~ Coastal flats lava still advancing ~

Pre-dawn this morning: looking from the eastern flow front to the north - up the Pulama Pali. The pali hosts numerous breakouts from top to bottom.

This eastern front of lava has advanced about 1000 feet in two main branches over the past five days. This surface lava is overtopping the November-December 2010 flow and has also continued skirting along its eastern border, with one sprawling finger heading due east over older flow fields a couple of hundred feet and scorching some small patches of grass & brush.

Above: Dawn this morning looking down one finger of lava that is flowing east. The leading edges of the eastern lobe of surface lava are now due east 2,700-feet away from the present terminus of Highway 130, which is also the Hawaii County Civil Defense lava viewing area. The nearest home to the molten lava is currently 3,700 east. Much of this surface lava is filling low areas and somewhat hidden from view when looking from those homes in the Kalapana Gardens area.

Both the Halema’uma’u an Pu`u O`o crater remain extra active. The Pu`u O`o has molten lava rivers running on the crater’s floor. This activity could be seen on the crater's webcam yesterday and last night. Below is a capture off that cam: And better yet, if you have a few minutes check out this USGS Quicktime movie made from a series of Pu`u `o crater still photos from Feb. 6th to 8th HERE.

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I will try to post my next update in a few days unless some more exciting lava developments take place in the meantime ;)

You can always get onsite coastal lava flow information and viewing conditions by phoning Janguard lava viewing security management who are stationed along the access road at the end of Highway 130 from 2:00 PM until 10:00 PM daily: 430-1966