California earthquakes

M1.6 earthquake Central California

A magnitude 1.6 earthquake struck in Central California on Thu, Feb 1, 1979, 3:31 PM PST (23:31 UTC), 6 km (4 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M3.7 21 km SW of Los Osos, California. This one was a foreshock.

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Map

Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.

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The earthquake

Magnitude
1.6 (Md, duration), micro
Magnitude from
Northern California Seismic System
Local time
UTC
1979-02-01 23:31:05 UTC
Depth
6.0 km (3.7 mi), shallow
Epicenter
35.408° N, 120.524° W
Tsunami flag
No
Status
Reviewed by a seismologist

Did you feel it?

No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Location uncertainty
About 4.0 km horizontally, 1.1 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty
±0.47
Depth from
From location
Station coverage gap
222°, poorly surrounded by stations
Stations used
5

Nearest places

Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 31 in the 60 days after this one and 25 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 1.911 km N of Cayucos, California · 17409 days ago · 5 km deep · 35 km away
  2. 1.80 km SSW of Parkfield, California · 17408 days ago · 10 km deep · 55 km away
  3. 2.110 km SE of Coalinga, California · 17408 days ago · 9 km deep · 79 km away
  4. 2.51 km ESE of Coalinga, California · 17406 days ago · 29 km deep · 82 km away
  5. 1.820 km NE of San Lucas, California · 17405 days ago · 5 km deep · 97 km away
  6. 3.63 km ESE of Parkfield, California · 17404 days ago · 8 km deep · 54 km away
  7. 2.223 km NE of San Ardo, California · 17403 days ago · 6 km deep · 90 km away
  8. 2.116 km NW of Parkfield, California · 17399 days ago · 5 km deep · 66 km away
  9. 1.612 km NW of Avenal, California · 17396 days ago · 8 km deep · 81 km away
  10. 1.815 km NW of Parkfield, California · 17395 days ago · 4 km deep · 66 km away
  11. 2.123 km ENE of San Ardo, California · 17393 days ago · 6 km deep · 78 km away
  12. 1.99 km SSE of Parkfield, California · 17391 days ago · 6 km deep · 48 km away
  13. 2.04 km SSE of Parkfield, California · 17391 days ago · 5 km deep · 52 km away
  14. 1.810 km SSE of Parkfield, California · 17391 days ago · 6 km deep · 48 km away
  15. 3.17 km SSW of Huron, California · 17384 days ago · 10 km deep · 89 km away
  16. 2.38 km NE of Coalinga, California · 17384 days ago · 5 km deep · 91 km away
  17. 2.010 km N of San Simeon, California · 17381 days ago · 8 km deep · 70 km away
  18. 3.721 km SW of Los Osos, California · 17379 days ago · 5 km deep · 51 km away
  19. 2.433km WSW of Los Osos, CA · 17378 days ago · 6 km deep · 63 km away
  20. 2.721 km W of San Simeon, California · 17372 days ago · 6 km deep · 85 km away
  21. 1.914 km SE of Parkfield, California · 17371 days ago · 4 km deep · 46 km away
  22. 2.858km SW of Avila Beach, CA · 17367 days ago · 6 km deep · 89 km away
  23. 1.923 km NE of San Ardo, California · 17362 days ago · 4 km deep · 88 km away
  24. 2.77 km SSW of Huron, California · 17361 days ago · 12 km deep · 89 km away
  25. 1.923 km NE of San Ardo, California · 17359 days ago · 3 km deep · 90 km away
  26. 3.010km S of Guadalupe, CA · 17357 days ago · 6 km deep · 59 km away
  27. 3.617km NW of Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA · 17357 days ago · 6 km deep · 65 km away
  28. 1.923 km NE of San Ardo, California · 17356 days ago · 12 km deep · 89 km away
  29. 2.123 km NE of San Ardo, California · 17356 days ago · 10 km deep · 89 km away
  30. 1.924 km NE of San Ardo, California · 17356 days ago · 8 km deep · 90 km away
  31. 2.825km SSE of King City, CA · 17351 days ago · 6 km deep · 81 km away

Before

  1. 1.621 km NW of Parkfield, California · 17410 days ago · 3 km deep · 70 km away
  2. 2.1Central California · 17412 days ago · 4 km deep · 68 km away
  3. 1.80 km SSW of Parkfield, California · 17413 days ago · 5 km deep · 55 km away
  4. 1.97 km N of Cambria, California · 17413 days ago · 11 km deep · 55 km away
  5. 2.523 km ENE of San Lucas, California · 17413 days ago · 6 km deep · 96 km away
  6. 1.724 km ENE of San Ardo, California · 17414 days ago · 3 km deep · 76 km away
  7. 1.76 km NNW of Avenal, California · 17415 days ago · 7 km deep · 79 km away
  8. 2.423 km ENE of San Lucas, California · 17418 days ago · 5 km deep · 95 km away
  9. 1.814 km SE of Parkfield, California · 17426 days ago · 4 km deep · 47 km away
  10. 1.919 km NW of Parkfield, California · 17427 days ago · 4 km deep · 69 km away
  11. 1.518 km NW of Parkfield, California · 17432 days ago · 4 km deep · 68 km away
  12. 2.18 km E of San Simeon, California · 17432 days ago · 5 km deep · 58 km away
  13. 2.510 km ESE of Coalinga, California · 17433 days ago · 10 km deep · 81 km away
  14. 2.89 km ESE of Coalinga, California · 17433 days ago · 10 km deep · 81 km away
  15. 1.59 km SE of Coalinga, California · 17434 days ago · 8 km deep · 77 km away
  16. 2.110 km ESE of Coalinga, California · 17435 days ago · 9 km deep · 80 km away
  17. 2.810 km ESE of Coalinga, California · 17435 days ago · 10 km deep · 81 km away
  18. 2.210 km ESE of Coalinga, California · 17435 days ago · 10 km deep · 81 km away
  19. 2.311 km ESE of Coalinga, California · 17435 days ago · 9 km deep · 80 km away
  20. 2.310 km ESE of Coalinga, California · 17435 days ago · 9 km deep · 80 km away

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event nc1044430. Read Fri, Oct 2, 2026, 7:02 AM UTC.