Waking up in California often involves a quick reach for the phone to check if that rattle was a truck or the "Big One" finally making its debut. If you felt a jolt today, January 17, 2026, you aren’t alone. Small rattles are basically the background noise of living on the edge of the Pacific Plate.
So, was there an earthquake in California this morning? Technically, yes—but "morning" is a relative term when the earth never really stops moving.
The Morning Rundown: What Just Happened?
While there hasn't been a catastrophic event today, several smaller quakes have kept the sensors humming across the state. Most notably, a series of micro-earthquakes occurred in the early hours near The Geysers and parts of Southern California like Anza.
Around 12:05 AM (PST), a magnitude 0.7 micro-quake was recorded near Cobb, CA. Just a few hours later, the southern part of the state saw similar activity. At 1:59 AM (UTC), which translates to late Friday night locally, a tiny 0.7 magnitude event hit near Anza.
If you're in the Riverside or San Diego area, these tiny tremors are almost never felt. However, they are vital data points for seismologists at the USGS and Caltech who track the "heartbeat" of our local fault lines.
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Why You Might Have Felt Shaking Recently
It's not just your imagination. The last 48 hours have been surprisingly active for the Golden State.
On Friday, January 16, a more significant magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck near Avenal, California at 1:12 PM. That was a real jolt. People reported feeling that one throughout the Central Valley and even as far as the coast.
Then there was the magnitude 5.0 near Tres Pinos on Thursday evening. When we get a "moderate" quake like a 5.0 or 5.4, the aftershocks can continue for days. This often leads to people asking about earthquakes the following morning because the ground hasn't quite settled yet.
Recent Notable Activity in California:
- Avenal (Jan 16): Magnitude 5.4—This was the big talk of the week.
- Tres Pinos (Jan 15): Magnitude 5.0—Sharp shaking felt in San Benito County.
- The Geysers (Jan 17): Constant micro-activity, mostly under magnitude 1.5.
- Petrolia (Jan 16): A 3.1 magnitude offshore reminder that the Mendocino Triple Junction is always awake.
The Science of the "Silent" Quakes
Honestly, California is like a giant jigsaw puzzle where the pieces are always trying to switch places. Seismologists like David Shelly and Robert Skoumal from the USGS have recently been highlighting how "low-frequency" earthquakes—the ones we usually can't feel—reveal hidden faults.
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A study released just two days ago in Science discussed how these tiny swarms are helping us map the Mendocino Triple Junction. This is where the San Andreas fault meets the Cascadia subduction zone. It's a complex, messy area.
Sometimes, what you "feel" this morning isn't the ground moving at all. It could be "earthquake anxiety" following a larger event like the Avenal 5.4. We become hyper-aware of every floorboard creak.
Is This "The Big One" Coming?
Everyone asks this. The short answer is: we don't know.
Moderate quakes like the 5.4 near Avenal don't necessarily mean a bigger one is imminent. Usually, they just relieve a little bit of stress on a specific segment of a fault. However, seismologists always warn that any earthquake has a small chance (usually around 5%) of being a "foreshock" to a larger event within the next 72 hours.
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We’re currently in that window for the Central Valley region. That’s why keeping an eye on the latest reports from the Southern California Earthquake Data Center or the USGS Earthquake Map is actually a smart move, not just "doom-scrolling."
How to Check if You Felt It
If you’re still wondering if you actually felt an earthquake in California this morning, the best place to go is the USGS "Did You Feel It?" (DYFI) portal.
- Check the Map: The USGS real-time map shows everything down to magnitude 0.1.
- Report Shaking: If you felt something, submit a report. This "citizen science" helps researchers understand how different soils and buildings respond to shaking.
- Verify the Source: Don't trust "X" (formerly Twitter) rumors immediately. Check the official SCEDC or USGS feeds first.
Actionable Steps for the Next 24 Hours
Since the state is currently seeing a cluster of moderate activity, now is the time to be proactive rather than just curious.
- Secure your space: If you felt the Avenal or Tres Pinos quakes, check your shelves. Did things shift? Use museum wax to secure vases and heavy items before an aftershock hits.
- Update your alerts: Ensure your phone has MyShake installed or that "Wireless Emergency Alerts" are turned ON in your settings. These can give you a few seconds of warning before the waves arrive.
- Check your kit: Do you have enough water for three days? Most of us don't. Fill up a few jugs today.
- Know your "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" spot: Don't run outside. Most injuries in California quakes happen from falling glass or debris while people are trying to exit buildings.
Stay alert, but don't panic. California is built for this, and the morning's tiny tremors are just the earth's way of reminding us who's really in charge of the landscape.