for viewing the lava. Also, when the lava is flowing in rivers, like it is at the moment, it’s a great time to book a helicopter tour from Hilo to see the activity from the air.

Are you going to be seeing lava flow anytime soon?

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Please note that all information was accurate at the time of publishing. Lava activity and location is subject to change. To check where the lava activity is, see the resources in this article: How to find out what’s going on with the lava on Hawaii’s Big Island.