Powerful 6.0 Earthquake Hits West of Idaho on Thursday Night

A strong earthquake off the Oregon coast has many in the Pacific Northwest wondering if it might be a sign of things to come and if there might be one coming closer to the mainland.

Earthquakes are a topic of fear in the area, as we are often reminded of the dangers of the Yellowstone Caldera and fears that earthquakes might increase the possibility of a massive eruption.

Should Idaho Be Worried About the Massive Earthquake on Thursday Night

We aren’t immune to earthquakes in Idaho; in fact, small quakes are pretty common. But when a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 is reported anywhere near us, it raises concerns. A 6.0 earthquake is considered strong, and if it happens in a populated area can be deadly and destructive and felt over a hundred miles from the epicenter. Luckily, this earthquake happened six miles under the ocean, 183 miles off the coast of Oregon.

Stronger earthquakes, a 7.0 or higher, can cause tsunami alerts in some regions. So, while there are dangers associated with these larger earthquakes, the USGS says they won’t trigger the eruption of the Yellowstone Caldera. Yet.

FYI, Idaho has only had one earthquake in the last week and it was a minute 2.6 magnitude. Yellowstone hasn't reported any quakes in the last week.

Earthquakes do shake things up, but that isn’t the formula needed to cause an eruption in Yellowstone National Park. The super-volcano under Yellowstone would require intense pressure and magma, which is currently not present.

This YouTube video explains some of the secrets and clears up some of the misconceptions regarding the Yellowstone Caldera.

To help you learn more about volcanoes and to prepare for volcano awareness month, apparently that’s a thing, check out this gallery of volcanic information.