Molten lava continues flowing down the pali towards the ocean and viewing area

The map above is a USGS update for April 8th. I have added a few notes showing where the new Hawaii County lava viewing trail and viewing location are. Click on the image for a larger size.

The USGS predicts this flow will continue down towards the new viewing area but go across the coastal flats just west of there. So that may become a fantastic chance to see it in the days and weeks ahead if it does keep advancing.

Below are two close up images of one of the two forms of lava comprising this new surface flow, A`a and pahoehoe. A`a is the more jagged of the two. These photos are of A`a and photographed by lava field researcher Ron Boyle yesterday afternoon:

In this image the molten A`a is flowing over older, fern strewn, pahoehoe.

And last night at around 7:30 PM I took this photo below from the lava viewing parking area parking lot showing a large portion of the surface flow, with the cloud edge backlit by the remnant sunset afterglow: