[kellyhound]

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported that Episode 42 of the ongoing Kilauea volcano eruption started on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, at 1:50 p.m. within the Halemaumau crater. The episode ended abruptly at 11:38 p.m. after just under 10 hours of continuous fountaining.

During episode 42, cloudy and rainy weather made it challenging for HVO to estimate the height of the dual lava fountains, but the south vent may have reached as high as 1,300 feet and the north vent about 1,000 feet high.

The next lava fountaining episode is likely about two to three weeks away and will take place in March, according to HVO, but more data is needed to provide a specific forecast window.

Precursory activity began on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 1:05 p.m. with a tiny overflow from the north vent. Two more overflows took place later in the day from the north vent, and intermittent spattering continued until episode 42 fountains began. Meanwhile, the first two overflows took place at the south vent on the morning of Feb. 15. Another three or four tiny overflows emerged from both vents before noon, and then both vents started producing larger overflows before eruptive activity started.

The crater quickly deflated and tremor increased, as the north vent’s lava fountain grew rapidly and by 2:25 p.m. reached 660 feet high. The south vent fountain remained small until 2:30 p.m. when it shot up and became equal to the size of the north fountain. By 2:40 p.m., the south vent fountain was higher than the north vent fountain, remaining this way for the rest of the episode.

The lava fountains reached peak heights around 3 p.m., staying at these heights for about 2 hours. HVO said it was hard to measure the heights because of cloudy and rainy weather, but estimated the south vent was somewhere between 1,100 and 1,300 feet high, while the north vent was about 800 to 1,000 feet high.

Both fountains started decreasing in height around 4:45 p.m., when the south vent began oscillating between 800 feet and 1,300 feet in short bursts. This continued until around 6 p.m. when the south and north fountains slowly declined to 600 feet and 500 feet respectively by 11 p.m.

Lava surrounding the vents will continue to move downslope for several days, while lava on the crater flow may continue to glow, according to HVO.

The two lava fountains produced heat, ash and a large plume, which by 3 p.m. reached 35,000 feet in altitude, according to the National Weather Service. By Monday morning, HVO webcams showed that the plume from the summit vents was being carried to the southwest. The National Weather Service forecast for the Kilauea summit region for Monday shows winds from the north-northeast at 17 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Only light tephra fall was reported in communities to the southwest during episode 42 — unlike during episode 41, when ash and volcanic rocks fell in surrounding communities. While the eruptive episodes were similar in size and volume, the major difference was light Kona winds from the southwest during episode 41 and strong trade winds from the northeast during episode 42.

The current eruption, which began on Dec. 23, 2024, has now produced 42 episodes of lava fountaining from two vents in Halemaumau crater. Pauses lasting several days to a few weeks in activity separate each episode, which produces lava fountains for up to 12 hours.

[Mr.NoCredit]

Absolutely Epic!

I’ve read that the earth core pressure has gone down substantially and that there isn’t enough molten rock to initiate a “Super Volcano” but seeing this makes me wonder. It’s absolutely amazing to see those streams of lava ejecting from the surface!

[DarkSighted]

Even more sobering when you realize that's several hundred tons of molten rock way in the air at any given moment. Sounds like the south vent had to shake & squirt for a bit, to finish off.

[CatBatMan]

"The B-52's (not Simpsons) Did It!"

[kellyhound]

Originally Posted by Mr.NoCredit ↗

Absolutely Epic!

I’ve read that the earth core pressure has gone down substantially.

That's actually not true. The pressure at the inner core is roughly 3.6 million atmospheres and pretty stable.

They discovered the inner core's rotation has slowed down relative to the mantle in the past 26 years. So the solid iron ball in the center is lagging behind the rest of the planet slightly, not that it is losing pressure.

Some say it's part of a 70 year cycle.

Super volcanos, like Yellowstone, do not depend on the core as they have lava/magma chambers in the earth crust which is around 3 to 10 miles under the surface.

When magma chambers grow it's pushing more pressure to the chamber's roof so the roof gets tinner and eventually cracks and an eruption occurs. Also an earthquake can cause cracks and an eruption.

for yellowstone they found a sort of magma lid/cap 2 miles below the surface which acts like a sort of pressure valve that causes gases slowly venting through geysers and hot springs to keep the system stable.

I read the other day they did find out that the core contains enough hydrogen, or more precisely iron hydrates, iron and hydrogen, to form the equivalent of an estimated 9 to 45 oceans of water and that still only around 0.4 pct of the total core's mass.

If this hydrogen leaks into the mantle, which is oxygen rich, it can react to form water. This would lower the melting temperature of rocks, fueling volcanic activity as it's disrupting chemical bonds and allowing the rock to melt at temperatures roughly 140–212°F lower than normal which is, and depends on the rock chemical composition, between 1.200 and 2700°F

That also means that the theory that water arrived via comets later on in earth's history is possibly not true but the earth was already wet when it started to form approx. 4,5 bill. years ago by dust and gas from the sun

[Mr.NoCredit]

Thanks KellyHound! Awesome short read.

[IvorySmith]

Global warming.