You’re sitting on the couch, maybe scrolling through your phone, and suddenly the floor hums. Or perhaps the blinds rattle against the window just enough to make you look up. If you're asking was there an earthquake right now in california, the answer is almost always yes.
Honestly, the state is basically a giant jigsaw puzzle that refuses to stay put. Just today, January 13, 2026, Northern California got a real wake-up call. If you felt a jolt, you aren't imagining things. A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck near Willits in Mendocino County at 1:10 PM local time.
It wasn't a one-off event either. About two hours later, a 3.8 magnitude aftershock hit the same spot. People as far south as Ukiah and north toward Redwood Valley felt the ground roll. This wasn't a "Big One," but it was definitely enough to make the heart race and the dishes clatter.
The Breakdown of Today’s Shaking
California has had over 30 earthquakes in the last 24 hours alone. Most of these are tiny, what seismologists call "micro-earthquakes," but they remind us that the San Andreas and its messy cousins are always awake.
Here is what actually happened today:
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- Willits (Mendocino County): This was the main event. The 4.4 magnitude quake hit at a depth of about 8 kilometers. Short, sharp, and shallow.
- Pacifica (Bay Area): A smaller 2.6 magnitude tremor rattled the coast near San Mateo County around 6:00 PM. Not huge, but definitely felt by locals.
- Moreno Valley (Riverside County): Southern California wasn't left out. A 2.7 magnitude quake popped up earlier in the afternoon.
- Johannesburg (Kern County): A 3.1 magnitude quake was recorded near California City, deep in the desert.
Why You Might Feel "Ghost" Shaking
Sometimes you swear you felt something, but the USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) map is blank. This happens. You might be experiencing "phantom quakes," which is just a fancy way of saying your brain is on high alert. Or, it could be a very shallow, very small local quake that hasn't been reviewed by a human seismologist yet.
The USGS usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes to post a preliminary magnitude. If you’re asking was there an earthquake right now in california and nothing is showing up yet, wait five minutes and refresh the "Latest Earthquakes" map. The automated systems are fast, but they aren't instant.
The Northern California Surge
What's interesting about today's activity is the concentration in Mendocino County. The area around Willits is no stranger to seismic activity, but two significant jolts—a 4.4 and a 3.8—within a few hours usually gets people talking. Dr. Lucy Jones, the famous "Earthquake Lady," has often pointed out that every earthquake has a roughly 5% chance of being a foreshock to something larger.
Does that mean a bigger one is coming to Willits tonight? Probably not. Statistics say these will likely taper off into smaller aftershocks. But it’s a great reminder that the Mendocino Triple Junction—where three tectonic plates meet off the coast—is one of the most geologically complex spots on the planet.
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Real Talk: Magnitude vs. Intensity
People get these mixed up all the time. Magnitude is the energy released at the source. Intensity (the Modified Mercalli scale) is how it actually felt at your house.
A 4.4 magnitude quake like today's can feel like a truck hitting the building if you’re right on top of it. If you’re 50 miles away, it might just be a slow sway that makes the chandelier move. Depth matters too. Today’s Willits quakes were shallow (around 8km), which is why the shaking felt so crisp and immediate to those nearby.
What You Should Do Right Now
If the ground is moving while you are reading this: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. 1. Drop to your hands and knees.
2. Cover your head and neck under a sturdy table or desk.
3. Hold On to your shelter until the shaking stops.
Don't run outside. You’re more likely to get hit by falling glass or a piece of a building facade than to be swallowed by a crack in the earth. That’s a movie myth. Stay inside, stay under something heavy, and wait it out.
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Actionable Next Steps
Check the official USGS Latest Earthquakes Map immediately to see if your location was near an epicenter. If you felt it, contribute to science by filling out the "Did You Feel It?" report on the USGS website. This data helps engineers understand how different soil types in California amplify shaking.
Lastly, use this jolt as a nudge. Check your "Go Bag." Do you have three days of water? Are your heavy bookshelves bolted to the wall? If today’s 4.4 magnitude quake was a "gentle" reminder, take it for what it is and get your space ready for the next one.
Make sure your phone has MyShake or the Wireless Emergency Alerts enabled. For the Willits quake today, some people got a few seconds of warning on their phones before the waves hit—those seconds are the difference between getting under a table and getting hit by a falling lamp.