2.7

M2.7 Earthquake 12km NW of Parkfield, CA — March 22, 2021

2021-03-22 23:55:15 UTC (2021-03-22) · approx. 3:55 PM UTC-8 local

MagnitudeM2.7(md)
Time23:55 UTC≈ 3:55 PM UTC-8
Depth10.6 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates35.971°, -120.523°
Felt by5DYFI responses
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On March 22, 2021 at 23:55 UTC, a magnitude 2.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 12km NW of Parkfield, CA, at a depth of 10.6 km and coordinates 35.9715°, -120.5233°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 2.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 181 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 45 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 35.97°, -120.52°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 5 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M2.7 earthquake near 12km NW of Parkfield, CA

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
2.7 md
Depth
10.6 km
shallow crustal
Location
35.9715°N
-120.5233°E
Felt Reports
5
DYFI responses
Community Intensity
2.2
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
nc73538636
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
115
Stations Used
52
Azimuthal Gap
58.0°
Min Station Distance
0.011°
RMS Residual
0.07 sec
Last Updated
2022-08-09 04:21:26 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 2.7 earthquake near Parkfield, CA?

The magnitude 2.7 earthquake that struck 12km NW of Parkfield, CA on March 22, 2021 at 23:55 UTC had a depth of 10.6 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 2.7 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 2.7 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: nc73538636). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, March 22, 2021). M2.7 Earthquake 12km NW of Parkfield, CA — March 22, 2021. Retrieved August 9, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/nc73538636/