The February 14, 1946 earthquake

M5.8Puget Sound area, Washington

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake 15.5 miles deep, centred in Mason County. The 7th strongest in Washington’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles since a magnitude 6.1 on November 12, 1939.

The earthquake

Magnitude: 5.8; surface-wave magnitude (ms)
Depth: 15.5 mi; 25.0 km below the surface
Local time: Thursday, February 14, 1946; 19:17 PST; 03:17 UTC on Feb 15, 1946
Epicentre: 47.28°N, 122.90°W; In Mason County
In Washington’s record: 7th; strongest of 5,002 since 1900
Within 50 miles: 12; counties; more on this date

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event uw19460215031747000 (“Puget Sound area, Washington”). The USGS event page carries the ShakeMap, felt reports and the official summary.

Counties and cities within 50 miles

Distance from the epicentre to each county boundary (zero when inside) and to each city centre.

Counties

Mason CountyWA · inside
Pierce CountyWA · 2.9 mi
Thurston CountyWA · 6.4 mi
Kitsap CountyWA · 9.7 mi
King CountyWA · 18.2 mi
Grays Harbor CountyWA · 19.6 mi
Jefferson CountyWA · 22.9 mi
Lewis CountyWA · 35.8 mi
Pacific CountyWA · 40.3 mi
Clallam CountyWA · 40.6 mi
Snohomish CountyWA · 41.7 mi
Island CountyWA · 49.0 mi

Cities, largest first

SeattleWA · 34.7 mi
TacomaWA · 20.7 mi
BellevueWA · 41.1 mi
KentWA · 33.0 mi
RentonWA · 35.8 mi
Federal WayWA · 26.4 mi
KirklandWA · 43.4 mi
AuburnWA · 32.3 mi
RedmondWA · 45.8 mi
ShorelineWA · 41.9 mi
SammamishWA · 45.8 mi
LakewoodWA · 19.2 mi

Earthquakes around the epicentre

166 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of this epicentre since 1973.

Earlier earthquakes of magnitude 5 or more within 50 miles, strongest first

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog. Local time is the time zone of the county nearest the epicentre. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them.