How frequent are earthquakes in or near Washington State, USA?

Washington State has relatively few earthquakes. Based on data from the past 55 years and our earthquake archive back to 1900, there are about 2,400 quakes on average per year in or near Washington State, USA. However, Washington State has had at least 5 quakes above magnitude 6 since 1900, which suggests that larger earthquakes of this size occur infrequently, probably on average approximately every 23 to 27 years.

How many earthquakes occur every year in or near Washington State, USA?

On average, Washington State has about 163 quakes of magnitude 2 or higher per year (Mag 3+: 18 quakes per year, Mag 4+: 7.8 quakes per year).

Volcanoes of Washington State (12)

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Significant volcanic eruptions: Washington State

In historic times, at least 2 volcanoes have been active in Washington State, including Mount St. Helens and Mount Baker volcanoes. A total of 22 eruptions have been witnessed and documented since 1820.
The table below lists the most recent volcanic eruptions, significant eruptive episodes or related events in Washington State.

Date	Volcano	VEI	Region	Deaths	Damage
2004 Oct 1 - 2008 Jan 27 ±10 d.	Mount St. Helens South of 1980-1986 lava dome	2	Washington, USA
1990 Nov 5 - 1991 Feb 14	Mount St. Helens North side of lava dome	3?	Washington, USA
1989 Dec 7 - 1990 Jan 6	Mount St. Helens North side of lava dome	2	Washington, USA
1980 Mar 27 - 1986 Oct 28 ±3 d.	Mount St. Helens Summit and north flank	5	Washington, USA
1980 May 18 (eruption 1980 Mar 27 - 1986 Oct 28 ±3 d.)	Mount St. Helens	5	Washington, USA	61	catastrophic	Info
1980 May 18: All known direct deaths were attributable to the lateral blast, ashfall, and lahars of the May 18 eruption. Among the 25 victims who were autopsied, asphyxiation by airway constriction with ash was the cause of death in 17 and contributory in 2 others with thermal injuries. Thermal injuries alone accounted for 3 deaths; three victims died of trauma. A pilot of a crop duster was killed when his plane hit powerlines in central Washington State during tephra fall. In Yakima, a traffic accident, attributed to poor visibility, resulted in 1 death and 2 elderly people with heart conditions died while shovelling tephra from their property. Almost certainly, other indirect deaths also occurred. (reference #9675) 90 deaths, 2500 affected, $860 million damage. (reference #1250) Cited references #1250 Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) and the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) (2001): EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium, link #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. #9675 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Fatalities & Evacuations, Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., p. 329-347. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1880 Sep 7 - Nov 27	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	2	United States
1870	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	2	United States
1863 Jul	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	2	United States
1859 Nov - 1860 Apr 26 ?	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	2	United States
1858	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	2	United States
1857 Apr	Mount St. Helens	2	Washington, USA
1854 Feb - Apr	Mount St. Helens North flank	2	Washington, USA
1854	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	2	United States
1853 Mar 15 ±5 d. - Aug	Mount St. Helens North flank	2?	Washington, USA
1852 Dec 1 ±30 d. - 1853 Jan	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	2	United States
1850 Mar - May	Mount St. Helens North flank	2?	Washington, USA
1848 Apr 1 or before	Mount St. Helens	2?	Washington, USA
1847 Mar 26 - Mar 30	Mount St. Helens North flank (Goat Rocks)	2	Washington, USA
1842 Nov 22 - 1845 Sep 18 ?	Mount St. Helens North flank (Goat Rocks)	3	Washington, USA
1843	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	3?	United States
1835 Mar	Mount St. Helens North flank (Goat Rocks area)	2	Washington, USA
1831 Aug	Mount St. Helens North Flank (Goat Rocks area)	3	Washington, USA
1820 ?	Mount Baker	2	United States
1800 (eruptive episode 1800 Jan 15)	Mount St. Helens	5	Washington, USA	100-1,000 (*)		Info
1800: Oral tradition of NE Washington tribes noted many people starved to death the winter following the eruption. (reference #9675) Cited references #9675 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Fatalities & Evacuations, Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., p. 329-347. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K

(*) Estimated numbers

Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Washington State FAQ

+When was the last volcanic eruption in Washington State?

The last volcanic eruption in Washington State was from Mount St. Helens volcano during 2004 - 2008.

+When was the first documented volcanic eruption in Washington State?

The first historically documented eruption occurred 1820 from Mount Baker volcano.

+How often do volcanoes in Washington State erupt?

Since 1820, Washington State has seen at least 22 historically documented eruptions. This means that a volcano erupts on average every 9.3 years.

+How active are the volcanoes in Washington State?

Washington State is volcanically infrequently active: Since 1900, at least 1 volcanoes in Washington State have been active.Since 1900, Washington State has had 4 volcanic eruptions from 1 individual volcanoes. Volcanic eruptions have been recorded erupted during 15 years out of 126 as of now. This means, at least one volcano in Washington State has been in eruption in one in 8.4 years on average. The last volcano to erupt in Washington State was Mount St. Helens volcano. Its was active from 2004 until 2008 and ended 17 years ago.

+When was the largest volcanic eruption in Washington State?

The largest eruption in Washington State in historic times was from Mount St. Helens volcano. It occurred during 1980 - 1986. It ranks as a plinian eruption with a magnitude 5 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale. Eruption of this size are often catastrophic on a regional scale.

Latest earthquakes: Washington State

In the past 7 days, Washington State has had 3 quakes of magnitude 2.0 or above. There were also 42 quakes below magnitude 2.0 which people don't normally feel.

A Magnitude 1.7 earthquake occurred in 6 km S of Gorst, Washington .

Magnitude 1.7 Earthquake 6 km S of Gorst, Washington -

Date and Time	Mag / Depth	Nearest Volcano / Location
Apr 3, 05:27 pm (Universal Time)	1.7 19 km	99 km (62 mi) NW of Mount Rainier	6 km S of Gorst, Washington	Info
Apr 2, 05:41 pm (GMT -7)	2.6 13 km	53 km (33 mi) NW of Mount Baker	7 km WSW of Abbotsford, BC I FELT IT - 2 reports	Info
Wednesday, April 2, 2025 GMT (1 quake)
Apr 2, 03:58 pm (Universal Time)	2.1 32 km	205 km (127 mi) SW of Garibaldi	29 km SSW of Port Renfrew, BC	Info
Tuesday, April 1, 2025 GMT (1 quake)
Apr 1, 02:16 pm (Universal Time)	1.8 16 km	111 km (69 mi) NW of Mount Rainier	4 km WSW of Chico, Washington	Info
Monday, March 31, 2025 GMT (1 quake)
Mar 31, 11:36 pm (Universal Time)	1.7 8.9 km	229 km (142 mi) SW of Garibaldi	28 km WSW of Neah Bay, Washington	Info
Friday, March 28, 2025 GMT (1 quake)
Mar 28, 01:32 pm (GMT -7)	2.5 0.5 km	175 km (109 mi) NW of Mount Rainier	16 km NNE of Amanda Park, Washington	Info

See Recent Quakes

Volcano List

Glacier Peak

(stratovolcano 3213 m / 10,541 ft)

Glacier Peak is a stratovolcano in northern Washington and the most remote of the Cascade volcanoes. Its name comes from the 11 glaciers on its flanks.
Although it reaches more than 10,000 feet elevation, the volcanic edifice is only 500-1000 m high, because the volcano's b... [more info]

Goat Rocks

(stratovolcano 2494 m / 8,182 ft)

Goat Rocks is the center a deeply eroded, glaciated volcanic center of a volcanic field 30 km (18 miles) north of Mount Adams, Washnington, USA. [more info]

Indian Heaven

(shield volcanoes 1806 m / 5,925 ft)

Indian Heaven volcano is a volcanic field 30 km halfway between Mt St. Helens and Mount Adams volcano, Washington, USA. It contains several low overlapping basaltic shield volcanoes and more than 50 flank vents with spatter cones primarily oriented along a N-S line.
The you... [more info]

Marble Mountain

(Shield 1255 m / 4117 ft)

[more info]

Mount Adams

(stratovolcano 3742 m / 12,277 ft)

Mt Adams stratovolcano 50 km east of Mt St Helens volcano is the by volume second largest volcano of the Cascades Range, after Mt. Shasta.
Mount Adams is the center of a 200 km3 volcanic field. The andesitic-dacitic volcano was built by several overlapping cones. It is elon... [more info]

Mount Baker

(stratovolcano 3285 m / 10,777 ft)

Mt Baker 50 km east of Bellingham, Washington, is the northernmost of Washington's volcanoes and one of the lesser known ones in the Cascade Range.
Mt Baker Volcano has been very active during the last centuries, but has been in repose now for more than 130 years.
Ear... [more info]

Mount Rainier

(stratovolcano 4329 m / 14,409 ft)

Mount Rainier, the highest peak in the Cascade Range, is located 87 km SE of Seattle and forms a majestic backdrop to the landscape of the region. The volcano is covered by 26 main glaciers, and melting of glacial ice by a future eruption causing lahars are a significant hazard f... [more info]

Mount St. Helens

(stratovolcano 2549 m / 8,363 ft)

Mount St Helens volcano hardly needs introduction. In its spectacular eruption in 1980, it placed itself deep into collective memory, in particular within the NW states of the USA. Prior to this eruption and its gradual reawakening, little attention had been given to the volcanic... [more info]

Signal Peak

(shield volcano 1555 m / 5,102 ft)

Signal Peak is the eroded remnant of a small andesitic stratovolcano overlying the southern part of the basaltic shield of the Lincoln Plateau.
Together with still active Mount Adams volcano to the west and the older Simcoe volcanic field of cinder cones to the east, it is ... [more info]

Simcoe

(volcanic field )

Simco volcanic field is a N-S aligned cluster of 24 monogenetic cinder cones. It is located E and SE of Mt Adams, Washington, California, near the town of Goldendale.
Associated is the younger basaltic Lincoln Plateau with Signal Peak at the western end of the field and ea... [more info]

Tumac Mountain

(Pyroclastic cone 1932 m / 6339 ft)

[more info]

West Crater

(volcanic field 1329 m / 4,360 ft)

West Crater volcano is a small andesitic lava dome with lava flows in southern Washington, belonging to a volcanic field extending from Marble Mountain, north of Swift Reservoir, to south of Trout Creek Hill. The field consists mainly of small basaltic and basaltic andesite cinde... [more info]

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Adams (United States) volcano - Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 2 October-8 October 2024 (Continuing Activity)

The Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) issued an information statement about seismicity at Adams. In the month of September six locatable earthquakes with magnitudes of 0.9-2 were recorded by one seismic station located 11 km SW of the summit and others located much farther away. Typically, at Adams, one earthquake is recorded every 2-3 years. ... Read all

Tue, 31 Oct 2023, 06:49