A 3.1-magnitude earthquake was recorded in southwest Montana early Friday

[ad_1]

The USGS recorded a number of small earthquakes that occurred just before 1 a.m. Friday (12/17) near Three Forks, Montana. The strongest earthquake was recorded at 3.1 degrees and was detected at 12:53 am.

The epicenter was 3 miles north of Three Forks.

The 3.1 million earthquake in the rolling hills east of the US Hwy 287 was preceded by two smaller earthquakes of 2.3 million in the same general area during the night hours. Smaller tremors have also been recorded in the past 24 hours around Dillon and West Yellowstone.

USGS Map, Comments by Michael Voth, Townsquare Media A guest at the Three Forks Hotel reported feeling the earthquake.

The Travel Lodge by Wyndham (near the intersection of US Hwy 287 and I-90) is located 2 miles from the epicenter. The staff said a guest reported feeling the quake, which occurred all night long. The night writer I spoke with said she slept through it, adding that she is “usually sensitive to earthquake activity.” An employee at a nearby Town Pump said none of her night staff had mentioned the relatively tame quake. The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office did not receive any calls about the quake.

Earthquake activity is not uncommon in Montana.

In August we wrote about more than 1,000 earthquakes that occurred in July 2021 in Yellowstone National Park. The park is clearly a hotspot for geological activity. Fortunately, most earthquakes in Montana are relatively small. A notable exception is the 1959 earthquake in Madison Valley near Lake Hebgen. 80 million tons of rock and material fell, killing 28 and creating Quake Lake, since it was renamed Earthquake Lake.

LOOK: 20 tips to help your houseplants survive the winter

.

[ad_2]