M3.0 Earthquake 9 km W of Palomar Observatory, CA — July 31, 2026
2026-07-31 20:10:15 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 12:10 PM UTC-8 local
Felt by 302 people across surrounding communities.
On July 31, 2026 at 20:10 UTC, a magnitude 3.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 9 km W of Palomar Observatory, CA, at a depth of 14.4 km and coordinates 33.3535°, -116.9555°. This earthquake was detected by 136 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 239, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 445 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 69 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in California, a region characterized by the San Andreas transform fault system, where the Pacific and North American plates slide past each other at roughly 46 mm per year. The nearest mapped fault system is the San Andreas Fault. View all earthquakes in California.
Learn more: San Andreas Fault · Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 302 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-116.9555°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.0 earthquake near Palomar Observatory, CA?
The magnitude 3.0 earthquake that struck 9 km W of Palomar Observatory, CA on July 31, 2026 at 20:10 UTC had a depth of 14.4 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 33.3535°, -116.9555°, which is 9 km W of Palomar Observatory, CA. View all earthquakes in California.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has California had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in California was the M7.9 Fort Tejon earthquake of January 9, 1857. Today's magnitude 3.0 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: ci40664370). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, July 31, 2026). M3.0 Earthquake 9 km W of Palomar Observatory, CA — July 31, 2026. Retrieved July 31, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/ci40664370/