Monday, November 28, 2022

Mauna Loa, awakened again at last!

Exciting news to wake up to this morning: after 38 years, its longest recorded quiet period in history, Mauna Loa is erupting again! There's not much information available yet, but apparently it started erupting about 11:30 PM last night, November 27. 

This is a frame from the USGS webcam situated on the rim of the summit caldera of Mauna Loa, which saves an image every hour into a 24-hour GIF; this one is the first showing the eruption breaking out along a fault line and spreading lava across the caldera floor. So far it seems like the eruption may be confined to the summit caldera, though it might also have spread a few kilometers outside it. We'll know more once they can do an overflight, hopefully today.

Oh, and there's the first snow of the winter season on Maunakea this morning too, apparently. It's a big day! I'm looking forward to having more updates soon on this historic event. A hui hou!

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