Hualālai | U.S. Geological Survey
Source: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/hual%C4%81lai
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:09
Hualālai | U.S. Geological Survey
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Hualālai
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The map displays volcanoes, earthquakes, monitoring instruments, and past lava flows.
Get Help
Earthquake Plots
To view an earthquake cross-sectional plot, click "Draw Plot" to start drawing on the map. Once the plot area is selected, click on "View Plot" to view chart or "Clear Plot" to start over.
Settings
Map Layers
Earthquake Colors
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Earthquake Time Units
x
Map Legend
x
Map Legend
Results
Hualālai
Home
Volcano Updates
Maps
Multimedia
Publications
News
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Hualālai is the third youngest and third-most historically active volcano on the Island of Hawai‘i.
Quick Facts
Location:
Island of Hawai‘i
Latitude:
19.692° N
Longitude:
155.87° W
Elevation:
2,523 (m) 8,278 (f)
Volcano type:
Shield
Composition:
Basalt
Most recent eruption:
1800 and 1801 A.D.
Nearby towns:
Kalaoa, Kailua-Kona, Waikoloa, Kahaluu-Keauhou, Honalo
Threat Potential:
High*
*based on the
National Volcano Early Warning System
Summary
Media
View of Hualālai looking to the southeast. USGS photo, December 1996.
It is considered to be in the post-shield stage of activity. Six different vents erupted lava between the late 1700s and 1801, two of which generated lava flows that poured into the sea on the west coast of the island. The Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole, located only 11 km (7 mi) north of Kailua-Kona, is built atop the larger flow. The oldest dated rocks are from about 128,000 years ago and it probably reached an elevation above sea level before 300,000 years ago. The volume of Hualālai is 12,400 km
3
(2,975 mi
3
). Its area is 751 km
2
(290 mi
2
).
Though Hualālai is not nearly as active as Mauna Loa or Kīlauea, geologic mapping of the volcano shows that 80 percent of Hualālai's surface has been covered by lava flows in the past 5,000 years. In the past few decades, when most of the resorts, homes, and commercial buildings were built on the flanks of Hualālai, earthquake activity beneath the volcano has been low. In 1929, however, an intense swarm of more than 6,200 earthquakes rattled the area around Hualālai Volcano for more than a month. The earthquakes were most likely caused by an intrusion of magma beneath the volcano. Two large earthquakes (each about magnitude 6.5) destroyed houses, water tanks, stone fences, and roadways. For these reasons, Hualālai is considered a potentially dangerous volcano that is likely to erupt again.
Volcano Watch — The Art and Science of Geologic Mapping
November 7, 2024
Volcano Watch — The Art and Science of Geologic Mapping
Photo and Video Chronology — West side monitoring station maintenance
September 10, 2024
Photo and Video Chronology — West side monitoring station maintenance
Volcano Watch — Webcam upgrades keep a sharp eye on Hawaiian volcanoes
September 5, 2024
Volcano Watch — Webcam upgrades keep a sharp eye on Hawaiian volcanoes
View All
October 22, 2018
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
When erupting, all volcanoes pose a degree of risk to people and infrastructure, however, the risks are not equivalent from one volcano to another because of differences in eruptive style and geographic location. Assessing the relative threats posed by U.S. volcanoes identifies which volcanoes warrant the greatest risk-mitigation efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey and its partners...
Authors
John W. Ewert, Angela K. Diefenbach, David W. Ramsey
By
Volcano Hazards Program
,
Volcano Science Center
,
Agrigan
,
Ahyi Seamount
,
Alamagan
,
Anatahan
,
Asuncion
,
Belknap
,
Black Butte Crater Lava Field
,
Black Rock Desert Volcanic Field
,
Blue Lake Crater
,
Carrizozo Lava Flow
,
Cascade Range Weekly Update
,
Cinnamon Butte
,
Clear Lake Volcanic Field
,
Coso Volcanic Field
,
Crater Lake
,
Craters of the Moon Volcanic Field
,
Daikoku Seamount
,
Davis Lake Volcanic Field
,
Devils Garden Lava Field
,
Diamond Craters Volcanic Field
,
Dotsero Volcanic Center
,
East Diamante
,
Esmeralda Bank
,
Farallon de Pajaros
,
Fukujin Seamount
,
Glacier Peak
,
Guguan
,
Haleakalā
,
Hell's Half Acre Lava Field
,
Hualālai
,
Indian Heaven Volcanic Field
,
Jordan Craters Volcanic Field
,
Kama‘ehuakanaloa
,
Kasuga 2
,
Kīlauea
,
Lassen Volcanic Center
,
Long Valley Caldera
,
Mammoth Mountain
,
Markagunt Plateau Volcanic Field
,
Maug Islands
,
Mauna Kea
,
Mauna Loa
,
Medicine Lake
,
Mono Lake Volcanic Field
,
Mono-Inyo Craters
,
Mount Adams
,
Mount Bachelor
,
Mount Baker
,
Mount Hood
,
Mount Jefferson
,
Mount Rainier
,
Mount Shasta
,
Mount St. Helens
,
Newberry
,
Ofu-Olosega
,
Pagan
,
Red Hill-Quemado Volcanic Field
,
Ruby
,
Salton Buttes
,
San Francisco Volcanic Field
,
Sand Mountain Volcanic Field
,
Sarigan
,
Soda Lakes
,
South Sarigan Seamount
,
Supply Reef
,
Ta'u Island
,
Three Sisters
,
Tutuila Island
,
Ubehebe Craters
,
Uinkaret Volcanic Field
,
Valles Caldera
,
Wapi Lava Field
,
Weekly Update
,
West Crater Volcanic Field
,
Yellowstone
,
Zealandia Bank
,
Zuni-Bandera Volcanic Field
Quick Facts
Location:
Island of Hawai‘i
Latitude:
19.692° N
Longitude:
155.87° W
Elevation:
2,523 (m) 8,278 (f)
Volcano type:
Shield
Composition:
Basalt
Most recent eruption:
1800 and 1801 A.D.
Nearby towns:
Kalaoa, Kailua-Kona, Waikoloa, Kahaluu-Keauhou, Honalo
Threat Potential:
High*
*based on the
National Volcano Early Warning System
Volcanoes Hazards Program Links
Assess
Prepare
Forecast
Activity
Products
Observatories
About
Was this page helpful?
Skip to main content
Official websites use .gov
A
.gov
website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A
lock (
)
or
https://
means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Hualālai
Find U.S. Volcano
Filters
Learn More
The map displays volcanoes, earthquakes, monitoring instruments, and past lava flows.
Get Help
Earthquake Plots
To view an earthquake cross-sectional plot, click "Draw Plot" to start drawing on the map. Once the plot area is selected, click on "View Plot" to view chart or "Clear Plot" to start over.
Map Layers
Earthquake Colors
Earthquake Depth Units
Earthquake Time Units
Results
Filters
Learn More
The map displays volcanoes, earthquakes, monitoring instruments, and past lava flows.
Get Help
Earthquake Plots
To view an earthquake cross-sectional plot, click "Draw Plot" to start drawing on the map. Once the plot area is selected, click on "View Plot" to view chart or "Clear Plot" to start over.
Settings
Map Layers
Earthquake Colors
Earthquake Depth Units
Earthquake Time Units
x
Map Legend
x
Map Legend
Results
Hualālai
Home
Volcano Updates
Maps
Multimedia
Publications
News
Connect
Hualālai is the third youngest and third-most historically active volcano on the Island of Hawai‘i.
Quick Facts
Location:
Island of Hawai‘i
Latitude:
19.692° N
Longitude:
155.87° W
Elevation:
2,523 (m) 8,278 (f)
Volcano type:
Shield
Composition:
Basalt
Most recent eruption:
1800 and 1801 A.D.
Nearby towns:
Kalaoa, Kailua-Kona, Waikoloa, Kahaluu-Keauhou, Honalo
Threat Potential:
High*
*based on the
National Volcano Early Warning System
Summary
Media
View of Hualālai looking to the southeast. USGS photo, December 1996.
It is considered to be in the post-shield stage of activity. Six different vents erupted lava between the late 1700s and 1801, two of which generated lava flows that poured into the sea on the west coast of the island. The Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole, located only 11 km (7 mi) north of Kailua-Kona, is built atop the larger flow. The oldest dated rocks are from about 128,000 years ago and it probably reached an elevation above sea level before 300,000 years ago. The volume of Hualālai is 12,400 km
3
(2,975 mi
3
). Its area is 751 km
2
(290 mi
2
).
Though Hualālai is not nearly as active as Mauna Loa or Kīlauea, geologic mapping of the volcano shows that 80 percent of Hualālai's surface has been covered by lava flows in the past 5,000 years. In the past few decades, when most of the resorts, homes, and commercial buildings were built on the flanks of Hualālai, earthquake activity beneath the volcano has been low. In 1929, however, an intense swarm of more than 6,200 earthquakes rattled the area around Hualālai Volcano for more than a month. The earthquakes were most likely caused by an intrusion of magma beneath the volcano. Two large earthquakes (each about magnitude 6.5) destroyed houses, water tanks, stone fences, and roadways. For these reasons, Hualālai is considered a potentially dangerous volcano that is likely to erupt again.
Volcano Watch — The Art and Science of Geologic Mapping
November 7, 2024
Volcano Watch — The Art and Science of Geologic Mapping
Photo and Video Chronology — West side monitoring station maintenance
September 10, 2024
Photo and Video Chronology — West side monitoring station maintenance
Volcano Watch — Webcam upgrades keep a sharp eye on Hawaiian volcanoes
September 5, 2024
Volcano Watch — Webcam upgrades keep a sharp eye on Hawaiian volcanoes
View All
October 22, 2018
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
When erupting, all volcanoes pose a degree of risk to people and infrastructure, however, the risks are not equivalent from one volcano to another because of differences in eruptive style and geographic location. Assessing the relative threats posed by U.S. volcanoes identifies which volcanoes warrant the greatest risk-mitigation efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey and its partners...
Authors
John W. Ewert, Angela K. Diefenbach, David W. Ramsey
By
Volcano Hazards Program
,
Volcano Science Center
,
Agrigan
,
Ahyi Seamount
,
Alamagan
,
Anatahan
,
Asuncion
,
Belknap
,
Black Butte Crater Lava Field
,
Black Rock Desert Volcanic Field
,
Blue Lake Crater
,
Carrizozo Lava Flow
,
Cascade Range Weekly Update
,
Cinnamon Butte
,
Clear Lake Volcanic Field
,
Coso Volcanic Field
,
Crater Lake
,
Craters of the Moon Volcanic Field
,
Daikoku Seamount
,
Davis Lake Volcanic Field
,
Devils Garden Lava Field
,
Diamond Craters Volcanic Field
,
Dotsero Volcanic Center
,
East Diamante
,
Esmeralda Bank
,
Farallon de Pajaros
,
Fukujin Seamount
,
Glacier Peak
,
Guguan
,
Haleakalā
,
Hell's Half Acre Lava Field
,
Hualālai
,
Indian Heaven Volcanic Field
,
Jordan Craters Volcanic Field
,
Kama‘ehuakanaloa
,
Kasuga 2
,
Kīlauea
,
Lassen Volcanic Center
,
Long Valley Caldera
,
Mammoth Mountain
,
Markagunt Plateau Volcanic Field
,
Maug Islands
,
Mauna Kea
,
Mauna Loa
,
Medicine Lake
,
Mono Lake Volcanic Field
,
Mono-Inyo Craters
,
Mount Adams
,
Mount Bachelor
,
Mount Baker
,
Mount Hood
,
Mount Jefferson
,
Mount Rainier
,
Mount Shasta
,
Mount St. Helens
,
Newberry
,
Ofu-Olosega
,
Pagan
,
Red Hill-Quemado Volcanic Field
,
Ruby
,
Salton Buttes
,
San Francisco Volcanic Field
,
Sand Mountain Volcanic Field
,
Sarigan
,
Soda Lakes
,
South Sarigan Seamount
,
Supply Reef
,
Ta'u Island
,
Three Sisters
,
Tutuila Island
,
Ubehebe Craters
,
Uinkaret Volcanic Field
,
Valles Caldera
,
Wapi Lava Field
,
Weekly Update
,
West Crater Volcanic Field
,
Yellowstone
,
Zealandia Bank
,
Zuni-Bandera Volcanic Field
Quick Facts
Location:
Island of Hawai‘i
Latitude:
19.692° N
Longitude:
155.87° W
Elevation:
2,523 (m) 8,278 (f)
Volcano type:
Shield
Composition:
Basalt
Most recent eruption:
1800 and 1801 A.D.
Nearby towns:
Kalaoa, Kailua-Kona, Waikoloa, Kahaluu-Keauhou, Honalo
Threat Potential:
High*
*based on the
National Volcano Early Warning System
Volcanoes Hazards Program Links
Assess
Prepare
Forecast
Activity
Products
Observatories
About
Was this page helpful?