San Diego, CA
Earthquakes Rock SoCal: Could 'Something Bigger' Be Coming?
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — Several magnitude 4.0 or greater earthquakes have rattled Southern California in the past week — and there’s a chance more could be on the way.
There is a small chance, about 5 percent, that an earthquake will be followed by a larger quake, with the likelihood decreasing over time, according to Gabrielle Tepp, a staff seismologist at California Institute of Technology’s Seismological Laboratory.
“When something like this happens, there is a slightly elevated chance that something bigger could be coming,” Tepp told Patch.
Find out what’s happening in San Diegowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Southern California has experienced what Tepp called “clusters” of earthquake activity not only this week, but since the start of the year.
“We have been having a lot of magnitude 4s lately since the start of 2024 in Southern California. That’s just a result of the randomness of earthquakes,” Tepp said. “If earthquakes followed a specific pattern, we’d be able to predict them, but we can’t.”
Find out what’s happening in San Diegowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Earthquakes aren’t entirely random, however.
“They have to happen at fault and when stress builds up, but when exactly they happen is somewhat random,” she explained.
“Because of that, sometimes you’ll go quiet with very few earthquakes,” she added. “Other times you’ll get clusters, like this, with a bunch of them that are unrelated. Other times there will be a more steady rate to them. We just happen to be in one of the clusters, right now, with a lot of activity.”
Since the start of the year, there have been five “significant earthquakes” in California, according to the United States Geological Survey. All of them have happened in Southern California and two of them struck this past week.
The quakes also struck near different faults.
“It’s not confined to just one specific area,” Tepp said.
According to the USGS, earthquakes are considered “significant events” due to a combination of magnitude, the number of “Did You Feel It” responses, and the PAGER (Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response) alert level.
A 4.1-magnitude quake hit New Year’s Day near Rancho Palos Verdes in Los Angeles County. Four days later, a 4.2-magnitude quake was recorded near Lytle Creek in the San Gabriel Mountains in San Bernardino County. On Jan. 24, a 4.2-magnitude quake struck near San Bernardino.
This past week, a magnitude 4.6 earthquake hit at 1:47 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9, near Malibu, which was followed by a series of smaller quakes in the area. The quake struck near the Malibu Coast fault and Santa Monica Bay fault, which is an area that is known to be seismically active.
Since record-keeping began in 1932, there have been six magnitude 4 or greater earthquakes within about 6 miles of the quake, according to the Southern California Seismic Network. The largest was a magnitude 5.3 on Feb. 21, 1973.
Three days after the Malibu quake, an earthquake swarm rattled east of San Diego in the El Centro and Imperial areas of Southern California.
“For a normal mainshock tectonic sequence, you have one big earthquake and a bunch of aftershocks that are usually smaller magnitudes,” Tepp said. “When you get a bunch of earthquakes that are all very similar magnitudes, we consider that a swarm because there’s not really a clear mainshock.”
Of the earthquakes, the first and largest was a 4.8-magnitude quake recorded at 12:36 a.m. near El Centro, according to the USGS. A 4.6-magnitude quake struck six minutes later.
The earthquake swarm continued through the morning and into Tuesday. As of 12:35 p.m. Tuesday, the Southern California Seismic Network had recorded 232 “events” in the swarm, with the smallest being a 0.8-magnitude quake.
“The Imperial Valley is known for earthquake swarms,” Tepp said. “These happen pretty regularly in that region, so it’s the type of activity that we’d expect for that region. It’s a swarm-prone area.”
Although the region is known for earthquake activity, swarms are typically linked to the San Andreas fault, which ends near Bombay Beach in the Salton Sea. This swarm is believed to be linked to the Weinert-El Centro fault, a branch of the San Jacinto fault system, which is one of the most active fault zones in Southern California.
“I don’t recall a swarm of aftershocks like this ever occurring on the Weinert,” Tom Rockwell, a San Diego State University geologist, told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “Is it a foreshock to something bigger? No one knows.”
The earthquake swarm was one of the strongest to hit Southern California in years.
Four of the earthquakes between 12:36 and 12:59 a.m. activated the USGS ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System, which detects significant quakes early enough so that alerts can be delivered to residents and automated systems potentially seconds before shaking arrives.
The MyShake early-warning app sent more than 79,000 alerts for the 4.8-magnitude quake and more than 87,000 alerts for the 4.6-magnitude quake, according to Robert-Michael de Groot, a coordinator at ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System for the USGS Earthquake Science Center.
De Groot explained that MyShake and other partner apps send alerts when the estimated magnitude is 4.5 or greater to phones in the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) III or greater zone. The Wireless Emergency Alert sends alerts to WEA-capable devices when the estimated magnitude is 5.0 or greater to phones in the MMI IV or greater zone.
According to the intensity scale, MMI III is “weak” shaking that is felt by people indoors, especially on upper floors of buildings. MMI IV is “light” shaking and felt indoors by many and outdoors by few people.
“We use about one second of data from the earthquake to make a decision about how big it’s going to be,” de Groot told Patch. “With earthquake early warning, it’s got to be fast.”
Following the swarm, another 4.1-magnitude earthquake struck late Tuesday night in Imperial County. The quake was recorded at 11:53 p.m. about 6.2 miles north of Westmorland, which is part of the El Centro Metropolitan Area, according to the USGS.
The quake was considered a “separate event” from the swarm.
“It was far enough away and on a different set of faults,” Tepp explained. “I would consider it something different, but it’s a complicated tectonic area.”
The quake struck near the Westmorland fault. There have been 109 magnitude 4 or greater earthquakes within about 6 miles of the quake since the start of record-keeping, according to the Southern California Seismic Network. The largest was a magnitude 6.2 on Nov. 24, 1987.
De Groot said that earthquake watchers are studying the recent quake activity.
“Whenever these things happen, we watch them very carefully,” de Groot said. “We want to make sure that we watch the trends and compare it to other activity in the past to see if this might lead to something. We’re always thinking about what could happen next.”
Experts agree that it’s not a matter of if the “Big One” is coming but when.
Tepp said there are several faults in Southern California that are “capable of producing damaging earthquakes.
“There’s going to be another damaging earthquake at some point,” she said. “The best thing you can do is be prepared.”
Most of California has at least a 75% chance of a damaging earthquake in the next century, according to a newly released USGS map. A large portion of the state has over a 95% chance of a damaging earthquake.
The latest USGS National Seismic Hazard Model released in January shows where damaging earthquakes are most likely to occur based on seismic studies, historical geologic data, and the latest data-collection technologies. The model updated a previous version released in 2018.

This year marked the 30th anniversary of the destructive 1994 Northridge earthquake that killed at least 57 people, injured thousands and caused billions of dollars in damage in Southern California.
There’s a 60% chance that a magnitude 6.7 quake will hit the Los Angeles area again within 30 years, according to the USGS. There’s a 46% chance of a magnitude 7.0 quake and a 31% probability of a magnitude 7.5.
“We know that it’s going to happen, it’s just hard to put our finger on exactly when,” de Groot said. “Our best attempt though is that they happen about every 30 years — meaning a Northridge-sized earthquake in the Los Angeles area.”
The Northridge quake happened on a previously undiscovered fault. Experts are even more concerned about the San Andreas fault. The fault, which runs more than 800 miles long, has been responsible for some of the state’s largest quakes.
Seismologists have warned the public for years that Southern California is “overdue” for an 8.0-magnitude earthquake courtesy of the state’s longest fault. To put that into perspective, a quake that size is 60 times more powerful and six times longer than the Northridge earthquake.
“When someone says we are overdue, what they are usually saying is that the time since the last major earthquake is greater than that historic recurrence time,” Tepp explained. “It’s an average. So sometimes it will be less and sometimes it will be more.
“We’re past that average now,” she noted. “We’re within the window that we are kind of waiting and expecting something to happen.”
She and de Groot both encouraged residents to be prepared for earthquakes. Create an emergency kit and plan, and also download the MyShake early-warning app, which helped alert residents near the most recent quake swarm.
The creation of the earthquake early warning system has been one of the biggest advancements in the three decades since the Northridge quake.
“We live in earthquake country. Earthquakes are going to continue to happen,” he said. “Now there’s a system in place that detects the earthquake as soon as it reaches the surface, moves that information quickly to where it needs to go, and then gets alerts out to people who need them.”
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
San Diego, CA
What’s Coming to Frontwave Arena in 2026: Sports, Shows & New League Debuts
Frontwave Arena in Oceanside has packed its 2026 calendar with everything from USA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers to a brand-new professional BMX racing league.
Since opening in September 2024, the 7,500-seat venue has established itself as North County San Diego’s go-to spot for live sports and entertainment, and this year’s lineup keeps that momentum going strong.
USA Basketball, G League, and Indoor Soccer
Team USA takes the court for two FIBA World Cup Qualifier games, facing the Dominican Republic on February 26 and Mexico on March 1.
The San Diego Clippers are back for their second NBA G League season with 24 home games running through March 28, complete with themed giveaway nights.
The San Diego Sockers return for their 2026 MASL season with 12 home matches through March 29, bringing fast-paced indoor soccer from one of the league’s most successful franchises.
Wrestling, Futsal Exhibitions, and BMX Racing
All Elite Wrestling returns on February 21 for AEW Collision, delivering the high-energy atmosphere, diverse roster, and unpredictable storylines that put fans right in the middle of the action.
Icons vs Creators hits the arena on March 7, marking the first-ever premier futsal-style indoor soccer exhibition in the U.S. The event brings together legendary international soccer icons and top influencers for a crossover event that blends sport and pop culture.
The big debut happens this summer when Frontwave hosts the BMXGP1 League on June 21, a brand-new professional indoor BMX racing league. The 12-round season runs every Sunday through September 13 on a custom-built course where speed decides the winner, not judges or tricks.
Comedy and Music Headliners
Michael McIntyre brings his Hello America! tour to Frontwave on March 18, marking the UK comedy star’s first-ever U.S. tour. McIntyre has sold out arenas around the world, including record-breaking runs at London’s O2 Arena, and his sharp observational stand-up has racked up hundreds of millions of online views.
MercyMe’s Wonder + Awe Tour stops in Oceanside on April 16, with the 10x-Platinum band joined by Big Daddy Weave, Tim Timmons, and Sam Wesley for a high-energy night of music and community.
Summer Tuesday Series Returns
The Summer Tuesday Series transforms the arena into a midweek destination from June 16 through August 11. Select nights feature live World Cup matches broadcast on the arena videoboard, paired with themed activations like Taco Tuesdays.
Expect local food vendors, drink specials, DJs or live music, interactive games, and community partner pop-ups throughout the series.
See you there!
Frontwave Arena continues proving that North County deserves its own major venue, and 2026’s lineup gives us plenty of reasons to make the drive to Oceanside.
📍 3475 Hero Dr, Oceanside
ℹ️ More info here
See you there, San Diego!
San Diego, CA
Good Morning San Diego: Spring Training is just days away, several questions remain
Spring Training is less than a week away for the San Diego Padres and once again it will not be a normal spring in Peoria, Ariz. The time has come once again for the World Baseball Classic and for the Padres players competing for their respective countries they will have a broken Spring Training. They will start in Peoria, then move onto their respective teams, and then return at the conclusion of their WBC runs. Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball gives a breakdown of what the Friar Faithful can expect this spring. She included a comment from one of the longest tenured Padres, Jake Cronenworth, who said some of the San Diego players will report to camp ahead of their scheduled date in order to give them some time to bond prior to WBC players departing to join their teams. We have seen these odd schedules in seasons past for San Diego. All we can do as fans is hope it does not prevent the Padres from accomplishing their regular season and postseason goals, which includes winning a World Series title.
San Diego, CA
Aztecs lift off, rout struggling Air Force on Space Force Night
AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — San Diego State’s basketball team has a tradition as pregame warmups conclude of surrounding bouncy forward Pharaoh Compton as he flies down the lane for one of his patented dunks.
Saturday night, they gathered around the blue-painted lane at the Air Force Academy’s Clune Arena, and here came Compton, who spun and … aborted liftoff.
He went back to the top of the key and tried again. Ignition, liftoff, dunk.
And that’s pretty much how the game went. Air Force, still winless in the Mountain West this season, jumped to a 5-0 lead before the Aztecs launched and rocketed away from the Falcons wearing special all-black Space Force uniforms.
The 88-54 win was a welcome change from a year ago, when the Falcons weren’t much better (1-19 in conference) and the Aztecs needed a Wayne McKinney III layup at the overtime buzzer to escape what would have been maybe the worst loss in program history — and almost certainly would have kept them out of the NCAA Tournament.
“The veterans know, they know how hard it was in here last year,” coach Brian Dutcher said. “Also, I’ve tried to tell them we need a greater sense of urgency in February. I’m trying to pick up their urgency in everything we do. If we can stay urgent and play more consecutive possessions, we’ll have a better chance to win.”
It helped that the Falcons didn’t attempt 44 free throws, as they did here last year, but just 12. And that the Aztecs made six 3-pointers in both games but needed 10 fewer attempts (16 compared with 27).
This one was over midway through the first half, when a 23-2 Aztecs run had Air Force interim coach Jon Jordan calling all but one of his allotted timeouts in the game’s opening 14 minutes in a desperate attempt to stem an oncoming tide washing away his sandcastle.
As if 12 first-half turnovers (to one by SDSU) weren’t painful enough, BJ Davis plunged in the dagger at the halftime buzzer when, with the clocking ticking from 3 to 2 to 1, he launched a 3 closer to midcourt than the arc.
Swish.
Dutcher said recently that he wanted “in the worst way” to reach their bye week in first place, and he has. The Aztecs (17-6, 11-2) remain tied atop the Mountain West after Utah State hung on for an 85-83 win at Wyoming later Saturday night.
Now they don’t play for a week, until Saturday against Nevada at Viejas Arena. The plan is to re-evaluate injured starters Magoon Gwath (hip) and Elzie Harrington (leg) sometime midweek in hopes both will be available and game fit for the stretch run.
“It’s all in the doctors’ and trainers’ hands,” Dutcher said. “They’ve got more testing to do, whether they’re scans or MRIs to make sure whatever they want to see on those is where they want to see it. You watch them out there now, they’re walking and moving like they’re ready to play.
“Sometimes, you look at a guy and he’s limping, and you’re thinking, ‘Oh, he’s way, far away.’ You look at these guys shooting and goofing around, they look pretty good. But I want to make sure what’s going on internally is where the doctors want it before I put them back out there.”
Both were in street clothes again Saturday night, and the Aztecs didn’t need them — even with a shortened rotation at 7,067 feet. They were projected as 22-point favorites by the Kenpom metric and led 23-7, 33-13, 59-33 and 72-39.
Temperatures outside were unseasonably high, topping out at 63 degrees in February at 7,000 feet, and the Aztecs obliged with some torrid shooting. Even after a 1-for-5 start, they finished at 60% — their best in conference and highest all season other than the 67.2% against Oregon back in November.
The Falcons (3-20, 0-12), who have now lost 36 of their last 37 conference games, proved the ultimate slump-buster for Davis. The junior guard had been averaging 5.5 points on 26.7% shooting over the four games since missing a late free throw against Grand Canyon, and he shook that off with 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting.
Miles Heide had 13 points — a season high and one shy of his career high — on 6-of-7 shooting, and not all those were around the basket. He swished a 3 from the top of the key, making him 4 of 16 in his three-year career.
Reese Dixon-Waters continued his emphasis on pump-faking and drawing fouls, with half his 12 points coming at the line. Compton had 11 points and four steals — and no fouls for only the third time in his last 35 games. Jeremiah Oden also had 11 points, giving the Aztecs five double-figure scorers. Taj DeGourville had eight points, five assists and two steals.
Miles Byrd was the only starter not in double figures with four points on 2-of-7 shooting, but he didn’t attempt a wild one-handed windmill after his seemingly nightly steal for a breakaway dunk. Instead, he safely (if unspectacularly) stuffed it with two hands, Dutcher’s stated preference.
Chet Carney, San Diego State superfan and an Aztec ‘for eternity,’ dies at 70
Little-used 7-foot redshirt freshman Thokbor Majak subbed in with 8:19 to go and filled the stat sheet as well, although maybe not with all the numbers he wanted. He had five rebounds … and four fouls in just under seven minutes.
The two most notable team stats were points in the paint, where the Aztecs scored 52 points; and turnovers, where the visitors committed six while forcing 22, both season bests.
The 22 turnovers were converted into 32 points.
“First of all, they’re a very good basketball team,” said Jordan, the interim coach while the academy investigates allegations involving the treatment of players by the suspended Joe Scott. “That’s a fact. It’s not an excuse, that’s not a rationalization, that’s a fact. They’re very good. They’re long; they really get after us in a unique way.
“If you’re not careful, if you’re not aware of how important that basketball is, you’ll end up with 22 turnovers.”
Notable
The announced attendance was 1,741 in 6,000 capacity Clune Arena but that seemed a bit high. It included a strong contingent of Aztecs fans, some of whom made the trip from San Diego.
• The Falcons were without 6-9 leading scorer Caleb Walker (11.9 points), who warmed up before the game but was ruled out again with an injury. He has now missed six games.
• Oden got a technical foul for taunting after a dunk on the break.
• Instead of rolled-up T-shirts being thrown into the crowd, they’re dropped from the rafters with parachutes attached.
• The officiating crew included Randy McCall, who also worked last year’s 77-76 overtime win here.
-
Indiana1 week ago13-year-old rider dies following incident at northwest Indiana BMX park
-
Massachusetts1 week agoTV star fisherman, crew all presumed dead after boat sinks off Massachusetts coast
-
Tennessee1 week agoUPDATE: Ohio woman charged in shooting death of West TN deputy
-
Indiana1 week ago13-year-old boy dies in BMX accident, officials, Steel Wheels BMX says
-
Politics6 days agoTrump unveils new rendering of sprawling White House ballroom project
-
Politics1 week agoDon Lemon could face up to a year in prison if convicted on criminal charges
-
San Francisco, CA5 days agoExclusive | Super Bowl 2026: Guide to the hottest events, concerts and parties happening in San Francisco
-
Texas1 week agoLive results: Texas state Senate runoff

