Rollin’, But No Rocks, as Another Earthquake Shakes Western Montana

If you felt some shaking north of Missoula Friday evening it wasn't just your imagination, or a big truck rumbling by.

The U-S Geological Survey confirms it was an earthquake that hit just before 8 pm on Friday evening, with a magnitude of 3.2. That's right above the level where most people notice an earthquake.

U.S.G.S. pinpointed the quake's epicenter close to Ravalli, likely under the ridge separating the community from the Mission Valley. The quake was moderately deep under the surface, at 10 kilometers. The precise time of the quake was 7:47 pm. 

The agency's "Did You Feel It" page shows 45-people reported the quake

The earthquake comes less than a month after a slightly smaller quake was recorded along the west shore of Flathead Lake on Monday, September 26th. That quake measured 2.9 magnitude and was located just northwest of Big Arm. 

Having fires of around 3 magnitude isn't that unusual in Western Montana, which is crisscrossed by a number of significant fault lines. But it has been some time since we've seen regular quake activity in West Center Montana. 

Idaho is also prone to regular quakes. And the U.S.G.S reports another quake in Central Idaho overnight. The 2.6 magnitude quake was southwest of Salmon, Idaho,  and happened Sunday evening. That's in the general area that's remained geologically active since a major quake hit near Stanley in the spring of 2020. That quake was felt all across the region.