Small Quakes Rattle Northern California Near San Andreas Fault

Published November 2, 2026. A series of small earthquakes shook parts of Northern California on Sunday and Monday, with USGS data recording tremors ranging from magnitude 0.5 to 2.8. More than two dozen occurred within 30 miles of the San Andreas Fault, which runs for more than 800 miles through California.

The strongest recent quake highlighted in the activity was a magnitude 2.7 tremor at The Geysers, a geothermal field north of San Francisco. Fifteen of the smaller quakes there registered between magnitude 1.0 and 2.0. Other magnitude 2.5 earthquakes were recorded near Berkeley, Concord and Gilroy, communities in the Bay Area.

The Geysers frequently experiences small tremors. Faults beneath the geothermal site contribute to its seismic activity, and scientists have said geothermal operations may also trigger shaking. The swarm has not been described as a major earthquake.

In September, the USGS raised its estimate of the chance of a major earthquake in Northern California within the next 30 years from 72% to 74.1%. The agency has also estimated a 95% chance of a quake stronger than magnitude 6.7 near the Bay Area by 2043.

The Bay Area’s most recent major quake was the magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta quake in 1989, which killed 63 people and caused an estimated $6 billion to $10 billion in property damage. USGS seismologist Ned Field said residents should be prepared: “We’d be wise to be ready.”