Pele is awake

[Dave (imported)]

A little snow ain't going to stop daikaiju.

wink, wink.

[moi621 (imported)]

Ms. Pele changed her mind just after the evacuations.

What a sense of humor.

http://news.yahoo.com/hawaii-lava-stall ... 05790.html

Hawaii lava stalls just short of shopping center

Officials had been worried that the lava would hit Pahoa Marketplace on or around Christmas, but civil defense administrator Darryl Oliveira said Tuesday that the lava's leading edge had stopped about 700 yards from the shopping center, which has a supermarket, gas station and other stores.

"I think the merchants are seeing some relief with this," Oliveira said. "Hopefully this is an indication of a change in the flow."

The lava front appears to have hardened and hasn't advanced since Monday, but it's unclear whether the molten rock has stopped or is just stalled, Oliveira said. Several shops had closed down in advance of what seemed like impending disaster, but a handful of restaurants and stores remained open.

---------------------------

The fact that the lava is still branching out upslope means the volcano is still very active, and only the tip of the lava has stalled, said Steven Brantley, a scientist from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Empty Gas Station and Market and Ms. Pele is just messing with you.

Moi

[Riverwind (imported)]

Everybody here hopes it takes a new path just north of the market, that way when it crosses the highway nothing will be in its way, except the police and fire station.

River

[Dave (imported)]

Nothing to do but wait and see.

The rate it was moving it seemed inevitable but then the land changed around and it slowed the lava.

[Riverwind (imported)]

This morning’s assessment shows that the flow front remains stalled and there has been no advancement since 4:30 p.m. Monday afternoon. The front or leading edge remains approximately 0.6 miles upslope of the Highway 130 and Pahoa Village Road intersection. Some surface breakouts and activity along both margins remain active and upslope of the front, however not advancing, and current activity does not pose an immediate threat to area communities. All breakout activity will be monitored closely and residents and businesses down slope will be kept informed of any changes. As the flow activity continues to present with the possibility of advancement, businesses in the Pahoa Market Place are taking necessary steps to prepare for a possible evacuation.

All I can say is I hope if it starts again it does so a bit north of the current flow front, I hope is saves our market and the other businesses in that shopping center. It is the hub and life of this area and would be missed if it was destroyed.

now the police/fire department just north of flow front...

River

[Dave (imported)]

Perhaps Pahoa is like Remagen.

[Riverwind (imported)]

You must explain the reference to Remagen?

Famous for a bridge that was destroyed by the Germans in WWII.

River

[Riverwind (imported)]

NEWS BRIEFS

The flow front continues to remain

stalled and there has been no advancement since 4:30 p.m. Monday afternoon.

New video from Mick Kalber shows an active lava flow with numerous breakouts upslope. However, civil defense says the breakouts are not advancing.

PRIMARY SOURCES

Pele is toying with us.

River

[Dave (imported)]

You must explain the reference to Remagen?

Famous for a bridge that was destroyed by the Germans in WWII.

River

Yes, Just as it was too far from the front lines to take for the Allies, perhaps beautiful downtown Pahoa is just a little bit too far for the lava to reach.

The lava seems to hit certain sections of ground and spread and slow and when that happens the lava finds a place upstream to break out and it moves in another direction. That gives the lava downstream of the break-out a chance to solidify because there isn't a tube to insulate the flow. Think of the expansion of the crusty flow like the inflation or deflation they talk about. If the lava slows and the farthest point gets sluggish, then above that slug breaks out of the crust and spreads. Downstream gets less hot lava and plugs more. Upstream the lava is happily flowing in a new direction.

Every time I look at the arial pictures of the old flow i think I see that pattern.

I also think that the Vulcanologists and Darryl Oliviero see this but don't tell the people for fear of getting too many hopes up.

The market place evacuation was done more by the companies involved than the authorities.

[Riverwind (imported)]

I think your on to something Dave, I looked at a three demintional map of the island and from that view it looks like the flow should be heading the way its going. its not the low slope or part of the shield. as for the stores, they had to move, the big ones at any rate, just to much to do to take down a store, the little shops however many of those are still open, they can go until the last minute as it were, unless the lava is coming down the parking lot they will stay. For the hardware, tire, market, gas station, its just to much to ask.

There are new breakouts, north of the flow, at this rate it will be heading for Hilo which is fine by me.

River