M3.1 Earthquake 4km ESE of Ferndale, CA — February 22, 2023
2023-02-22 15:48:21 UTC (2023-02-22) · approx. 7:48 AM UTC-8 local
Felt by 54 people across nearby locations.
On February 22, 2023 at 15:48 UTC, a magnitude 3.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 4km ESE of Ferndale, CA, at a depth of 15.6 km and coordinates 40.5595°, -124.2203°. This earthquake was detected by 34 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 162, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 607 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 79 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 54 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
-124.2203°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.1 earthquake near Ferndale, CA?
The magnitude 3.1 earthquake that struck 4km ESE of Ferndale, CA on February 22, 2023 at 15:48 UTC had a depth of 15.6 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 40.5595°, -124.2203°, which is 4km ESE of Ferndale, CA. View all earthquakes in California.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.1 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 3.1 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: nc73850141). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, February 22, 2023). M3.1 Earthquake 4km ESE of Ferndale, CA — February 22, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/nc73850141/