SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California’s ground has been quietly restless over the past day, with four small earthquakes recorded across the state within 24 hours — a subtle reminder that seismic season never fully sleeps here.
According to data from the U.S. Geological Survey and California Integrated Seismic Network, the most recent quake struck early Saturday near Pinnacles, registering magnitude 3.2 at a shallow depth of 5.3 km around 10:05 p.m. PDT. Roughly seven hours earlier, a magnitude 3.1 tremor near The Geysers was logged at just 2.2 km deep, a typical hotspot known for geothermal and tectonic activity.
Farther south, a magnitude 2.5 quake near Kernville in the southern Sierra Nevada occurred Friday afternoon, while a magnitude 2.9 quake west of Petrolia shook beneath the offshore Mendocino triple junction — a notoriously active region where three major plates meet. None of the quakes caused damage or injuries, though a few residents near Pinnacles and The Geysers submitted “felt” reports.
Experts note that these small tremors are well within California’s normal background activity. However, such clustering can serve as a gentle reminder to review earthquake safety plans, refresh emergency kits, and secure heavy furniture before larger events occur.
The region remains stable for now, with no indication of heightened seismic risk. Still, geologists urge residents to “stay quake-ready” as cooler fall weather and shifting ground pressures subtly influence fault behavior statewide.
After all — in California, preparedness always beats surprise.
