Do the eruptions of volcanoes on the Big Island produce ashes clouds on the Big Island and on the other Islands ex. Oahu?

JP

Dear JP,

As you know, most eruptions in Hawaii involve the gentle release of lava. At times, conditions are right to produce explosive eruptions. For example, there was an explosive eruption in 1924 (see Halemaumau in the description of Crater Rim Drive). On the south flank of Kilauea there is a 39,000 years old ash deposit that is 90 feet (27 m) thick. The same deposit is 5 feet (1.5 m) thick in Hilo. This eruption must have created a large ash cloud above Kilauea. Normal tradewinds probably carried the ash cloud to the southwest, towards the Kona district and then out across the Pacific. There are no reports of this ash on Maui or the other main islands.

Steve Mattox, University of North Dakota

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