Earthquakes in the United States — May 2026

8197 earthquakes were recorded in the United States during May 2026, an average of 264.4 per day.

65 reached magnitude 4 or above and 11 reached magnitude 5 or above. The average focal depth was 14 km.

The month's largest event in the United States was a magnitude 6.0 earthquake near Honaunau-Napoopoo, United States on 23 May 2026 at 07:46 UTC. A magnitude 6.0 earthquake radiates roughly 13,134 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

That is close to the the United States monthly average of 7168 events over the period we cover, and down from the 8938 recorded the previous month.

95% of events here are shallow (under 70 km), 5% intermediate (70–300 km) and 0% deep-focus (over 300 km). Almost everything here is crustal. That is characteristic of transform faulting or continental deformation rather than subduction — and it means shaking at the surface is strong for the magnitudes involved.

By band, the catalogue holds 12 in the magnitude -2 range, 295 in the magnitude -1 range, 2040 in the magnitude 0 range, 4140 in the magnitude 1 range, 1412 in the magnitude 2 range, 232 in the magnitude 3 range.

Activity peaked on 10 May, when 594 events were recorded.

The month's largest events were M6.0 near Honaunau-Napoopoo, United States on 23 May at 23 km; M5.9 near Honaunau-Napoopoo, United States on 23 May at 24 km; M5.8 near Adak, United States on 09 May at 26 km.

That is 14% above the 7168 events the United States averages per month across the 21 months on record.