Collection of USGS still images taken after the January 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake highlighting the damage to buildings and infrastructure.
Can the National Seismic Hazard Maps be used as an earthquake forecast tool for the near future?
Not really. The USGS Seismic Hazard Maps website and the Unified Hazard Tool (for building custom maps) are designed to display the probability of different events that might occur in a several-year to several-decade period. The model bases all probability estimates on the average rate of earthquakes over long periods of time.
As you shorten the time window, you should expect greater and greater fluctuations in what might be observed from the mean behavior that would be observed if you had a thousand year time span at your disposal.
Related
What is seismic hazard? What is a seismic hazard map? How are they made? How are they used? Why are there different maps, and which one should I use?
What is a seismic zone, or seismic hazard zone?
What are the earthquake hazards/risks where I live?
How will my house hold up in an earthquake? Can the USGS send someone out to evaluate my property?
How do I decide whether or not to get earthquake insurance?
How do earthquakes affect buildings?
What is the likelihood of a large earthquake at location X? Is it safe to go to X since they've been having a lot of earthquakes lately?
What is the probability that an earthquake is a foreshock to a larger earthquake?
What is the probability that an earthquake will occur in the Los Angeles Area? In the San Francisco Bay area?
What is the difference between earthquake early warning, earthquake forecasts, earthquake probabilities, and earthquake prediction?
How do I get earthquake hazard maps for locations outside of the U.S.?
How are engineers working to make roads and buildings safer?
Collection of USGS still images taken after the January 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake highlighting the damage to buildings and infrastructure.
Collection of USGS still images taken after the January 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake highlighting the damage to buildings and infrastructure.
Collection of USGS still images taken after the January 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake highlighting the damage to buildings and infrastructure.
United States Geological Survey (USGS) Natural Hazards Response
Putting down roots in earthquake country: Your handbook for earthquakes in the Central United States
Earthquake hazards: A national threat
Putting down roots in earthquake country: Your handbook for the San Francisco Bay region
The USGS Earthquake Hazards Program - investing in a safer future
ANSS-Advanced National Seismic System
USGS National Seismic Hazard Maps
Related
What is seismic hazard? What is a seismic hazard map? How are they made? How are they used? Why are there different maps, and which one should I use?
What is a seismic zone, or seismic hazard zone?
What are the earthquake hazards/risks where I live?
How will my house hold up in an earthquake? Can the USGS send someone out to evaluate my property?
How do I decide whether or not to get earthquake insurance?
How do earthquakes affect buildings?
What is the likelihood of a large earthquake at location X? Is it safe to go to X since they've been having a lot of earthquakes lately?
What is the probability that an earthquake is a foreshock to a larger earthquake?
What is the probability that an earthquake will occur in the Los Angeles Area? In the San Francisco Bay area?
What is the difference between earthquake early warning, earthquake forecasts, earthquake probabilities, and earthquake prediction?
How do I get earthquake hazard maps for locations outside of the U.S.?
How are engineers working to make roads and buildings safer?
Collection of USGS still images taken after the January 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake highlighting the damage to buildings and infrastructure.
Collection of USGS still images taken after the January 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake highlighting the damage to buildings and infrastructure.
Collection of USGS still images taken after the January 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake highlighting the damage to buildings and infrastructure.
Collection of USGS still images taken after the January 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake highlighting the damage to buildings and infrastructure.