Halema'uma'u Crater Pit enlarges ~ Mayon Volcano Dangerously Rumbling

The photo composite straight off the Hawai'i Volcano Observatory site at 9:30 AM this morning shows a parent holding an infant at the Jaggar Museum overlook. The image got me to thinking about the ongoing changes of this eruption and wondering what this infant would see at this same location when reaching his or her parents age. I’ll have to do a follow up blog on this around 2035 or 2040.(click on it for larger size)
From their write up about this crater this morning: An enlarged openings at the bottom of a deep pit inset within the floor of Halema'uma'u Crater continued to allow views of a spattering lava surface which was rising and falling until about 1 am; this morning, the lave surface remained below the rim of the hole.

Meanwhile there is another volcano that is much more threatening than our gentle Kilauea. The Mayon Volcano in the central Philippines is rumbling and lava pours out its pointed summit. An explosive eruption may be imminent. “Mayon has erupted nearly 40 times over 400 years. About 30,000 people were moved during the last eruption in 2006. An eruption in 1993 killed 79 people”

National Weather Services Honolulu synopsis: A series of weak cold fronts will affect the islands over the next several days. Brief bouts of light to moderate trades will follow each front, with any frontal showers predominantly focusing over windward and mauka areas. Updated: 12/22/2009 10:00 am HST

There are still some cold north wind air pockets and scattered showers on Big Island’s most easterly point, but lots of blue-sky pukas out there. If the winds behave themselves, the lava viewing area should be open -call Civil Defense lava viewing hotline at 961-8093after 2:00 PM to find out for sure.