Large area of crusting lava on the coastal plains; diminishing advancement

Above: pre-dawn light on the coastal plains flow front, and below looking east with Venus & crescent moon rising. (Click on any of these pictures to open a larger size view window of all images)

~~~~~~~~~~~~ As of early this morning large sprawling areas of the recent coastal plains lava flows were stagnating but still inflating and random little breakouts all over, as well as a small breakouts far up the pali. These photos and captions tell the story~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Above and below shots are that ropy pahoehoe~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Below: Large cracks forming as strong inflation pushes from beneath from molten lava continuing to surge into the area from sources about six miles northwest; the Pu`u O`o crater and Kilauea east rift zone.

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Closer look at a fresh surge of pahoehoe. ~~~~~~~~ And finally,below, this was the view from Kalapana Gardens at 3:20 AM this morning (not much to see really); the lava coming down the Pulama Pali, four miles distant, has crusted over and formed tubes that now deliver the molten rock onto the coastal plains. (We cannot see the coastal lava from here). The lava is still over one mile away from the ocean, and at the current rate & stagnation levels, it may be some time before it reaches the sea, if at all. Lava was last entering the ocean December 31st, 2011.