Earthquakes low

M 3.1 Earthquake 6 km NW of The Geysers, CA

Source: USGS · Northern California

A magnitude 3.1 earthquake was recorded by USGS near 6 km NW of The Geysers. On the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program scale, M3.1 is classified "Minor". Among the 1,782 earthquake reports Areazine has published, this M3.1 event ranks stronger than 8% of them (rank #1,530 by magnitude).

This earthquake report, quickly

Magnitude
M 3.1
USGS class
Minor
Location
6 km NW of The Geysers
Archive rank
#1,530 of 1,782
Source
USGS
Published
August 8, 2026
MINOR

Out of 1,782 earthquake reports Areazine has logged, this one outranks 8% of them — 1,529 recorded a higher magnitude.

Record status: a point-in-time USGS detection. Aftershocks, revised magnitude, and felt-report data continue to update on USGS's own event page after publication.

What Happened

A magnitude 3.1 ml earthquake struck 6 km NW of The Geysers, CA, on 2026-07-18 at 12:31:30 UTC. The event was recorded at coordinates 38.8115°N, 122.8025°W with a depth of 2.25 km.

Location Details

The earthquake was centered 6 km northwest of The Geysers, California. The shallow depth of 2.25 km classifies it as a shallow event (less than 20 km).

Impact Assessment

The earthquake was felt by 2 people, with a maximum reported intensity (CDI) of 2. No tsunami advisory was issued (tsunami flag: 0) and no alert level was assigned.

What You Should Know

Minor earthquakes of this magnitude are often felt but rarely cause damage. Residents in the area should be aware of the possibility of aftershocks and follow standard earthquake safety practices, such as securing heavy objects.

Source

USGS Event Page

Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗

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Similar notices nationwide by length or severity timing 8

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Similar body length

Nearest notices by article body length (902 characters here).

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Similar severity timing

Same severity (low) notices issued closest in time to August 8, 2026.

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What People Ask

Common questions about this USGS earthquake report.

What was the magnitude of this event? ▾
A magnitude 3.1 earthquake occurred 6 km northwest of The Geysers, California, at a depth of 2.25 km.
What does an M3.1 "Minor" reading actually indicate? ▾
The USGS classifies M3.1 as "Minor" on its Earthquake Hazards Program scale. Events in this range are rarely felt beyond the immediate epicenter and typically cause no damage; most are recorded only by seismographs.
Is this earthquake stronger or weaker than others in the archive? ▾
This is the #1,530 strongest of the 1,782 earthquake reports in Areazine's archive by magnitude, stronger than 8% of them and weaker than 1,529 others.
Was The Geysers likely to feel this earthquake? ▾
This event was centered 6 km NW of The Geysers. Shaking intensity falls off sharply with distance from the epicenter and depends on depth and local geology, so check the USGS "Did You Feel It?" report for this event for real felt-shaking data rather than assuming from magnitude and distance alone.

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