Mauna Loa Observatory - NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory An official website of the United States government Here's how you know Official websites use .gov .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( ) or means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Global Monitoring Laboratory The 2022 eruption of the Mauna Loa volcano cut off road access to the Mauna Loa Baseline Observatory. Construction on the temporary Mauna Loa Access road was completed on 26 March, 2026. At this time, there is no site access for the general public to the Mauna Loa Observatory and NOAA has not yet established a public opening date. GML and scientific partners are working together to bring mission critical scientific projects back online. It is still unclear when utility infrastructure will be replaced and power re-established to the site. We will provide another update as more information becomes available. Media contact: Theo Stein at (303) 819-7409 or theo.stein@noaa.gov. Mauna Loa Baseline Observatory Mauna Loa Observatory (MLO) is located on the north flank of Mauna Loa Volcano, on the Big Island of Hawaii, at an elevation of 3397 meters, or 11,135 feet above sea level. The observatory is a premier atmospheric research facility that has been continuously monitoring and collecting data related to atmospheric change since the 1950's. The observatory protrudes through the strong marine temperature inversion layer present in the region, which separates the more polluted lower portions of the atmosphere from the much cleaner free troposphere. The undisturbed air, remote location, and minimal influences of vegetation and human activity at MLO are ideal for monitoring constituents in the atmosphere that can cause climate change. MLO has supported hundreds of cooperative research programs with national and international universities and government organizations. A staff of 8 operates and maintains the observatory, with offices in Hilo, Hawaii. Site Info Datasets Data Viewer News Visiting and Tours Programs Personnel Mauna Loa Publications Outreach and Education Photo Gallery Movies showing the lava flow crossing the road to the observatory: Lava Flow Movies Current Weather Live Cameras If you are interested in conducting research at one of the NOAA Baseline Observatories: Request a New Baseline Observatory Cooperative Agreement Location Country: United States Latitude: 19.5362° North Longitude: 155.5763° West Elevation: 3397.00 masl Time Zone: Local Time + 10 hour(s) = UTC Contact Contact Name: Darryl Kuniyuki 1437 Kilauea Ave. #102 Hilo, Hawaii, 96720, United States Phone: (808) 933-6965 Fax: (808) 933-6967