USGS Red Alert- Mauna Loa Erupts

The eruption of Mauna Loa has migrated from the summit to the Northeast Rift Zone where fissures are feeding several lava flows. HVO staff on an overflight at approximately 6:30 a.m. HST confirmed fissures at high elevations within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park are feeding lava flows upslope of the Mauna Loa Weather Observatory. Lava flows are not threatening any downslope communities and all indications are that the eruption will remain in the Northeast Rift Zone. Volcanic gas and possibly fine ash and Pele's Hair may be carried downwind.

Residents at risk from Mauna Loa lava flows should review preparedness and refer to Hawai‘i County Civil Defense information for further guidance.    

Based on past events, the early stages of a Mauna Loa rift zone eruption can be very dynamic, and the location and advance of lava flows can change rapidly.    

HVO is in close consultation with emergency management partners and will monitor the volcano closely to provide further updates on activity.

HVO VAN

We tracked all of it at SpectroNet and saw the quake swarm come in prior to the eruption. And the scary part is this did not go down at all the way scientists had predicted. They were expecting long bouts of tremor, and there was none. Thermal images registered no heat increase until that lava was on the surface. It was a swarm of smaller earthquakes for around an hour, then one 4.2 earthquake which appeared to let the lava through, and about 30 minutes later the HVO spotted the lava in the summit crater and issued a red alert warning directly from yellow. They skipped over orange.

About the only thing they got right is that it happened fast as it had in the past. And now the eruption has opened up fissures on the northeastern rift zone, which could mean this thing is just starting. After some 38 years of quiescence, many expected this to be a larger eruption. So we will see. They are particularly worried about the southwest rift zone opening up, as that would threaten towns to the west near the coast.

Civil alerts are already out, and some residents are already evacuating, not waiting for this beast to go into overdrive. There are many pics on Twitter and at the HVO. Developing story.

twitter.com...

www.usgs.gov...

DAMN YOU CLIMATE CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!!


Just kidding....Mother Earth will do as she pleases thank you.

a reply to: TrueAmerican

I walked on a mountain in Hawaii The Big Island 20 years ago that was spewing lava. How many of them are there?

a reply to: carewemust

Six of 'em..

Hawaii has five main volcanoes that are considered active. Four of these active volcanoes are located on Big Island. They include Kilauea, Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, and Hualalai. The other is located on Maui and it is Mount Haleakala. There is also a sixth active volcano, called Loihi, that is still submerged under water off of the coast of Big Island near Kilauea.

I've walked on or near some Hawaiian volcanoes myself but none while they were spewing any lava. It gives you an eerie feeling though. I remember feeling the ground constantly "breathing" in those areas beneath my feet. I thought I was going crazy at first, but that's just how active Hawaii is.

a reply to: TrueAmerican
Check your pm

For those who wish to follow along with a Live Cams etc:

That volcano is going to emit more CO2 in a month than the entire human race did in the last 50 years. I say BAN VOLCANOS IMMEDIATELY!!!!

a reply to: panoz77

Source? This is an age old MEME that is BS. Total CO2 produced by all active volcanoes a year is between .13 - .44 gigaton while man produces 36.3 BILLION gigatons...

originally posted by: mzinga
a reply to: panoz77

Source? This is an age old MEME that is BS. Total CO2 produced by all active volcanoes a year is between .13 - .44 gigaton while man produces 36.3 BILLION gigatons...

If CO2 weighs so much, how does it keep floating in the air like it does? 😎

originally posted by: mzinga
a reply to: panoz77

Source? This is an age old MEME that is BS. Total CO2 produced by all active volcanoes a year is between .13 - .44 gigaton while man produces 36.3 BILLION gigatons...

Umm no, a gigaton is a billion tons. Try almost 36b tons.

originally posted by: panoz77
That volcano is going to emit more CO2 in a month than the entire human race did in the last 50 years. I say BAN VOLCANOS IMMEDIATELY!!!!

Unconfirmed reports are saying Greta's plane is en route, where she'll stare sternly at the volcano and ORDER it it stop...

this shield volcano erupts often with intervals between 30 0r 40 years between each one.
with that in mind someone should add a post to the still active volcano thread on here.

cheers..

a reply to: lakenheath24

Geez , Just Think of All the CO2 that Volcano is Releasing Right Now . Kinda makes the Push for EV's to SAVE THE PLANET an Afterthought ......

originally posted by: mzinga
a reply to: panoz77

Source? This is an age old MEME that is BS. Total CO2 produced by all active volcanoes a year is between .13 - .44 gigaton while man produces 36.3 BILLION gigatons...

I'd like your source please.

originally posted by: mzinga
a reply to: panoz77

Source? This is an age old MEME that is BS. Total CO2 produced by all active volcanoes a year is between .13 - .44 gigaton while man produces 36.3 BILLION gigatons...

Source ? (what's good for the goose is good for the gander)

a reply to: Gothmog

Well ,


" There are about 1,350 potentially active volcanoes worldwide, aside from the continuous belts of volcanoes on the ocean floor at spreading centers like the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. About 500 of those 1,350 volcanoes have erupted in historical time. Many of those are located along the Pacific Rim in what is known as the "Ring of Fire." In the United States, volcanoes in the Cascade Range and Alaska (Aleutian volcanic chain) are part of the Ring, while Hawaiian volcanoes form over a 'hot spot' near the center of the Ring. "


www.usgs.gov...

Well while you guys are debating C02 emissions, I am far more concerned over the implications of this eruption and the way it went down, and still is going down. This did not happen the way they expected it to. And it just says more about the unpredictability of volcanoes than anything.

But it also says more, imo. You see, there have been many conflicting opinions on the plumbing systems at Mauna Loa and Kilauea, and whether the two were related or not. Many said they were unrelated, and that Mauna Loa was fed from a separate magma chamber. But the problem is, after 38 years of no eruptions, the only thing imo that would reduce this eruption to the minimal state that it is- is the huge volume of magma that Kilauea erupted in 2017, essentially providing a relief valve for Mauna Loa, and lessening this eruption to a point that would make otherwise, zero sense. It should have been huge, and there should have been high amplitude tremor as magma pressured its way to the surface. But nope.

Now I may eat my own words on this too. This could expand into a much bigger eruption- and only time will tell. But what it says about how wrong they could be over other volcanoes, like Rainier, for example- or worse, Yellowstone and Long Valley- that is the part that is scary to me.

originally posted by: gb540

originally posted by: panoz77
That volcano is going to emit more CO2 in a month than the entire human race did in the last 50 years. I say BAN VOLCANOS IMMEDIATELY!!!!

Unconfirmed reports are saying Greta's plane is en route, where she'll stare sternly at the volcano and ORDER it it stop...

lol, she'll give it ol how dare you!


seal it over and pump seawater into it to put it out.

they must learn there are worse things than climate change.

Simply raising taxes on fossil fuels and giving billions in reparations to anyone that asks will solve this volcano problem.