Randy Mann: Lots of earthquakes, but numbers near normal

Within the past month, we’ve heard about many earthquakes occurring in areas that normally do not report them. States like Michigan, Oregon, Washington and Texas have reported small tremors this year. North-central Oklahoma has been reporting small quakes on a daily basis, which may be due to the oil and gas industry’s drilling and disposal of billions of barrels of water underground.

In the Inland Northwest, there have been a number of very small earthquakes, including four in North Idaho on April 24 that were less than 4.0 magnitude.

Nepal’s massive 7.8 earthquake on April 25 was the largest this year. More than 8,500 people have died from the massive jolt and subsequent aftershocks. This disaster is now the deadliest in that country’s history.

Scientists are also watching Kilauea on Hawaii’s Big Island as a series of earthquakes may signal a new lava eruption or explosion. There have been as many as 20 to 25 quakes per hour from this volcano that has been continuously erupting for many years.

Based on long-term averages, there are an estimated 1.4 million earthquakes across the globe each year. The vast majority are so small that they are not felt.

Overall, in terms of the larger earthquakes, we seem to be near to below normal. For earthquakes measuring 5.0 to 5.9, there are an average of 1,319 annually worldwide. So far, there have been 528. The 6.0 to 6.9 range has about 134 per year. The USGS has reported 42 in this range in 2015. Many of these quakes have been reported in Japan, New Guinea and Nepal. There are approximately 15 measuring 7.0 to 7.9 each year across the globe. Through the end of May, there have been 7, including the one in Nepal. So far, in 2015, the USGS has not reported an 8.0 or higher earthquake; the average for each year is one.

Locally, the long-range weather outlook into early July predicts more sun and showers. We certainly need the added moisture ahead of what promises to be a long and rather hot summer in the Inland Northwest. The airport has only received 0.36 inch of rain this month, about a half inch below normal.

It’s likely that we will have high fire danger levels this year well into the autumn months. The strong high pressure ridge is expected to lock in a stationary position east of the Cascade Mountains and west of the Rockies. I’ll have more details on this mounting wildfire threat as the summer approaches.