The Kilauea is a dynamic volcano, and lava viewing conditions change daily. Even if a viewing area is organized by the National Park, this does not guarantee close access of the lava.
The lava dome is very hot so rain instantly vapourises. Hence a large rain rate is needed to get further inside cracks in the rocks. Once deep inside, the rainwater vapourises into high pressure steam as it encounters temperatures in excess of 300 C. This destabilises the lava dome and sometimes leads to a collapse.
Waialeale's summit is considered one of the wettest places on Earth, averaging some 450 inches (11,430 mm) of rain annually. Kauai has Hawaii's only consistently navigable rivers.
This 38-mile (61 km) round-trip drive descends 3,700 feet (1,128 m) to the coast and ends where lava has covered 10 miles of road since 1986. Allow 90 minutes to two hours round-trip, depending on how often you stop and how far you hike.
Hilo, HawaiiKnown for its dramatic waterfalls, lush rainforests and blooming gardens, Hilo is full of amazing sites and world-class beauty. It's also known as the wettest place in the United States, averaging about 12 in. of rain per month.
And chances are, if it's raining in one part of the island, it's sunny on the other coast. (The eastern, or Windward side of each island is usually wetter than the Leeward or west coasts, which are more arid and drier.) Rain shouldn't ruin your day, though.It's what keeps Hawaii's beautiful environment lush and green.
The temperatures in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park only range about 10 degrees from summer to winter, but the winters are cooler and rainier than the summers at the park. On average, the warmest month of the year is August, and the coolest is February.
It is illegal to take lava rocks from Volcano National Park. Not only that it can bring very bad luck as its an insult to Pele. Hundreds of lava rocks get sent back to Hawaii because of this well known kapu(taboo) on snatching parts of Pele the Goddess of the Volcanos!
Lava is best seen at night along the south rim. There are three main viewing locations: Kupina?i Pali (Waldron Ledge) from Crater Rim Trail, Kilauea Overlook, and Keanakako?i Crater. Keanakako?i Crater is the closest eruption viewpoint - here you'll see a lava lake that emits a reddish-orange glow at night!