USGS Afternoon Maunaloa Eruption Update for Wednesday, Nov 30

USGS-HVO (4:10pm) - The Northeast Rift Zone eruption of Mauna Loa continues, with two active fissures feeding lava flows downslope. The fissure 3 lava flows are travelling to the north, still moving toward the Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Saddle Road). Fissure 3 remains the dominant source of the largest lava flow. Advance of the largest flow slowed between 7 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. HST today to a rate of 0.02 miles per hour (24 meters per hour). As of 12:30 HST p.m. today, the flow front remained about 3.6 miles (5.8 km) from the Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Saddle Road). The flows are reaching a relatively flat area and are beginning to slow down; as this happens, the lava flow will spread out and inflate. Forecasts indicate it may take two days for lava flows to reach the Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Saddle Road). Fissure 4 is still active with lava flows moving toward the northeast. A small lobe is moving to the east from fissure 4 at a slower rate than the main lobe. Volcanic gas plumes are lofting high and vertically into the atmosphere. Pele's hair (strands of volcanic glass) is falling in the Humu‘ula Saddle area. Our seismic monitoring detects tremor (high rates of earthquakes) in the location of the currently active fissures. This indicates that magma is still being supplied, and activity is likely to continue as long as we see this signal. There is no active lava within Moku'āweoweo caldera, and the Southwest Rift Zone is not erupting. We do not expect any eruptive activity outside the Northeast Rift Zone. No property is at risk currently.