Kilauea remains at advisory level as USGS says episode 48 is likely next week

USGS says Kīlauea’s Halemaʻumaʻu eruption is paused for now, but the volcano remains at Volcano Alert Level Advisory and Aviation Color Code Yellow as scientists watch for the next lava-fountaining episode.

Episode 47 ended at 12:27 a.m. HST on May 15, 2026. In the latest USGS notice, officials said summit reinflation is continuing and glow remains visible at the vent, signs that the system is still active even though the eruption is quiet at the moment.

What USGS says next

USGS forecast models place episode 48 sometime between Friday, May 22 and Monday, May 25, 2026. Earlier updates had pointed to a broader window later this month, but the agency narrowed the timing in its May 18 notice.

The eruption has drawn close attention because the summit has been producing repeated fountaining episodes rather than a continuous flow. For now, the pause means there is no new fountaining episode underway, but the volcano is still being monitored for changes in inflation, glow and other signals that could precede renewed activity.

Local reporting from Hawaii News Now and Big Island Now has echoed the USGS assessment, saying the eruption is paused and another episode is likely soon based on the agency's data.

USGS has not said that episode 48 has started, only that the current pattern suggests it may arrive within the May 22-25 forecast window.