What Hawaiian volcano had its 'episode 43' eruption at its summit on March 10, 2026, generating significant tephra fall?

The Hawaiian volcano that experienced its 'episode 43' eruption at its summit on March 10, 2026, generating significant tephra fall, was Kīlauea. This active shield volcano, located on the southeastern shore of Hawaiʻi Island, began its 43rd fountaining episode of an ongoing eruption within its Halemaʻumaʻu crater at 9:17 a.m. HST on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Lava fountains reached heights of over 1,300 feet, producing a substantial eruption plume that rose to over 30,000 feet above sea level.

Over its approximately nine-hour duration, this episode generated significant tephra fall across Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and neighboring communities, including Puna, Hilo, and the Hāmākua coast. Tephra, which includes volcanic ash, glass strands known as Pele's hair, and other particles, prompted temporary closures of the national park's summit area and sections of Highway 11 due to hazardous conditions. The heaviest tephra fall was recorded at Uēkahuna Overlook, with accumulations of 4 to 7 inches. Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense issued ashfall warnings and opened an emergency shelter (Review) for those affected by the falling volcanic materials or road closures.

Kīlauea is renowned as one of the world's most active volcanoes and holds deep cultural significance, traditionally viewed by many Native Hawaiians as the home of the volcanic deity Pele. It has been erupting almost continuously since 1983, with its surface being largely covered by lava flows less than a thousand years old. Scientists continuously monitor Kīlauea's activity to understand its complex geological processes and to provide timely warnings to the public.