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Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano swirls into fiery tornado-like ‘Tephra Devil’ in wild scene

Nypost · · 356 words · By FOX Weather
Volcanic Activity Natural Phenomena Geological Science
open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/20/us-news/hawaiis-kilauea-volcano-swirls-into-fiery-…

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fact_checkFact-Check Results

10 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 6
help Insufficient Evidence 2
info Single Source 1
verified Verified 1
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“A unique phenomenon known as a “Tephra Devil” was captured swirling over a crater on Hawaii’s Kilauea during the volcano’s 47th eruptive episode last week.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web sources (Fox Weather, The Watchers, and other news reports) confirm the observation of a 'Tephra Devil' during Kilauea's eruptive activity, specifically mentioning episode 47 on May 14, 2026.
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web search NEUTRAL — Tephra near the Kilauea Military Camp During Kilauea's 44th eruptive episode on Thursday, April 9, 2026. (K. Mulliken/USGS / FOX Weather). Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupted around 3:30 p.m. last Thursd…
https://www.foxweather.com/extreme-weather/video-tephra-devi…
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web search NEUTRAL — During episode 47 of the Kīlauea summit eruption that took place for 9 hours on Thursday May 14, the north vent fountains reached maximum heights of under 300 meters or 1,000 feet.
https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/photo-video-chro…
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web search NEUTRAL — Episode 47 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption at the summit of Kīlauea ended at 00:27 HST (10:27 UTC) on May 15, 2026, after 9 hours of continuous lava fountaining from the north vent.
https://watchers.news/2026/05/15/kilauea-episode-47-ends-aft…
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“Tephra is a catch-all term that describes various kinds of rocks blasted into the air during eruptions.”
SINGLE SOURCE
Both Wikipedia and the USGS explicitly define tephra as a catch-all term for all fragments of rock ejected into the air by an erupting volcano.
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web search NEUTRAL — Tephra consisting of very small pyroclastic rock particles in the 25–125 μm size range, invisible to the naked eye, is also called cryptotephra. [9] The use of tephra layers, which bear their own uniq…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tephra
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web search NEUTRAL — Dec 6, 2023 · The term tephra defines all pieces of all fragments of rock ejected into the air by an erupting volcano. Most tephra falls back onto the slopes of the volcano, enlarging it. But, billion…
https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/cvo/science/tephra-fall-a…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jan 10, 2024 · Tephra refers to fragmented materials ejected during a volcanic eruption irrespective of their size, composition, or emplacement method.
https://geologybase.com/tephra/
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“According to the USGS, lava or fresh tephra can create enough localized heat to cause surface-level air to rise.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including an official government website (Volcano Watch) and Fox Weather, attribute the statement to the USGS that lava or fresh tephra can cause surface-level air to rise.
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web search NEUTRAL — An official website of the United States government.In these cases, the heat of lava or fresh tephra can be enough to cause surface-level air to warm and rise into cooler air above.
https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-it…
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web search NEUTRAL — According to the USGS, lava or fresh tephra can create enough localized heat to cause surface-level air to rise.
https://www.foxweather.com/extreme-weather/video-tephra-devi…
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web search NEUTRAL — Tephra that is between 1/16 of an inch and 2 ½ inches (2–64 mm) in size is called lapilli. Any tephra larger than 2 ½ inches (64 mm) is called a bomb or a block, depending on whether it is fresh lava …
https://hveri.org/news/new-hawaii-citizen-science-tool-is-te…
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“USGS scientists have observed low-density tephra produced in recent eruptions become short-lived “Tephra Devils,” spinning like small fiery tornadoes over the volcano’s craters.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web results confirm that USGS scientists have observed low-density tephra forming short-lived 'Tephra Devils' that spin like fiery tornadoes.
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web search NEUTRAL — See it: Fiery tornado-like 'Tephra Devil' swirls on Hawaii's Kilauea volcano USGS scientists have recently observed low-density tephra produced in recent eruptions become short-lived "Tephra Devils," …
https://www.foxweather.com/extreme-weather/video-tephra-devi…
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web search NEUTRAL — During Kīlauea summit lava fountaining episode 41, residents and visitors shared their observations of tephra falling via email, phone calls, and on social media. A new online tool, "Is Tephra Falling…
https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-ne…
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web search NEUTRAL — USGS scientists have recently observed low-density tephra produced in recent eruptions become short-lived "Tephra Devils," spinning like small fiery tornadoes over the volcano's craters.
https://news.grabien.com/thewire/hawaii-s-kilauea-volcano-sw…
verified
“Tephra can be carried by the wind and cause irritation to the eyes and respiratory system and, along with volcanic gas, are the main hazard to local communities during these events.”
VERIFIED
General geological and volcanic hazard information from Wikipedia and educational geology sources confirm that airborne tephra and volcanic gases are primary hazards that cause respiratory and eye irritation.
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web search NEUTRAL — Tephra horizons in south-central Iceland: The thick and light-coloured layer at the centre of the photo is rhyolitic tephra from Hekla. Volcanologists also refer to airborne fragments as pyroclasts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tephra
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web search NEUTRAL — Together with the tephra and entrained air, volcanic gases can rise tens of kilometers into Earth’s atmosphere during large explosive eruptions. Once airborne, the prevailing winds may blow the erupti…
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/geo/chapter/reading-volcan…
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web search NEUTRAL — Together with the tephra and entrained air, volcanic gases can rise tens of kilometers into Earth’s atmosphere during large explosive eruptions. Once airborne, the prevailing winds may blow the erupti…
https://pressbooks.cuny.edu/gorokhovich/chapter/volcanic-haz…
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“Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupted around 3:30 p.m. last Thursday, its 47th eruptive episode since Dec. 23, 2024.”
CORROBORATED
Web results from 'The Watchers' and other chronology sources confirm episode 47 occurred on Thursday, May 14, 2026, and mention the sequence of episodes since December 2024.
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web search NEUTRAL — Kīlauea (US: / ˌkɪləˈweɪə / ⓘ KIL-ə-WAY-ə, Hawaiian: [kiːlɐwˈwɛjə]) is an active shield volcano in the Hawaiian Islands. It is located along the southeastern shore of Hawaii Island. The volcano is bet…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kīlauea
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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 23, 2026 · Map from the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory of lava flows from Kīlauea, color coded by eruption and designated lava flow hazard zone (Click for full size image) ʻĀina a ke akua i noh…
https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/kilauea.htm
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web search NEUTRAL — Mar 21, 2026 · Kilauea, the world’s most active volcanic mass, situated on the southeastern part of the island of Hawaii, Hawaii state, U.S. Located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, it is an elongat…
https://www.britannica.com/place/Kilauea
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“Lava fountains reached a maximum height of 650 feet during this eruption.”
CORROBORATED
A specific report mentioning the prediction of the next eruption also corroborates that during the recent episode, the north vent produced a lava fountain up to 650 feet.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Corium, also called fuel-containing material (FCM) or lava-like fuel-containing material (LFCM), is a material that is created in a nuclear reactor core during a nuclear meltdown accident. Resembling …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corium_(nuclear_reactor)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hualālai (pronounced [huwəˈlaːlɐi] in Hawaiian) is an active shield volcano on the island of Hawaiʻi in the Hawaiian Islands. It is the westernmost, third-youngest and the third-most active of the fiv…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hualālai
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A shield volcano is a type of volcano named for its low profile, resembling a shield lying on the ground. It is formed by the eruption of highly fluid (low viscosity) lava, which travels farther and f…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shield_volcano
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“According to scientists, the next eruption is expected between Friday, May 22 and Tuesday, May 26.”
CORROBORATED
A web search result explicitly mentions 'USGS Predicts Volcano Will Erupt May 22-25', which aligns with the claim's date range.
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web search NEUTRAL — On May 26, 2021, it was no longer erupting. Lava supply appeared to have ceased between May 11 and May 13, and the lake had crusted over by May 20.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kīlauea
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web search NEUTRAL — Before Kilauea erupts again, scientists are busy analyzing what just happened with the most recent eruption. Lava flowed from the south vent about 75 times in the 12 hours before episode 47, but only …
https://weatherboy.com/usgs-predicts-volcano-will-erupt-may-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 9:00 AM HST (Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 7:00 PM UTC). Overview: The Halemaʻumaʻu eruption at the summit of Kīlauea is currently paused. Consistent degassing continues from both …
https://lechaudrondevulcain.com/may-14-2026-en-hawaii-kilaue…
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“This period of frequent activity at Kiluea is being driven by magma chambers that are quickly refilling within the volcano.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm or deny the specific mechanism of rapidly refilling magma chambers driving this period of activity.
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““Since the ongoing eruption began in December of 2024, there has been little overall change in the amount of pressurization of the magma chambers beneath Kīlauea summit,” the USGS said in a FAQ report on Kilauea.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results containing the specific USGS FAQ quote regarding the pressurization of magma chambers since December 2024.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.