New Hampshire · Earthquakes
New Hampshire earthquakes today and on record
Earthquakes are rare in New Hampshire, but not unknown. The USGS catalog lists 9 of magnitude 3.5 or more since 1900, the largest a magnitude 5.6 in 1940. Below: every quake in the state this week, a map, and the biggest since 1900.
Updated . Data: U.S. Geological Survey.
- Last 24 hours
- 0
- Past 7 days
- 0
- Most recent
- None this week
- Largest on record
- M5.6 (1940)
- M3.5+ since 1900
- 9
- M5+ since 1900
- 2
Earthquakes in New Hampshire this week
No earthquakes recorded in this period.
That is normal here. Many years pass without a quake big enough to feel.
Biggest earthquakes in New Hampshire since 1900
| Mag | Where | Date | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.6 | 5 km NNW of Tamworth, New Hampshire | Dec 24, 1940 | 8 km |
| 5.3 | 8 km W of Tamworth, New Hampshire | Dec 20, 1940 | 10 km |
| 4.5 | 1 km NW of Sanbornton, New Hampshire | Jan 19, 1982 | 8 km |
| 4.0 | 2 km NE of Ossipee, New Hampshire | Oct 9, 1925 | 0 km |
| 3.9 | 3 km S of Northfield, New Hampshire | Oct 25, 1986 | 5 km |
| 3.9 | 4 km SSE of Milan, New Hampshire | Oct 20, 1988 | 5 km |
| 3.8 | 8 km N of Lisbon, New Hampshire | Jun 16, 1995 | 5 km |
| 3.8 | 12 km N of Livermore, New Hampshire | Aug 21, 1996 | 10 km |
| 3.5 | 5 km NE of Berlin, New Hampshire | Apr 6, 1989 | 5 km |
Quakes of magnitude 3.5+ by decade
Older decades look quieter partly because there were far fewer seismometers. Counts before about 1970 are incomplete.
Good to know
When was the last earthquake in New Hampshire?
None of magnitude 2.5 or more in the past week. The most recent of magnitude 3.5 or more in the long-term catalog was in 1996.
What was the biggest earthquake in New Hampshire?
A magnitude 5.6 near Tamworth, New Hampshire on December 24, 1940, the largest in the USGS catalog for the state since 1900.
Does New Hampshire get earthquakes?
Earthquakes are rare in New Hampshire, but not unknown. The USGS catalog lists 9 of magnitude 3.5 or more since 1900, the largest a magnitude 5.6 in 1940. The USGS national hazard map is the best guide to the chance of strong shaking where you live.
Also in New Hampshire
New Hampshire tornado history · Earthquakes today, nationwide · Did I just feel an earthquake?
Other states
History: USGS earthquake catalog, magnitude 3.5 and up since 1900, matched to the state by location (quakes just offshore count for the nearest state). Live: USGS real-time feeds.