Lava broke out of the normal flow on the north side of Pu’u O’o Crater on Hawaii island Thursday morning, creating excitement among visitors.

But the “breakout” was short-lived, ending by midnight and extending only 1,600 feet before halting.

“It was a temporary thing,” said Christina Neal, chief scientist for the Hawaii Volcano Observatory.

Neal said scientists did a fly over on a helicopter Thursday.

Neal said breakouts happen a couple of times a month, usually when there’s a blockage or a pulse of lava that can’t be accommodated by the normal flow.