California earthquakes

M3.4 earthquake 20 km NNE of Mesa, California

A magnitude 3.4 earthquake struck 20 km NNE of Mesa, California on Mon, Nov 17, 1986, 4:40 AM PST (12:40 UTC), 5 km (3 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M4.0 20 km N of Dixon Lane-Meadow Creek, California. This one was a foreshock.

Dixon Lane-Meadow Creek forecast More in California

Map

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

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The earthquake

Magnitude: 3.4 (md), minor
Local time: Mon, Nov 17, 1986, 4:40 AM PST
UTC: 1986-11-17 12:40:22 UTC
Depth: 5.1 km (3.2 mi), shallow
Epicenter: 37.575° N, 118.430° W
Region: California
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 0.2 km horizontally, 0.5 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty: ±0.16
Depth from: From location
Station coverage gap: 91°
Stations used: 42

Nearest places

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

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 200 in the 60 days after this one and 0 in the 30 days before it.

After

The first 60 of 200.

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event nc88126 (also filed as ci129260, usp000303n). Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 8:44 AM UTC.