A new camera is now observing activity in Biscuit Basin

In response to the June 13, 2026, hydrothermal explosion at Biscuit Basin, a new camera was installed to track activity over a broader area than had previously been possible.

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Are those volcanoes…or a volcanic field?

Although not as dramatic as past explosive eruptions at Yellowstone, Idaho is home to several young volcanic eruptions. Geologists are currently evaluating whether many of these young eruptions should...

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Volcano Watch — Watching volcanoes move, one survey at a time

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) relies heavily on Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) data to monitor volcanic activity in Hawaii. Data are collected by a combination of permanent stations ...

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Fire and ice: were Yellowstone’s past volcanic eruptions and glaciations related?

At least 28 rhyolitic lava flows, domes, and tuffs erupted since the formation of Yellowstone Caldera 631,000 years ago. Yellowstone’s past also includes multiple glacial periods. Are the eruptions an...

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Volcano Watch — When will Halemaʻumaʻu fill with lava?

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) staff are often asked, “Will lava erupted during the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu eventually flow out of the caldera? And if so, when?” The a...

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What’s that smell? Tracking Yellowstone’s hydrocarbon history

Hydrocarbons in Yellowstone? Yes indeed, there are oil seeps in the northeastern part of the park! These seeps are a consequence of the region’s long and complex geological history.

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Volcano Watch — A deep dive into Hawaii’s deep earthquakes

Island of Hawaiʻi residents may have felt shaking recently from large, deep earthquakes. Deep earthquakes like this have been recorded since the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) first started m...

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Yellowstone’s phantom, sometimes mythical, Howard Eaton Trail

The Howard Eaton Trail, once spanning 157 miles, was the longest hiking and equestrian trail in Yellowstone National Park for nearly 50 years. Today, the remnants of that trail cover roughly a sixth o...

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Volcano Watch — Hawaii Five-O! Fifty fountaining episodes at Kīlauea summit

Hawaii, the 50th state, reached a golden anniversary last Saturday, June 27. Surprise, it’s the 50th fountaining episode of the ongoing episodic eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea.

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What do Yellowstone and the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup have in common? Heat maps!

Heat is everywhere—from the boiling hot springs and fumaroles of Yellowstone to the fast-paced action of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. In both settings, scientists and analysts use heat maps to visua...

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Volcano Watch — A hui hou to a giant of volcanology

In 2025, Professor Bruce Houghton retired from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa after 25 years as the Gordon A. Macdonald Chair of Volcanology. He was only the second person to hold the position in ...

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Oops, it did it again: Another small hydrothermal explosion at Biscuit Basin

Early on the morning of Saturday, June 13, 2026, a small hydrothermal explosion occurred at Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone National Park. Although smaller than the explosion that occurred in the same area in 2024, it emphasizes the dynamic and hazardous nature of hydrothermal activity in the region.

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Volcano Watch — What is the difference between an eruption and an episode?

Over the last year and a half, the historic episodic eruption at the summit of Kīlauea has had 49 episodes of lava fountaining, with episode 50 in the forecast for next week. But why are these individ...

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The fascinating history of Imperial Geyser

In the far southwest corner of Lower Geyser Basin is Imperial Geyser—a colorful pool that is also a perpetual spouter. The feature seems to have formed in 1927 and for a time was the most spectacular ...

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Volcano Watch — Remembering the 1926 Mauna Loa eruption a century later

April marked the 100-year anniversary of Mauna Loa’s 1926 Southwest Rift Zone eruption. This eruption is most remembered for the destruction of Ho‘ōpūloa village, a few miles north of Miloliʻi Bay. It...

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Young mountains, old rocks: A geological overview of the Teton range

The Teton Range, just south of Yellowstone National Park, is the youngest mountain range in the Rockies, and possibly North America. The forces that built (and are still actively building) the Tetons ...

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Volcano Watch — “Stick Season” in Hawaii? What Happened to the Leaves around Kīlauea Summit?

As you walk along Crater Rim Trail from Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluffs) heading towards the Uēkahuna overlook in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, you’ll notice far less green vegetation and foliage than ...

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Beyond Yellowstone’s boardwalks: A glimpse into the remote caldera systems of Alaska

Where in the U.S. can you find the highest concentration of recently (

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Volcano Watch — What caused the shake up on Friday night?

More than 7,000 people across the State of Hawaii submitted “Did You Feel It?” (DYFI) reports to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) after the magnitude-6 earthquake that struck on Friday, May 22, at 9:...

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Volcano Watch — Kīlauea is all tied up at 47 episodes

The lava fountains that erupted a week ago, on Thursday May 14, marked the 47th episode of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption. This episode tied the 1983-1986 initial phase of the Pu‘u‘ō‘ō eruption, wh...

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Beyond the bathroom: Top visitor questions in Yellowstone’s thermal areas

With the arrival of Memorial Day and the unofficial start of the summer travel season, we take a look at the most common questions that visitors to Yellowstone’s thermal basins ask the park’s interpre...

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Happy 25th Birthday YVO!

The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory is turning 25 years old! Surprisingly, the seeds for the observatory were planted at Lassen Volcanic National Park, almost 1,000 miles to the southwest.

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Volcano Watch — A “window” into forecasting fountaining episodes at Kīlauea’s summit

Over the past month, the frequency of fountaining events at the summit of Kīlauea has increased to nearly one per week. This is reminiscent of the early days of the current episodic eruption that bega...

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A tribute to Mike Stickney, Montana’s earthquake expert!

Mike Stickney was a one-person earthquake hazards show in Montana for 45 years and a valuable contributor to the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. His retirement in 2025 is a good excuse to celebrate h...

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Volcano Watch — Think Hawaii has many volcanoes? Think again, says El Salvador

This past March, a team of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists—two of whom travelled from Hawaii—visited El Salvador in Central America for volcanological field studies and a workshop on lava flo...

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Can a geological thermometer help forecast hydrothermal explosions in Yellowstone?

Hydrothermal explosions are notoriously hard to predict. But a geological thermometer based on hot spring chemistry might help.

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Volcano Watch — Kīlauea summit eruptions outside of Halemaʻumaʻu

We are used to seeing eruptions from the summit region of Kīlauea contained to the region that is referred to as Halemaʻumaʻu. Halemaʻumaʻu, home of Pele, is a crater situated within the larger, steep...

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How much water erupts from Old Faithful Geyser?

In a recent study, scientists used several novel methods to measure the volume of water erupted from the iconic Old Faithful Geyser. The average volume of water from 45 eruptions was 27.9 cubic meters...

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Thríhnúkagígur: The only volcano on Earth where you can descend into a magma chamber

Thríhnúkagígur is a volcano near Reykjavík in Iceland with an empty magma chamber decorated with vivid colors that scientists and tourists can access via an open cable elevator.

livescience.com

Volcano Watch — Shallow earthquakes and ground deformation at Kīlauea’s summit highlight hazards near Halemaʻumaʻu

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) detected an increase in shallow seismicity and localized ground deformation beneath the south rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, in Kīlauea summitʻs south caldera ...

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