Feb 15, 2026: 1300 FT Lava Fountain! Kīlauea Episode 42 Ends After 9 Hours of Explosive Fountaining

Episode 42 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began at 1:50 p.m. HST on February 15, 2026, and ended at 11:38 p.m. HST after 9 hours and 48 minutes of sustained lava fountaining. At peak intensity around 3:00 p.m. HST, the south vent reached an estimated 400 meters (1,300 feet) in height, while the north vent rose to approximately 300 meters (1,000 feet). Effusion rates peaked near 800 cubic meters per second, with an estimated 15 million cubic yards (11.4 million cubic meters) of lava erupted—covering roughly 50% of the crater floor. The eruption produced a large ash plume reaching approximately 35,000 feet (10,600 m). Despite the dramatic fountains, tephra fall outside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park was relatively light compared to Episode 41, due to prevailing trade winds from the northeast. Tiltmeters at Uēkahuna recorded 33.7 microradians of deflation during the episode, and both vents remained active for most of the eruption before tapering into narrow jets just minutes before the episode ended. The eruption is currently paused. This video captures the extraordinary 1,300-foot lava fountaining phase at its peak intensity.