The world’s largest volcano is no longer erupting, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Teams monitored lava supply and gas eruptions which have returned to near pre-eruption levels.
The lava supply to the fissure 3 vent on the Northeast Rift Zone stopped on December10. Sulfur dioxide emissions greatly diminished along with earthquake activity.
That allowed the U.S. Geological Survey to drop the Volcano Alert Level for the ground from Watch to Advisory. The Aviation Color Code dropped from Orange to Yellow.
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Glowing areas could still be near the vent, along the channels and at the front of the lava flows for days, even weeks. But as the lava cools, the incandescent spots will fade.
“Eruptive activity is not expected to return based on past eruptive behavior,” Hawaiian Volcano Observatory officials said in a statement. “The Summit and Northeast Rift Zone inflation continues.”
The west side of fissure 3 occasionally produces explosions which allow trapped gasses to escape. The lava flow around the vent is still dangerous, hot and unstable. And the vent area itself is cut by many ground cracks.
The Mauna Loa Road from Kiukapualulu to the caldera remains closed with no estimated time of opening.
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The Volcano Alert Level dropped from Warning to Watch on December 10. The USGS reported that no red lava could be seen.
After Wednesday, Mauna Loa volcano alerts will be given weekly, not daily, unless contentions change unexpectedly.
After a quiet almost 30 years, the volcano erupted on November 27.