Christmas Morning Eruption Update: Lake Lake Continues to Grow, Now 577 Ft Deep

(USGS) HVO field crews measured Kīlauea's summit lava lake this morning (Dec. 25) around 7:30 a.m. HST. The lake surface is now 445 m (1460 ft) below the crater rim observation site, indicating that the lake has filled 176 m (577 ft) of the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u crater. The lake rose approximately 6 m (20 ft) over the past 24 hours. Fountaining continues at two locations, more vigorously at the northern (eastern) vent that is being drowned by the rising lake, and intermittently at the western vent; both vents continue to feed the growing lava lake. The lava lake volume this morning (Dec. 25) was about 21 million cubic meters (27 million cubic yards or 4.8 billion gallons). High SO2 emissions continue. USGS photo. If you missed Philip Ong's video update last night on Christmas Eve, here is the recording: https://www.hawaiitracker.com/posts/5fe6664f8e22600004c0a7cc Photo An early December 25, 2020, morning view of the ongoing eruption in Halema‘uma‘u crater at Kīlauea's summit. Overnight fountaining continued to feed the rising lava lake, which slowly fills Halema‘uma‘u. This photo, taken at approximately 2:30 a.m. from the south rim of the crater, shows the main northern vent that is being drowned by the rising lava lake. Intermittent activity continues at the weaker west vent. USGS photo by J. Schmith and C. Parcheta.