Kīlauea Episode 44 has come and gone. After precursory overflows from the south vent starting April 3 and a National Weather Service special weather statement on April 4, full fountaining began at 11:10 a.m. HST on April 9 and ended at 7:41 p.m. — 8.5 hours of continuous north-vent fountaining with peak heights around 800 feet (240 meters) and a plume reaching 16,000 feet above sea level.
As of April 13, USGS HVO has stepped the Kīlauea alert level down from WATCH/ORANGE to ADVISORY/YELLOW — still elevated unrest, but a longer quiet interval than earlier pauses in this eruption cycle. Another episode is likely, but at this writing there is not yet a detailed forecast window for the next one. This follows Episode 43 on March 10, which set the cycle’s height record at 1,770 feet. If you are visiting the Big Island in the coming weeks, here is what you need to know.
