How Many Missouri New Madrid Quakes in July? More Than You Think

I've been fortunate to get to know USGS personnel over the years and I think most of them would agree that earthquake science is still a developing process. I think they would also see July along the New Madrid Seismic Zone as a curious month where there were more measurable quakes than you probably think.

If you had to guess how many New Madrid quakes were feelable in Missouri in July, what number would you say? Maybe a dozen? Guess again. According to the USGS database, there were 25 measurable Missouri quakes confirmed by the geologists there in July.

There were many larger than 2.0 in magnitude which is no big deal, but these are quakes that can be felt.

All things considered, it was really a rather normal month along the New Madrid fault in southeastern Missouri. Fortunately, no major or even moderate quakes. Other than the strange earthquake that shook O'Fallon, Illinois last week, July was a fairly typical earthquake month in Missouri and Illinois.

It's a waiting game to see if any of the smaller quakes we see every single month along the New Madrid Fault are a build up to something bigger. Let's hope that major quake that the USGS thinks is possible never happens or at least doesn't happen soon.