M3.2 Earthquake 10 km SSW of Colstrip, Montana — December 17, 2021
2021-12-17 21:24:18 UTC (2021-12-17) · approx. 2:24 PM UTC-7 local
On December 17, 2021 at 21:24 UTC, a magnitude 3.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 10 km SSW of Colstrip, Montana, at a depth of 0.0 km and coordinates 45.7956°, -106.6540°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 951 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 97 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-106.6540°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.2 earthquake near Colstrip, Montana?
The magnitude 3.2 earthquake that struck 10 km SSW of Colstrip, Montana on December 17, 2021 at 21:24 UTC had a depth of 0.0 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 3.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.2 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000gd8z). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 17, 2021). M3.2 Earthquake 10 km SSW of Colstrip, Montana — December 17, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000gd8z/