California earthquakes

M1.5 earthquake 21 km NNW of Covelo, California

A magnitude 1.5 earthquake struck 21 km NNW of Covelo, California on Tue, Jan 20, 1987, 6:29 AM PST (14:29 UTC), 0 km (0 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M3.1 11 km NNE of Comptche, California. This one was a foreshock.

Covelo forecastMore in California

Map

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

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The earthquake

Magnitude
1.5 (md), micro
Local time
UTC
1987-01-20 14:29:11 UTC
Depth
-0.1 km (-0.1 mi), shallow
Epicenter
39.965° N, 123.362° 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 1.1 km horizontally, 8.2 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty
±0.23
Depth from
From location
Station coverage gap
185°, poorly surrounded by stations
Stations used
4

Nearest places

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

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 28 in the 60 days after this one and 21 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 2.318 km ESE of Indianola, California · 14496 days ago · 24 km deep · 96 km away
  2. 1.614 km SSE of Covelo, California · 14494 days ago · 3 km deep · 36 km away
  3. 1.716 km ENE of Potter Valley, California · 14494 days ago · 7 km deep · 75 km away
  4. 1.99 km ESE of Leggett, California · 14491 days ago · 6 km deep · 25 km away
  5. 2.513 km WNW of Mad River, California · 14488 days ago · -1 km deep · 65 km away
  6. 1.724 km SW of Scotia, California · 14486 days ago · 4 km deep · 94 km away
  7. 2.011 km NE of Talmage, California · 14482 days ago · 7 km deep · 89 km away
  8. 1.616 km WSW of Leggett, California · 14479 days ago · -1 km deep · 49 km away
  9. 1.911 km ENE of Hydesville, California · 14479 days ago · 22 km deep · 85 km away
  10. 1.8near the coast of Northern California · 14479 days ago · 21 km deep · 94 km away
  11. 2.026 km W of Paskenta, California · 14478 days ago · -1 km deep · 44 km away
  12. 2.410 km W of Scotia, California · 14475 days ago · 4 km deep · 92 km away
  13. 1.823 km NE of Potter Valley, California · 14471 days ago · 5 km deep · 69 km away
  14. 3.111 km NNE of Comptche, California · 14469 days ago · 2 km deep · 69 km away
  15. 2.021 km NE of Potter Valley, California · 14462 days ago · 11 km deep · 67 km away
  16. 1.8Northern California · 14461 days ago · 4 km deep · 76 km away
  17. 1.520 km ENE of Potter Valley, California · 14461 days ago · 4 km deep · 76 km away
  18. 1.918 km ENE of Potter Valley, California · 14458 days ago · 7 km deep · 78 km away
  19. 2.518 km ENE of Potter Valley, California · 14457 days ago · 6 km deep · 77 km away
  20. 1.912 km SE of Laytonville, California · 14456 days ago · 6 km deep · 41 km away
  21. 1.81 km NE of Redway, California · 14451 days ago · 22 km deep · 42 km away
  22. 2.4Northern California · 14450 days ago · 30 km deep · 76 km away
  23. 2.816 km NE of Upper Lake, California · 14449 days ago · 3 km deep · 91 km away
  24. 2.117 km NE of Upper Lake, California · 14449 days ago · 6 km deep · 91 km away
  25. 2.89 km ENE of Benbow, California · 14449 days ago · 21 km deep · 30 km away
  26. 2.38 km SSW of Alderpoint, California · 14448 days ago · 23 km deep · 29 km away
  27. 2.416 km NE of Upper Lake, California · 14448 days ago · 6 km deep · 91 km away
  28. 2.310 km SSW of Alderpoint, California · 14448 days ago · 18 km deep · 28 km away

Before

  1. 1.82 km SE of Myers Flat, California · 14499 days ago · 4 km deep · 52 km away
  2. 2.614 km WSW of Scotia, California · 14501 days ago · 27 km deep · 91 km away
  3. 2.719 km NNW of Covelo, California · 14501 days ago · 2 km deep · 2 km away
  4. 2.48 km S of Scotia, California · 14502 days ago · 4 km deep · 80 km away
  5. 3.6near the coast of Northern California · 14502 days ago · 3 km deep · 96 km away
  6. 1.710 km NNW of Redwood Valley, California · 14504 days ago · 4 km deep · 69 km away
  7. 2.52 km WSW of Leggett, California · 14505 days ago · 4 km deep · 34 km away
  8. 1.68 km SE of Covelo, California · 14505 days ago · 4 km deep · 29 km away
  9. 1.75 km ESE of Talmage, California · 14510 days ago · 5 km deep · 97 km away
  10. 1.65 km E of Covelo, California · 14512 days ago · 4 km deep · 24 km away
  11. 1.717 km WSW of Elk Creek, California · 14513 days ago · 3 km deep · 73 km away
  12. 2.16 km NNE of Covelo, California · 14513 days ago · 11 km deep · 17 km away
  13. 3.220 km SW of Scotia, California · 14520 days ago · 4 km deep · 90 km away
  14. 1.821 km ENE of Potter Valley, California · 14522 days ago · 0 km deep · 77 km away
  15. 1.68 km E of Willits, California · 14524 days ago · 9 km deep · 63 km away
  16. 1.613 km E of Comptche, California · 14525 days ago · 3 km deep · 78 km away
  17. 2.122 km W of Leggett, California · 14526 days ago · 1 km deep · 55 km away
  18. 2.07 km E of Willits, California · 14527 days ago · 7 km deep · 63 km away
  19. 1.75 km ENE of Willits, California · 14527 days ago · 2 km deep · 60 km away
  20. 2.15 km ENE of Willits, California · 14527 days ago · 2 km deep · 60 km away

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event nc10083721. Read Wed, Sep 30, 2026, 11:04 PM UTC.