3.0

M3.0 Earthquake 13 km NNW of Pinnacles, CADecember 26, 2024

2024-12-26 23:57:46 UTC (2024-12-26) · approx. 3:57 PM UTC-8 local

MagnitudeM3.0(ml)
Time23:57 UTC3:57 PM UTC-8
Depth7.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates36.618°, -121.235°
Felt by5DYFI responses
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 26, 2024 at 23:57 UTC, a magnitude 3.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 13 km NNW of Pinnacles, CA, at a depth of 7.0 km and coordinates 36.6182°, -121.2350°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 529 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 74 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 36.62°, -121.23°

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 M3.0 earthquake near 13 km NNW of Pinnacles, CA

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

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.0 ml
Depth
7.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
36.6182°N
-121.2350°E
Felt Reports
5
DYFI responses
Community Intensity
3.4
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
nc75108351
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
143
Stations Used
69
Azimuthal Gap
64.0°
Min Station Distance
0.061°
RMS Residual
0.15 sec
Last Updated
2025-03-08 22:39:10 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.0 earthquake near Pinnacles, CA?

The magnitude 3.0 earthquake that struck 13 km NNW of Pinnacles, CA on December 26, 2024 at 23:57 UTC had a depth of 7.0 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 3.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.0 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: nc75108351). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, December 26, 2024). M3.0 Earthquake 13 km NNW of Pinnacles, CADecember 26, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/nc75108351/