Earthquakes in Reno, Nevada
Last earthquake: 3 hours ago · 36 in past 30 days · Largest: M3.3 · Population 264K
Last updated: October 3, 2026 at 10:44 AM UTC · Data: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program
Yes — M2.9 earthquake 3 hours ago 10 km WSW of South Lake Tahoe, CA. 68 people reported feeling it.
Quick Facts — Earthquakes in Reno
- Population
- 264K
- Seismic activity level
- moderate
- Nearest major fault
- Mount Rose Fault Zone (8 km)
- Largest recorded nearby
- M7.1 (1954 Fairview Peak earthquake)
- 30-year probability M6.7+
- 30% (NSHM)
- Earthquakes past 30 days
- 36
- Last significant (M2.5+)
- 3 hours ago
- 2026 total (M1.0+)
- 851
Reno experienced a magnitude 3.3 earthquake 1 day ago 9 km WSW of South Lake Tahoe, CA, at a depth of 10.9 km. Over the past 7 days, 4 earthquakes (M1.0+) have been recorded within 75 km.
Reno sits in the moderate category for U.S. seismic activity. The largest earthquake in or near Reno since records began was the magnitude 7.1 Fairview Peak earthquake in 1954, which struck approximately 159 km east of the city.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey's National Seismic Hazard Model, there is approximately a 30% probability of a magnitude 6.7 or greater earthquake within 100 km of Reno in the next 30 years, and a 15% probability of a magnitude 7.0 or greater event. The largest credible earthquake predicted for the Reno area is a magnitude 7.0 event on the Mount Rose Fault Zone, which lies 8 km from downtown Reno. Source: Nevada Seismological Laboratory; USGS NSHM 2023
Reno sits in a region characterized by Basin and Range extensional tectonics, where normal faulting accommodates east-west crustal stretching at approximately 10 mm per year. Beyond the Mount Rose Fault Zone, secondary fault systems include the Walker Lane Belt and Genoa Fault. View all earthquakes in Nevada.
2026 Activity vs Historical Average
Recent Significant Earthquakes Near Reno
Earthquake Map — Reno Area
Fault Lines Near Reno
| Fault Name | Type | Distance | Max Credible Mag | Last Major Rupture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Rose Fault Zone | normal | 8 km | M7.0 | paleoseismic data limited |
| Walker Lane Belt | right-lateral strike-slip | 20 km | M7.5 | 2026 (M5.7 Silver Springs) |
| Genoa Fault | normal | 50 km | M7.2 | paleoseismic ~500 CE |
| Pyramid Lake Fault Zone | right-lateral strike-slip | 35 km | M7.0 | paleoseismic data limited |
Recent Earthquakes (Last 30 Days)
Dataset at a glance — Reno
Over the past 30 days, Reno has recorded 36 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater in our tracker. The remaining 5 fell in the M2.5–M3.9 band. By depth: 36 shallow (<70 km). 14 of the epicenters were offshore. 6 events produced at least one felt report, totalling 845 citizen submissions to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Focal depths ranged from -0.1 km to 10.9 km. 34 of the 36 solutions have been reviewed by a USGS seismologist; the remaining 2 are automatic and may be refined.
Each row in the table below includes a narrative summary of the event, ordered by time. Use the column headers to sort or filter by magnitude.
| Time ↓ | Mag ↕ | Location ↕ | Depth ↕ | Felt ↕ | MMI | Alert | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 hours ago 2026-10-03 06:58:44 UTC | 2.9md | 10 km WSW of South Lake Tahoe, CA 38.891°, -120.083° | 7.1 km | 68 | - | - | Auto | USGS → |
A magnitude 2.9 earthquake was recorded 10 km WSW of South Lake Tahoe, CA on October 3, 2026 at 06:58 UTC. This event falls inside the aftershock decay of a nearby magnitude 3.3 earthquake that occurred about 21 hours earlier. See the M2.9 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
1 day ago 2026-10-02 10:00:11 UTC | 3.3mw | 9 km WSW of South Lake Tahoe, CA 38.894°, -120.081° | 10.9 km | 532 | III | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
On October 2, 2026 at 10:00 UTC, a magnitude 3.3 earthquake struck 9 km WSW of South Lake Tahoe, CA. It is the largest earthquake currently listed for Reno over the past 30 days. See the M3.3 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-09-23 2026-09-23 05:33:37 UTC | 2.8ml | 1 km WNW of Sun Valley, Nevada 39.602°, -119.788° | 5.1 km | 242 | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
Seismographs logged a magnitude 2.8 earthquake 1 km WNW of Sun Valley, Nevada with origin time 05:33 UTC on September 23, 2026. See the M2.8 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-09-20 2026-09-20 22:02:55 UTC | 2.2ml | 18 km SE of Silver Springs, Nevada 39.318°, -119.051° | 9.2 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
The USGS recorded this magnitude 2.2 earthquake 18 km SE of Silver Springs, Nevada at 22:02 UTC on September 20, 2026. The event was offshore. See the M2.2 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-09-17 2026-09-17 10:45:43 UTC | 2.2ml | 18 km SSE of Silver Springs, Nevada 39.269°, -119.121° | 7.5 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
Reports of a magnitude 2.2 earthquake 18 km SSE of Silver Springs, Nevada came in on September 17, 2026 at 10:45 UTC. In the 72 hours after this event, the USGS recorded 4 smaller earthquakes within 20 km, consistent with an ongoing aftershock sequence rooted here. See the M2.2 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-09-16 2026-09-16 09:57:54 UTC | 2.2md | 21 km NNW of Chilcoot-Vinton, CA 39.983°, -120.198° | 2.7 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
This magnitude 2.2 event was detected 21 km NNW of Chilcoot-Vinton, CA on September 16, 2026, with origin time 09:57 UTC. This very shallow event was close enough to the surface that even modest magnitudes can produce significant local shaking. See the M2.2 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-09-15 2026-09-15 13:39:25 UTC | 2.1ml | 20 km ESE of Silver Springs, Nevada 39.348°, -119.005° | 6.6 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
September 15, 2026 brought a magnitude 2.1 earthquake 20 km ESE of Silver Springs, Nevada, logged at 13:39 UTC. It arrived roughly 48 hours after a larger magnitude 2.7 mainshock in the same 20 km area, placing it within the typical aftershock window. See the M2.1 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-09-13 2026-09-13 22:12:25 UTC | 2.1ml | 18 km SE of Silver Springs, Nevada 39.316°, -119.054° | 7.7 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
A magnitude 2.1 seismic event took place 18 km SE of Silver Springs, Nevada on September 13, 2026 at 22:12 UTC. Coming 9 hours after a magnitude 2.7 earthquake in the immediate vicinity, it is most likely an aftershock of that larger rupture. The event was offshore. See the M2.1 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-09-13 2026-09-13 21:59:55 UTC | 2.0ml | 17 km SE of Silver Springs, Nevada 39.314°, -119.064° | 7.2 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
Seismographs logged a magnitude 2.0 earthquake 17 km SE of Silver Springs, Nevada with origin time 21:59 UTC on September 13, 2026. It arrived roughly 8 hours after a larger magnitude 2.7 mainshock in the same 20 km area, placing it within the typical aftershock window. The event was offshore. See the M2.0 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-09-13 2026-09-13 17:30:45 UTC | 2.6ml | 18 km SE of Silver Springs, Nevada 39.311°, -119.061° | 7.4 km | 1 | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
At 17:30 UTC on September 13, 2026, a magnitude 2.6 tremor occurred 18 km SE of Silver Springs, Nevada. This event falls inside the aftershock decay of a nearby magnitude 2.7 earthquake that occurred about 4 hours earlier. The event was offshore. See the M2.6 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-09-13 2026-09-13 13:33:24 UTC | 2.7ml | 18 km SE of Silver Springs, Nevada 39.312°, -119.054° | 6.9 km | 1 | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
On September 13, 2026, Reno registered a magnitude 2.7 earthquake 18 km SE of Silver Springs, Nevada at 13:33 UTC. In the 72 hours after this event, the USGS recorded 10 smaller earthquakes within 20 km, consistent with an ongoing aftershock sequence rooted here. See the M2.7 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-09-13 2026-09-13 10:09:13 UTC | 2.1md | 11 km N of Kings Beach, CA 39.334°, -120.017° | -0.1 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
On September 13, 2026 at 10:09 UTC, a magnitude 2.1 earthquake struck 11 km N of Kings Beach, CA. This is the shallowest earthquake in the current dataset — a shallow crustal event. See the M2.1 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-09-06 2026-09-06 19:00:33 UTC | 2.1md | 7 km NE of Lake Davis, CA 39.916°, -120.410° | 9.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
A magnitude 2.1 earthquake was recorded 7 km NE of Lake Davis, CA on September 6, 2026 at 19:00 UTC. The event was offshore. See the M2.1 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
Common Questions About Earthquakes in Reno
How often do earthquakes happen in Reno?
Reno experiences moderate earthquake activity. The area averages 13.3 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater per year, with 0.12 reaching magnitude 5.0 or higher. In the past 30 days, 36 earthquakes (M1.0+) have been recorded within 75 km of the city.
What was the biggest earthquake to hit Reno?
The largest earthquake in or near Reno since records began was the magnitude 7.1 Fairview Peak earthquake in 1954, which struck approximately 159 km east of the city.
What is the earthquake risk in Reno?
Earthquakes cannot be predicted with precision. However, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates there is approximately a 30% probability of a magnitude 6.7 or greater earthquake within 100 km of Reno in the next 30 years. The most likely source is the Mount Rose Fault Zone, which has a maximum credible magnitude of 7.0.
What fault lines are near Reno?
The Mount Rose Fault Zone runs approximately 8 km from Reno and is the most significant local seismic threat, with a maximum credible magnitude of 7.0. Other nearby faults include the Walker Lane Belt (20 km), the Genoa Fault (50 km), the Pyramid Lake Fault Zone (35 km).
Was there an earthquake in Reno today?
Yes — a magnitude 2.9 earthquake was recorded 3 hours ago 10 km WSW of South Lake Tahoe, CA, within 75 km of Reno.
About This Page
This page is maintained by Earthquake Tracker, an independent seismic activity reporting service. Earthquake data is sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program and updated every hour. Probability estimates use the USGS National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM 2023). Historical earthquake data is sourced from the USGS Historical Earthquake Catalog. Fault information comes from the USGS Quaternary Fault and Fold Database and SCEC Community Fault Model.
Last data refresh: October 3, 2026 at 10:44 AM UTC