The June 27 flow front has advanced more rapidly over the past four days, and is now 4.2 km (2.6 miles) from the vent.

This recent increased advance rate is due to the confinement of the flow against the slopes of an older perched lava channel, from 2007.
The advance rate will likely drop in the coming days as the flow passes the confines of the perched channel and spreads out on flatter topography.
The flow front has narrowed as it has been confined against the slopes of the 2007 perched lava channel, and this is associated with a higher advance rate of the flow front over the past four days.
View, looking southwest, of Puʻu ʻŌʻō and the new perched lava pond. Puʻu ʻŌʻō is the fume-filled crater in the top half of the image.

This perched lava pond is now inactive, but the June 27 flows continue to advance towards the northeast (see other photos).
The circular feature in the lower portion of the photograph is the perched lava pond active earlier this month, which was fed by the June 27 lava flow.
Visual-thermal comparison of Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater, looking west. In the normal photograph on the left, large portions of the crater floor are obscured by thick volcanic fume.
Over the past month, a large portion of the crater floor has subsided. Within this triangular subsidence area, three small lava ponds were active today. Two are visible in this thermal image, while a third (near the South lava pond) is blocked by a steep wall from this angle.
Filed under: Announcements, Big Island, Environment, Hawaii, Security, Unexplained Phenomenon | Tagged: Where the lava is now | Leave a comment »