Magma Deflation Cools Down Surface Flows + Hurricane Neki Makes Hawaiian’s Nervous

Above: Dusk scene of the ocean entry lava plume glowing red and a visit by waxing crescent moon as seen from near the trial head leading to the Viewing Area last night (click on the image for a larger size). The graph is from today’s USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s ‘deformation’ update site

Visitors reported seeing molten lava pouring rivulets off the easterly edge of the new lava delta/bench. Most of the lava flowing on the bench is obstructed from view by the spatter ridge and pali (cliff). But the wider bench is allowing the lava glow after dark to be much brighter than the previous month.

Trade Winds are slowing down and skies are partly cloudy BUT just to the southwest of the Hawaiian Islands we have Hurricane Neki churning sustained winds of 75 mph and gusts to 138 mph – a Category Three!

… This system has been growing larger for the past three days and now is so huge it actually fills an area from latitude 15 to 25 and longitude 160 to 170 ! It is forecast to bend back toward the north of the islands and gives a nervous impression of Hurricane Iniki 1992 . The eye of Hurricane Iniki passed directly over the island of Kaua`i on September 11, 1992, as a Category 4 hurricane…. Geez, even the name is simular to Neki….