M3.3 Earthquake 4 km S of Colstrip, Montana — February 17, 2023
2023-02-17 19:27:31 UTC (2023-02-17) · approx. 12:27 PM UTC-7 local
On February 17, 2023 at 19:27 UTC, a magnitude 3.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 4 km S of Colstrip, Montana, at a depth of 0.0 km and coordinates 45.8453°, -106.6314°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1.3 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 114 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-106.6314°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.3 earthquake near Colstrip, Montana?
The magnitude 3.3 earthquake that struck 4 km S of Colstrip, Montana on February 17, 2023 at 19:27 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 3.3 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.3 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000jpr6). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, February 17, 2023). M3.3 Earthquake 4 km S of Colstrip, Montana — February 17, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000jpr6/