# For volcano watchers - maybe you'll get lucky! {Kilauea may be erupting} **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 5, 2023, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665 "2023-09-05T20:52:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/421 "2025-12-09T01:37:09Z")
Plot armor is a wonderful thing. That’s a _great_ clip; thank you. 🙂 Hawaii actually has a lot of rather slow-moving oozing flows across relatively level terrain. If the foliage isn’t too dense, you can out_walk_ it. Just don’t quit walking. Being up near a vent when it lets go is a whole other level of screwed. See also this discussion I OPed back in 2010 > [@Which is more insulting: To be killed by wildlife or weather?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-to-be-killed-by-wildlife-or-weather/537943): > > I was watching some Discovery Channel thing about sharks when the NOAA weather alert went off announcing tornadoes in the next county. Which got me to thinking … Since humans are THE apex predator here and general all around Masters Of All We Survey, I’ve gotten used to the idea that my eventual demise will be from disease, old age, or human violence, accidental or otherwise. I think if I was to find myself being eaten by a shark, thrashed by a tornado, or hit by a meteor, my main reaction wo… ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/422 "2025-12-09T01:37:53Z")
Do you know where your friend was when he took that picture? Or could you be troubled to ask? ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/423 "2025-12-09T03:34:29Z")
He just said he was at “the overlook”. I assume it was one of the viewing areas on Crater Rim Drive past the visitor center, but I’ll ask for more detail. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/424 "2025-12-09T16:48:48Z")
My friend replied > The picture was from the east-side viewing area accessed from the corner of Crater Rim and Chain of Craters roads. It’s about a mile walk to the viewing area from Parking. Quite the spectacular viewing area. You could feel the heat from the eruption! ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/425 "2025-12-09T23:59:47Z")
Thank you so much! I’ve been to the park before, but I don’t remember anything about the layout. I’ll be there again in early January. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/426 "2025-12-10T00:15:02Z")
> [@steatopygia](#): > > I don’t remember anything about the layout. It’s changed a lot over the past year! They’ve installed a roundabout (rotary) just after the entry booths. The last time I was there, it was under construction and the entry was quite disorienting for those of us who’d visited a million times before and thought we knew where to go, only suddenly everything was different. They have probably finished up the construction since I was last there. I can’t speak to what the new entry is like, but possibly it’s startling if you remember how it used to be. Or maybe it’s mostly restored to how it looked/felt previously. You’ll be there before I am, I’m sure. Report back and let us know! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/427 "2025-12-14T13:16:53Z")
A couple of days ago NASA published an interesting capsule summary of ~10 years of Kilauea activity. With some interesting views over time from orbit. You all might enjoy reading this. > **[A Hot and Fiery Decade for Kīlauea - NASA Science](https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/a-hot-and-fiery-decade-for-kilauea/)** > > The volcano in Hawaii is one of the most active in the world, and NASA tech makes it easier for volcanologists to monitor new developments. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/428 "2025-12-14T17:08:37Z")
Wow, that looks like a great find for the photos alone! Thanks for sharing. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/429 "2025-12-19T23:16:52Z")
[New v3 cam](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXKuUyKt8mc) started 40 minutes ago. For some reason I can’t scroll back in time on this one. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/430 "2025-12-19T23:42:27Z")
Thanks for the heads up! ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/431 "2025-12-19T23:57:13Z")
Excellent! Most recent estimates for next eruption is between December 22-26. I think I’m going to be there between cycles 🙁 . ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/432 "2025-12-20T00:03:02Z")
And I’m going to be visiting my son in California almost precisely on those dates! Oh well. We keep an eye out for new episodes but rarely bother to try to visit them live; it’s a long drive from our house and the traffic jams are frequently hideous once you get close. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/433 "2025-12-20T06:33:51Z")
> [@Ponderoid](#): > > [New v3 cam](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXKuUyKt8mc) started 40 minutes ago. For some reason I can’t scroll back in time on this one. Something is glitchy. My v1 link and the v3 link now go to the same camera. And, as you note, no scrolling back in time (which should be available on the v1 cam). It’ll get sorted, I’m sure. But for now, it’s a little weird. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/434 "2025-12-20T19:45:37Z")
I think that’s your shortcuts, not the actual cams. V1 is `https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk0tfYDxrUA` V2 is `https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiyttmA7YkA` The new V3 is `https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXKuUyKt8mc` There are lots of ways to format the links that all end up showing you the vid. But that 11-character mumbo jumbo code will be the same in all links that go to the same content. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/435 "2025-12-20T19:50:13Z")
And this is USGS streams page: > **[USGS](https://www.youtube.com/@usgs/streams)** > > Share your videos with friends, family, and the world Brian ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/436 "2025-12-21T15:13:49Z")
I don’t know how much this is an every night occurrence, but now at ~1000ET = 0500 HT on V3 there’s nonstop glowing and smoke / steam, plus occasional visible flame from both vents. So far short of lava effusing, much less fountaining. But still activity. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2025, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/437 "2025-12-24T04:38:45Z")
The vent nearest to the V1 cam formed a small cone last night. Right now things seem to be ramping up at both vents and I think most of that cone has been destroyed. Not fountaining but visible lava in addition to flame. Edited to add V3 has flowing lava! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2025, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/438 "2025-12-24T10:30:13Z")
And now (12/24 0030 HT = 0530 ET) we have a full fountaining two-vent eruption and have had for about 4 hours. It got going pretty impressively between about 1900 & 2030 HT on the 23rd. Which is still on the rewindable part of the stream for another ~6 hours. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/439 "2025-12-27T04:03:25Z")
Today’s USGS update; _ **Activity Summary:** _ _“The Halemaʻumaʻu eruption is paused. Overnight webcam views showed intermittent and weak glow from the eruptive vents. Summit inflation is underway and forecasting models suggest the window for **[lava](https://www.usgs.gov/glossary/volcano-hazards-program-glossary)** fountaining episode 40 is **between January 4 and 11.** Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone remain quiet._” I will be on the Big Island January 3-11. WOO HOO! ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2025, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665/440 "2025-12-28T00:44:38Z")
> [@steatopygia](#): > > I will be on the Big Island January 3-11. > > WOO HOO! Sweet! Let me know if you have any questions. That’s a nice long visit - are you staying Kona-side, East Hawai’i, or a little of both? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-volcano-watchers-maybe-youll-get-lucky-kilauea-may-be-erupting/989665.md?page=23)