Will the Hawaiian Island Chain Gain a New Island Soon?

It is highly unlikely that the Hawaiian Islands will gain a new island within any human-relevant timeframe.

Why Not?

• Geological Timescale: The Hawaiian hotspot remains active, but island formation takes hundreds of thousands to millions of years.
• Current Youngest Island: Hawaiʻi Island (Big Island) is ~400,000–700,000 years old and still growing (Kīlauea and Mauna Loa eruptions). It has not yet "finished" emerging.
• Next in Line: Lōʻihi Seamount, ~35 km off Hawaiʻi's southeast coast, is an active submarine volcano. Its summit is ~1,000 m below sea level. At current growth rates, it may breach the surface in 10,000–100,000 years—becoming the next island.

So while the chain will eventually grow, "soon" in geological terms is far beyond human history.