After swarms of earthquakes began on June 17 in a signal that magma was moving underground, scientists issued an "orange" watch alert. That alert means the volcano is exhibiting heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of an eruption.

Today, scientists announced they had shifted to a less serious "yellow" advisory status, which only means the volcano is exhibiting signs of elevated unrest above known background levels.

Scientists continue to closely monitor the summit and East Rift areas, which were the focus of activity last week.

More than 250,000 cubic yards of magma that had been flowing to Pu'u 'O'o was interrupted or diverted during the flurry of activity last week, stopping all flows to the sea and causing the Pu'u 'O'o crater to collapse on itself.

At the same time the upper East Rift zone of the volcano began to swell, and three large new cracks opened in the upper East Rift area. Lava briefly erupted from one of the cracks near Kane Nui o Hamo on June 19, but flow stalled.

The earthquake activity and tremor that signals underground magma movement has died down since then. Steam and volcanic gasses have continued to leak from the cracks, but scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said even that activity has tapered off in recent days.

Scientists have installed a webcam on Mauna Ulu crater, and the camera provides good views of the steaming area at the base of Kane Nui o Hamo.

Scientists said the camera should be able to detect any renewal of volcanic activity in the region between Mauna Ulu and Makaopuhi Crater.

The webcam is available for online viewers by going to hvo.wr.usgs.gov and clicking on the "Father's Day Eruption" link on the left side of the page.