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M3.9 Depth: 9.9 km

M3.9 Earthquake near SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CALIF. (United States)

UTC time: 2025-12-20 03:56:09 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On December 20, 2025 at 03:56 UTC, a magnitude M3.9 earthquake occurred near SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CALIF. (United States). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 10 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Shaking of this size is frequently noticed but usually harmless.

The data is provided by EMSC and cross-checked across seismological networks. United States: 216 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M6.0.

Details

Magnitude
M3.9
Depth
9.9 km
UTC time
2025-12-20 03:56:09 UTC
Local time
—
Country
United States
City
California
Source
emsc
Coordinates
37.74820, -121.94200
Temperature
14.8°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 9.9 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 9.9 km
Shallow
9.9 km
9.9 km — shallower than the regional average (15.7 km)
Regional average: 15.7 km
Why depth matters

Shallow quakes release energy near the surface — shaking is felt more strongly and damage potential is higher.

Depth classes per USGS

Volcanoes nearby

  • Clear Lake Volcanic Field
    Distance: 154 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 1'439 m ·United States
  • Mono-Inyo Craters
    Distance: 256 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 2'796 m ·Last eruption: 1380 ·United States
  • Mammoth Mountain
    Distance: 256 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 3'369 m ·Last eruption: 1260 ·United States
  • Mono Lake Volcanic Field
    Distance: 257 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 2'121 m ·Last eruption: 1790 ·United States
  • Lassen Volcanic Center
    Distance: 307 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 3'187 m ·Last eruption: 1917 ·United States
  • Soda Lakes
    Distance: 331 km ·Maar(s) ·Elevation: 1'251 m ·United States

Historic earthquake map · United States

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Country statistics · United States

Country overview
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

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