Earthquake today: false 5.9 alert near Dayton, Nevada rattles phones across Reno and California

Bassyonni

ago 36 minutes

Earthquake today

An automated alert about a magnitude 5.9 earthquake near Dayton, Nevada jolted phones across Reno, Northern California, and parts of the Sierra this morning, prompting “drop, cover, and hold on” notifications. USGS later removed the event from its map and confirmed there was no such quake, calling the report an error generated by the early-warning ecosystem. The incident is under review.

Nevada earthquake today: what happened, minute by minute

Residents in Reno, Carson City, Dayton, and as far west as the San Francisco Bay Area received push alerts between 8:04 and 8:08 a.m. PT on Thursday, December 4. The automatic catalog briefly listed a 5.9 event east of Dayton at roughly 8 km (5 miles) depth. Within minutes, regional agencies found no felt reports consistent with a strong quake, and by roughly 8:20–8:25 a.m. PT the entry was deleted from official feeds. By mid-morning, authorities described the alert as erroneous while engineers began tracing its cause.

Quick timeline (all times PT, Dec. 4)

8:04 a.m. Preliminary 5.9 posting appears in automated feed near Dayton, NV.
8:06–8:08 a.m. MyShake/ShakeAlert notifications reach phones in Nevada and California.
~8:20–8:25 a.m. Event removed from earthquake maps; no strong shaking verified.
After 8:30 a.m. Officials state the 5.9 alert was a false alarm; investigation underway.

Was there an earthquake in Nevada?

A 5.9 quake did not occur. Regional monitoring networks and local officials reported no shaking consistent with a strong event in Lyon County (which includes Dayton) or the Reno–Carson corridor. Seismologists are examining whether a sensor glitch, mislocation, or edge-case algorithm behavior injected a phantom event into the pipeline before quality control caught it.

Small earthquakes do happen daily in the broader California–Nevada region. Early today, separate from the false alert, routine minor activity was logged, including a ~2–3 magnitude offshore tremor near Ferndale, CA before dawn and microquakes in the Mojave. None of these were related to the phantom 5.9.

Earthquake now: what to do when alerts misfire

Even when an alert proves wrong, treat it like a fire drill—the right reflexes save lives when a real one hits.

Drop, Cover, Hold On: Get low, cover your head and neck, and hold on until shaking stops.
Stay put during alerts: Don’t sprint for exits or elevators.
If driving: Pull over away from bridges and overpasses; set parking brake.
Afterward: Check for hazards (gas leaks, fallen objects), text instead of calling to keep networks clear, and review your go-bag (water, meds, flashlight, whistle, copies of IDs).

Why the Reno/Dayton false alert matters

The Reno–Tahoe area straddles an active part of the Walker Lane, a tectonic zone that accommodates a significant slice of the Pacific–North America plate motion. While most quakes are small, the region is capable of moderate to large events. Early-warning systems aim to provide seconds of notice before shaking arrives; occasional false positives are possible as algorithms balance speed against certainty. Engineers will analyze today’s misfire to reduce the chance of repeats while preserving rapid alerts when seconds count.

Earthquake California today: what we know about regional activity

No damaging quake struck Nevada or California this morning.
Minor California earthquakes did occur overnight and early morning, typical for the region; none were widely felt.
Networks are functioning, given that the phantom event was rapidly removed through verification checks.

If you’re in Reno, Dayton, or Northern Nevada

Report what you felt (even “nothing”) in official “Did You Feel It?” tools when available—it helps refine models.
Secure your space: Strap water heaters, secure bookcases/TVs, store heavy items low.
Know your building: Identify safe spots under sturdy tables and away from windows.
Practice once a month: Especially at schools, offices, and multifamily buildings.

“earthquake Nevada today”

There was no 5.9 earthquake near Dayton, Nevada despite widely distributed alerts. Phones in Reno and across California buzzed because a preliminary, erroneous entry slipped into the alerting stream and was quickly retracted. Expect follow-up from system operators on root cause. In the meantime, keep alerts enabled, refresh preparedness plans, and remember: it’s better to practice the right moves on a false alarm than to wish you had them during the real thing.