HONOLULU -- Scientists said a huge fountain of lava jetting into the air from a Kilauea Volcano flow is not like anything they have seen in more than a year.

Just after 11 p.m. Sunday lava made a new breakout at the Kilauea summit.

A wave of lava measuring about 40 feet high produced a spectacular fountain. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said they were impressed.

The eruption is about 2 miles east of the Pu`u`o`o Crater and about 6 miles from the ocean.

Scientist Jim Kauahikaua said sulfur dioxide emissions have increased since the weekend, almost doubling. Huge white plumes rose over the Halema`uma`u vent.

While the lava has been flowing freely into the ocean for months, now there are just dribbles entering the water.

"We can still see little dribbles. It may be the tube down there is kind of draining out and the blockage farther up slope will ultimately drain the whole thing or allow the whole thing to drain itself, but so far there's nothing spectacular at the coast," Kauahikaua said.

Hawaii County officials said the viewing area is still open. However, you should not expect to see the fountain from there. It is an area inaccessible by foot.

Scientists said they couldn't predict how long the latest breakout will last. They said the lava from this flow would eventually move toward the ocean.

"These flows will turn into the ocean if the existing lava tube doesn't get reoccupied somehow. Then these flows that are erupting out of the ground farther up slope will start another set of flows into the ocean and produce another entry," Kauahikaua said.

Civil Defense officials are monitoring the situation. They said at this point there are no safety concerns. However, if tradewinds pick up, the entire Kau District and Kona area have the potential of seeing heavier vog and officials will send out an advisory notice.