M3.1 Earthquake 24 km NW of Colstrip, Montana — December 16, 2022
2022-12-16 18:31:06 UTC (2022-12-16) · approx. 11:31 AM UTC-7 local
On December 16, 2022 at 18:31 UTC, a magnitude 3.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 24 km NW of Colstrip, Montana, at a depth of 0.0 km and coordinates 46.0192°, -106.8754°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 83 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-106.8754°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.1 earthquake near Colstrip, Montana?
The magnitude 3.1 earthquake that struck 24 km NW of Colstrip, Montana on December 16, 2022 at 18:31 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 3.1 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.1 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000j9t9). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, December 16, 2022). M3.1 Earthquake 24 km NW of Colstrip, Montana — December 16, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000j9t9/