Photos: Kilauea volcano erupts on Hawaii's Big Island In this photo provided by the National Park Service, people watch an eruption from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano on the Big Island on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. The volcano shot steam and an ash cloud into the atmosphere which lasted about an hour, an official with the National Weather Service said early Monday, Dec. 21, 2020. (Janice Wei/National Park Service via AP)
Photos: Kilauea volcano erupts on Hawaii's Big Island A plume rises near active fissures in the crater of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020. People are lining up to try to get a look at the volcano on the Big Island, which erupted last night and spewed ash and steam into the atmosphere. A spokeswoman for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park says the volcanic activity is a risk to people in the park Monday and that caution is needed. (M. Patrick/U.S. Geological Survey via AP)
Photos: Kilauea volcano erupts on Hawaii's Big Island A plume rises near active fissures in the crater of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020. People are lining up to try to get a look at the volcano on the Big Island, which erupted last night and spewed ash and steam into the atmosphere. A spokeswoman for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park says the volcanic activity is a risk to people in the park Monday and that caution is needed. (M. Patrick/U.S. Geological Survey via AP)
Photos: Kilauea volcano erupts on Hawaii's Big Island In this photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, lava flows within the Halema’uma’u crater of the Kilauea volcano Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. The Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island has erupted, the U.S. Geological Survey said. (U.S. Geological Survey via AP)
Photos: Kilauea volcano erupts on Hawaii's Big Island Gas and steam erupt from the Halemaumau Crater of the Kilauea Volcano on December 21, 2020, in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii. The Kilauea Volcano has been inactive for the past two years, reactivating the previous night on December 20. (Andrew Richard Hara/Getty Images)
Photos: Kilauea volcano erupts on Hawaii's Big Island Gas and steam erupt from the Halemaumau Crater of the Kilauea Volcano on December 21, 2020, in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii. The Kilauea Volcano has been inactive for the past two years, reactivating the previous night on December 20. (Andrew Richard Hara/Getty Images)
Photos: Kilauea volcano erupts on Hawaii's Big Island Gas and steam erupt from the Halemaumau Crater of the Kilauea Volcano on December 21, 2020, in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii. The Kilauea Volcano has been inactive for the past two years, reactivating the previous night on December 20. (Andrew Richard Hara/Getty Images)
Photos: Kilauea volcano erupts on Hawaii's Big Island Gas and steam erupt from the Halemaumau Crater of the Kilauea Volcano on December 21, 2020, in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii. The Kilauea Volcano has been inactive for the past two years, reactivating the previous night on December 20. (Andrew Richard Hara/Getty Images)
Photos: Kilauea volcano erupts on Hawaii's Big Island Gas and steam erupt from the Halemaumau Crater of the Kilauea Volcano on December 21, 2020, in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii. The Kilauea Volcano has been inactive for the past two years, reactivating the previous night on December 20. (Andrew Richard Hara/Getty Images)
Photos: Kilauea volcano erupts on Hawaii's Big Island Gas and steam erupt from the Halemaumau Crater of the Kilauea Volcano on December 21, 2020, in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii. The Kilauea Volcano has been inactive for the past two years, reactivating the previous night on December 20. (Andrew Richard Hara/Getty Images)
“The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) detected glow within Halema’uma’u crater at the summit of Kilauea Volcano,” read a USGS alert. “An eruption has commenced within Kilauea’s summit caldera. The situation is rapidly evolving, and HVO will issue another statement when more information is available.”
The National Weather Service’s field office in Honolulu warned of likely “periods of ashfall” on the southern portion of the Big Island until 2 a.m. HST.