M2.8 Earthquake 7 km ESE of Palomar Observatory, CA — August 17, 2026
2026-08-17 22:16:08 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 2:16 PM UTC-8 local
On August 17, 2026 at 22:16 UTC, a magnitude 2.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 7 km ESE of Palomar Observatory, CA, at a depth of 14.7 km and coordinates 33.3237°, -116.7968°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 2.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 275 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 55 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 8 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
-116.7968°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 2.8 earthquake near Palomar Observatory, CA?
The magnitude 2.8 earthquake that struck 7 km ESE of Palomar Observatory, CA on August 17, 2026 at 22:16 UTC had a depth of 14.7 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 2.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 2.8 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: ci41528744). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 17, 2026). M2.8 Earthquake 7 km ESE of Palomar Observatory, CA — August 17, 2026. Retrieved August 17, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/ci41528744/