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How often does the Kilauea volcano erupt?

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Bright orange lava and thick white smoke rise from the crater of Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, viewed from above with the surrounding dark landscape visible. — Kilauea Eruption of Kilauea volcano, Hawaii.

Kilauea is considered the world's most active volcano. While it frequently erupts, its eruptions are typically nonexplosive and occur within Halemaʻumaʻu crater as a boiling lake of lava. These lava flows can sometimes overflow the caldera floor and flanks.1

In contrast, Mauna Loa, another active volcano on Hawaii, erupts on average every three and a half years with fountains and streams of incandescent lava. Its last eruption was in 2022.23

It's important to note that while Kilauea has been erupting continuously since 1983, its output rate is much lower than that of Mauna Loa during its more vigorous eruptions.2