What might really be happening in Washington State?

Okay, so I got a little concerned when I first looked at our local seismo and saw the 6.1 alaska quake on there!!

I have learned from past mistakes not to get too excited (ha), and recognized the distant P waves so first checked the USGS list...yup, a large somewhat nearby quake.

Upon closer inspection, I can see that there was another local event at about 1:15 local time. Looks to be a quake, but isn't showing up on any other stations so it would be shallow and very local.

Waiting to see if it makes it to any lists.

Here's the link to the station nearest my house (NW corner of washington state)
Seismo

That will expire shortly....then, you have to go here and look up CMW

Okay, I'm starting to wish my dog wasn't so sensitive. She is driving me crazy again...the needy, pushy kind. So if this is a quake...it will be a bigger one, vs. the small, local micro quake. If the past is an indicator, that means around 3.0 and bigger whithin 50 miles or so from me.

We shall see.......

reply to post by westcoast


I hope your dog is just having one of those days

Keep us updated, as always!

reply to post by westcoast


Okay, so it isn't listed yet, but there was a quake just a few minutes ago SE of my house...I am guessing in the Darrington area, same as the last one. Doesn't look all that big...maybe around a 2.0 so not sure if that is the one she was sensing or not, but I think it was since it was the same location as before, so it would make sense she would react to it the same way.

Link that will disappear in a few hours:

Seismo

I hope Rainier explodes...it would be a nice view of it from my balcony. Okay...not serious...but I am serious about it being a nice view from my balcony if it did.
I don't like EQs though... =|

So here is the quake. It is in the area I thought, and a 1.7. I am thinking that rather than the size being what is making the difference in her reaction...it is the location. Something about this area is producing quakes that affect her differently than the micro quakes we've had even closer to our house. Interesting, don't you think?


Magnitude

1.7

Date-Time

Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 06:02:27 UTC
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 11:02:27 PM at epicenter

Location

48.235°N, 121.644°W

Depth 6.6 km (4.1 miles) set by location program

Region WASHINGTON

Distances 4 km (2 miles) WSW (237°) from Darrington, WA
19 km (12 miles) NNE (28°) from Verlot, WA
21 km (13 miles) E (101°) from Oso, WA
81 km (50 miles) NNE (28°) from Bellevue, WA
85 km (53 miles) NE (37°) from Seattle, WA


Location Uncertainty

horizontal +/- 1.7 km (1.1 miles); depth fixed by location program

Parameters

NST= 5, Nph= 8, Dmin=21 km, Rmss=0.07 sec, Gp=234°,
M-type=duration magnitude (Md), Version=1

Source

Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network

Event ID

uw07200602

Here we go again. I'm begining to wish she wasn't so sensitive. This time however, my bigger dog is agitated too....making me think a larger one is coming.

reply to post by westcoast


Hi Westcoast. I came across this webcam for Rainier

reply to post by boo1981


I like the view, it kind of looks like you are looking out from the top of the world.
And it is actually sunny too, which is good, because we have not really had summer yet, at least not here in NW Oregon.

reply to post by boo1981


That webcam is SO cool! Marked it as a favorite. Thank you!



Now...we have had a real rash of quakes these past few days and this morning a 3.7 out on the peninsula at a depth of 42 km. Smack dab under the olympics AND right where the subduction zone is suspected. I don't like it. There has also been a bit of a swarm in puget sound, right in friday harbor.....I don't know, my spidy senses are tingling. Add that to my dogs behavior and a just a gut instinct, I think something is up.

Magnitude 3.7
Date-Time Sunday, July 24, 2011 at 12:19:28 UTC
Sunday, July 24, 2011 at 05:19:28 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location 47.708°N, 123.178°W
Depth 42.3 km (26.3 miles) set by location program
Region OLYMPIC PENINSULA, WASHINGTON
Distances 20 km (12 miles) WNW (284°) from Brinnon, WA
26 km (16 miles) WSW (238°) from Quilcene, WA
35 km (22 miles) W (268°) from Bangor Trident Base, WA
49 km (30 miles) SSE (156°) from Port Angeles, WA
64 km (40 miles) W (278°) from Seattle, WA

Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 0.3 km (0.2 miles); depth fixed by location program
Parameters NST= 93, Nph= 95, Dmin=11 km, Rmss=0.26 sec, Gp= 22°,
M-type=duration magnitude (Md), Version=1
Source Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network

Event ID uw07241219


Source

MAP 3.7 2011/07/24 12:19:28 47.708 -123.178 42.3 20 km ( 12 mi) WNW of Brinnon, WA
MAP 1.0 2011/07/24 12:07:13 46.763 -121.940 5.2 6 km ( 4 mi) E of Ashford, WA
MAP 1.4 2011/07/24 10:33:53 48.619 -123.040 15.1 9 km ( 6 mi) N of Friday Harbor, WA
MAP 1.6 2011/07/24 08:27:40 47.435 -121.819 20.4 6 km ( 4 mi) SW of Riverbend, WA
MAP 1.5 2011/07/24 07:37:39 48.604 -123.045 13.1 8 km ( 5 mi) N of Friday Harbor, WA
MAP 1.9 2011/07/24 07:15:13 48.612 -123.043 13.9 9 km ( 5 mi) N of Friday Harbor, WA
MAP 1.1 2011/07/24 04:47:18 48.615 -123.038 13.6 9 km ( 6 mi) N of Friday Harbor, WA
MAP 1.6 2011/07/24 03:04:41 48.227 -121.640 5.2 4 km ( 2 mi) SW of Darrington, WA
MAP 3.4 2011/07/23 08:03:40 47.645 -121.728 17.1 14 km ( 8 mi) E of Carnation, WA



I think I may start a thread about this quake and those at friday harbor. I know there are some who follow this and the putting it all together thread, but this is something new that I want to put out there for discussion.


Okay.....I started a Thread

Well BOTH my dogs just started and I thought they must have heard someone outside. No one there and my little dog is now shaking like crazy. Maybe nothing...not a typical behavior, thought I would note it though just in case.

Wow...so I went and opened up GEE to monitor the seismo live based on my dogs behavior and look what I saw. Yes, a critic could say I was typing the previous post while it was happening...but you'll have to take my word that i wasn't. It was nine minutes past the hour when I hit accept on this post. I typed it it around a minute after my dogs barked and my little dog was still shaking. This small quake happened near my home at around eight minutes after the hour:

(scroll to right)

Okay, we must be going to get another one, because my dog is once again all over me and shaking.

Down south from you ~25 miles, not feeling anything. Glad you are so observant.

I cant get over your dogs. What abilities they have!! I wish my old guy (17yearoldlab, doesnt have much as far as normal senses go) or my young lass (7 months oldlab, all drugged up from being spayed today, so no chance!) had the sensitivity of your dogs.

Keep us updated.

Well, this was just a few hours later about 20 miles from my house:



Magnitude 2.2 - duration magnitude (Md)
Time Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 4:38:02 AM (PDT)
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 11:38:02 (UTC)
Distance from Deming, WA - 7 km (4 miles) ESE (115 degrees)
Acme, WA - 11 km (7 miles) NNE (28 degrees)
Kendall, WA - 13 km (8 miles) S (181 degrees)
Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada - 31 km (19 miles) SSE (158 degrees)

Coordinates 48 deg. 48.1 min. N (48.802N), 122 deg. 8.5 min. W (122.141W)
Depth 4.2 km (2.6 miles)
Location Quality Fair
Location Quality Parameters Nst= 16, Nph= 16, Dmin=12 km, Rmss=0.3 sec, Erho=3.5 km, Erzz=0 km, Gp=97.2 degrees
Event ID# uw07271138
Additional Information map
Topo map centered at earthquake (This link takes you offsite).

A BIG thanks to my friend AnnMarie who posted the following quoted article on the Quakewatch 2011 thread

This is a newly released article discussing the Cascade Subduction Zone:

Scientists Study Future Megathrust Earthquake In Pacific Northwest

In essence, they are providing further studies to confirm the location of the subduction zone. That it is actually under the peninsula vs off the coast. Right about where the 3.7 quake occured a few days ago....and where it is clearly mapped by the deep tremors.

Please see the linked article, as it has a bunch of good info, but I am going to do some quotes and comparisons:

The section runs north-south from Victoria on Vancouver Island to southern Washington state. Scientists call it a transient slip zone because the fault between two plates slips gradually every 14 months or so. This gradual slip takes place over a two-week period and triggers tremors that are so small people don’t notice them.

Here is a map I have posted more than once that I have stated is what I believe to be a clear indicator of exactly where the subduction zone is...note how it cuts off in Northern California? One of the reasons I think it extends MUCH further than is said:

In this study the slowly slipping section of the fault beneath Washington state was found to be 27 to 42 kilometres deep instead of 25 to 35. Using sound from compressed air sources in the ocean and small nearby earthquakes, Calvert and his colleagues determined how long it took seismic waves to propagate through the Earth. This told them there is a lot of sedimentary rock in the fault beneath Washington state.

42 Km they say??? Hmmm......

I started a thread a few days ago regarding a recent 3.7 quake on the peninsula at 42 km depth. From the OP:

So we have a 3.7 quake (moderate size) right where the subduction zone is and at that depth, it's a bit more concerning. Add to it the micro quakes occuring nearby at a more shallow depth, may (and I stress may) indicate the stress and dynamics going on bellow. I am NOT a geologist. I am just an avid quake watcher. I have watched my area for nearly 15 years now so I know what is unusual. ....

MAP 3.7 2011/07/24 12:19:28 47.708 -123.178 42.3 20 km ( 12 mi) WNW of Brinnon, WA

Experts say a future megathrust earthquake, measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale, will occur somewhere off the coasts of B.C., Washington state and California. That is where the Juan de Fuca and North America plates are locked and are known to slip every 500 to 600 years. The last such earthquake was in 1700.

I have been stressing for awhile now that I think the whole thing could go...but that the area of main concern is California. I still believe that.

Perhaps it is selfishness on my part? I mean, I have always known that I am close to the subduction zone...and the distance keeps getting smaller with each new study. I have to admit that it wasn't until just yesterday that it really hit home how bad it could be personally. I have an earthquake ap on my phone which incorporates GPS. Yesterday, I took a look at the 3.7 quake info (I had been on my comp...no need to use the phone) and I saw the distance to the quake listed. 69 miles. Only 69 miles!!! IF that had been the 'big one'.....my house would have most likely been destroyed and I don't even want to think about everything else. We have dams upstream, volcanos upstream, an ocean to the west. When you look at it in stark terms....I just really hope it never happens.

I honestly hope all the time I have spent on this stuff has been a complete waste and I never really need the info.

So she is doing it again....(in my face)

Quake coming again tonight?

For the last three weeks I have been noticing strange rainbow effects in the sky during the sun set. It reminds me of the video I have seen taken before the Sichuan earthquake in China. Any one else in Washington notice this effect? I know it is similar to a sun dog effect, however when I see videos like the ones I am posting it makes me wonder...

I've always found the 'earthquake clouds' to be interesting. I have taken to documenting (with pictures) sun halos/dogs and pillars for the past year or so. In my personal experience, there doesn't seem to be a correlation, but ofcourse that is very limited and certainly doesn't mean much.

I just checked the tremors for the past few days (I've been out of town) and there have been large amounts isolated here to the north:

tremors

As I have said in the past, whenever I see this pattern it usually means a quake will follow...

reply to post by westcoast


So as I had mentioned, I have been out of town. I'd actually only been home for less than an hour when I made that post. She (my dog) had been driving me crazy since I got back.

When I looked last night, the following quake had NOT been listed. This is typical for smaller quakes. It seems to take awhile for them to be reviewed and added....even longer on the weekends.

So normally I would call this time a fail since a quake did not happen whithin a few hours after her behavior....but since this quake was a 2.0 and less than FOUR miles from my house, I am thinking it very well could have been why she was still upset.

Magnitude 2.0 - duration magnitude (Md)
Time Monday, August 1, 2011 at 4:27:43 PM (PDT)
Monday, August 1, 2011 at 23:27:43 (UTC)
Distance from Sedro-Woolley, WA - 6 km (4 miles) ENE (60 degrees)
Lyman, WA - 7 km (5 miles) W (277 degrees)
Clear Lake, WA - 10 km (6 miles) NE (34 degrees)
Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada - 60 km (37 miles) S (170 degrees)

Coordinates 48 deg. 32.0 min. N (48.533N), 122 deg. 9.6 min. W (122.160W)
Depth 2.8 km (1.7 miles)
Location Quality Fair
Location Quality Parameters Nst= 28, Nph= 29, Dmin=12 km, Rmss=0.29 sec, Erho=1 km, Erzz=0 km, Gp=68.4 degrees
Event ID# uw08012327
Additional Information map
Topo map centered at earthquake (This link takes you offsite).

Source

reply to post by westcoast


I suppose we also have to be mindful of the fact that dogs react to more things than just earthquakes. Squirrels, burglars, frisbees, sticks, bugs, cats, cars, noises, their own tails...it's a long list, really.