Kīlauea episode 56 ends abruptly after nearly 6 hours of lava fountaining, Hawaii
Episode 56 of Kīlauea’s ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began at 12:10 HST (22:10 UTC) on November 5, 2026, and ended abruptly at 18:01 HST that day (04:01 UTC on November 6) after nearly six hours of continuous lava fountaining. Fountains reached about 200 m (660 feet), while the eruption plume rose to 5 500 m (18 000 feet) above sea level.
Episode 56 of lava fountaining at Kīlauea summit on November 5, 2026. Credit: USGSCredit: HVO
HVO said the 5 500 m (18 000 feet) plume height was based on National Weather Service radar data, while the National Weather Service and Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center both reported the plume altitude.
HVO estimated that approximately 6 million m³ (8 million cubic yards) of lava erupted during Episode 56, with an average effusion rate of about 200 m³/s (260 cubic yards/s). Peak effusion reached about 530 m³/s (690 cubic yards/s) around 14:00 HST on November 5 (00:00 UTC on November 6).
The Uēkahuna tiltmeter recorded 17 microradians of deflationary tilt during Episode 56. HVO reported that inflationary tilt resumed immediately after lava fountaining ended.
At 13:59 HST (23:59 UTC), HVO reported that surface-level winds were carrying tephra and the lower plume south-southwest toward the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, while higher-level winds carried the upper plume west-northwest toward Mauna Loa.
By 16:43 HST on November 5 (02:43 UTC on November 6), fountain height had decreased to about 100 m (330 feet). Most tephra was falling within the closed area of the park, with light tephra also reported at the Footprints area and Pāhala.
All eruptive vents and lava flows remained confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. HVO said tephra fallout from volcanic ash clouds is greatest within about 5 km (3 miles) of the vents, while lighter ash and Pele’s hair may remain suspended and travel farther from the source.
The end-of-episode notice issued at 18:21 HST on November 5 (04:21 UTC on November 6) kept Kīlauea at Volcano Alert Level WATCH and Aviation Color Code ORANGE. In its accompanying aviation notice, HVO said fountain activity in the summit area was unlikely for the next several weeks following the end of Episode 56.
Kīlauea has been erupting episodically from vents within Halemaʻumaʻu since December 23, 2024. HVO states that most lava-fountaining episodes in the current eruption sequence have lasted one day or less.
References:
1 Episode 56 end-of-episode Volcanic Activity Notice 2026/H521 — U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory — November 6, 2026, 04:21 UTC.
2 Kīlauea observatory short messages — Episode 56 measurements and observations — U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory — November 6, 2026, through 05:31 UTC.
3 Episode 56 Volcanic Activity Notice 2026/H515 — U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory — November 6, 2026, 00:34 UTC.
Rishav Kothari is Editor-in-Chief of The Watchers, where he runs the newsroom and covers earthquakes, volcanoes, severe weather and space weather.
