Halema‘uma‘u Crater vent covered by debris

The vent inside Halema‘uma‘u Crater is blocked with debris, preventing more large ash plumes for the time being.

Kyle Anderson, a geophysicist with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said it’s not known if this spells the end for the summit eruption or could lead to another explosion.

“We really don’t know the implications of this long term,” he said.

The summit eruption began 10 years ago inside Halema‘uma‘u and produced a lava lake until recently.

That lake began to drain in early May when the lower Puna eruption began, producing numerous rockfalls and ash emissions from the summit.

Anderson said there have been 10 large explosions at the summit during that time. Some sent ash into the air between 10,000 and as 30,000 feet above sea level.