M3.1 Earthquake 26 km SW of Birney, Montana — February 16, 2023
2023-02-16 18:26:16 UTC (2023-02-16) · approx. 11:26 AM UTC-7 local
On February 16, 2023 at 18:26 UTC, a magnitude 3.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 26 km SW of Birney, Montana, at a depth of 0.0 km and coordinates 45.1820°, -106.7841°.
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
-106.7841°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.1 earthquake near Birney, Montana?
The magnitude 3.1 earthquake that struck 26 km SW of Birney, Montana on February 16, 2023 at 18:26 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: us6000jpf6). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, February 16, 2023). M3.1 Earthquake 26 km SW of Birney, Montana — February 16, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000jpf6/