Mauna Loa Erupts Late Sunday, Sending Ash Across Hawaii’s Big Island

Posted: November 28, 2022 2:54 pm

Hawaii’s Big Island and its surrounding waters were put under an ashfall advisory through 3 pm ET Monday after the Mauna Loa volcano began to erupt on Sunday.

Mauna Loa Erupts

The world’s largest active volcano started to erupt late Sunday night in its summit caldera. According to the U.S. Geological Service’s (USGS) volcanic activity service, the eruption is confined to the summit at this point with no signs that the magma will migrate into either rift zone.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Honolulu warned that winds may carry fine particles of ash and volcanic gas downwind with parts of the island potentially seeing up to a quarter of an inch of ashfall. However, the eruption is not threatening any communities located downwind of the volcano at this time. There have also been reports of flight disruptions to the Hawaiian islands as a result of the eruption.

Current Impacts

The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency updated the public late Monday morning, reporting that there are indications of the lava overflowing into the southwest portion of the crater. The agency has opened two shelters as a precaution even though there are no current threats to the nearby communities.

Despite no evacuation orders currently in effect, the agency warned that individuals with respiratory illnesses should remain vigilant and stay indoors at this time. Inhaling the ash particles could significantly impact those with underlying medical conditions. If you must go outside, be sure to cover your mouth and nose with a facial mask. The abrasive ash is often irritating to the lungs and eyes.

The fallen ash could also harm crops or livestock. Reduced visibility on the roads is another concern. The NWS also said that ashfall of this magnitude may damage vehicles and infrastructure in the region. Lastly, the ashfall may contaminate water and disrupt sewage systems.

What is Next for Mauna Loa?

The Mauna Loa volcano has not experienced an eruption in 40 years. Based on its past history, the early stages of an eruption are unpredictable with the lava flow switching directions quickly. Experts said that the flow of lava will likely stay within the walls of the crater if the eruption remains in Moku’āweoweo, the summit caldera. However, there is also the chance that the lava flow may travel downslope if the vents move outside of the caldera walls.

This unpredictably necessitates that residents of the islands remain vigilant and stay tuned to local alerts. Those in the potential path for the lava flow are being advised to review their individual preparedness plans and stay in contact with the Hawaii County Civil Defense.

About the Volcano and the Current Eruption

The eruption got its start in Moku’āweoweo on Sunday at about 11:30 pm. HST. Located in Hawaii’s Volcano National Park, Mauna Loa’s massive size spreads across half of the Big Island as it soars 13,679 feet into the air above the Pacific Ocean. Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times since records were kept dating back to 1843. The last eruption was in 1984, making this the longest period of time that the volcano has been dormant in its recorded history.

The summit crater is located about 21 miles west of the Kilauea volcano. This smaller volcano last erupted in 2018, sending its lava flow deep into the Leilani Estates neighborhood. The destructive flow demolished over 700 homes and displaced thousands of residents.

Mauna Loa’s eruption on Sunday was not a complete surprise. Officials had been monitoring the volcano closely in recent weeks because of elevated seismic activity indicating that it was in a heightened state of unrest. For instance, the USGS noted that earthquake activity increased from roughly 5 to 10 quakes per day since June of 2022 to 10 to 20 daily events in July and August. The month of September saw two days that registered over 100 daily earthquakes, indicating a sharp increase in seismic activity within the volcano.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park closed the summit of Mauna Loa to hikers in October due to this rapid rise in earthquake activity.

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