Loud Boom, Rattling Windows: Small Quake Felt Across Northern NY

Quake Rattles Part of Upstate NY

A minor earthquake in Upstate New York on Sunday night had residents across the Champlain Valley wondering whether what they felt was real or just a passing truck.

According to Champlain Valley meteorologist Alex Wasilenko, a 2.0 magnitude earthquake was recorded just west-northwest of Keeseville, New York, around 7:50 PM on Sunday night.

While it wasn't super powerful and only registered as a minor earthquake on the Richter scale, it was enough to get people talking across parts of the North Country and even into Vermont.

"Loud Boom"

In Plattsburgh, one resident said they thought the rumble was from a large truck passing by, while another in Burlington assumed a helicopter was overhead. Others described a loud boom followed by rattling windows. One person in Keeseville said it sounded like something exploded in the distance before the rumbling began.

Reports of shaking or noise came in from Jay, Peru, Au Sable Forks, Crown Point, and even near Lake Placid. Some in Vermont, including Waterbury and North Hero, reported either hearing the rumble or feeling nothing at all.

A 2.0 magnitude quake is considered minor and rarely causes damage, but it’s not unheard of in this region. Still, for many who felt or heard Sunday night’s rumble, it was just enough to make them stop and wonder what was going on.

Measuring the Strength of Earthquakes

According to experts, here's the earthquake magnitude scale and how each affects us.

• 2.5 or less: Usually not felt, but can be recorded by a seismograph
• 2.5 to 5.4: Often felt but only causes minor damage.
• 5.5 to 6.0: Slight damage to buildings and other structures.
• 6.1 to 6.9: This may cause much damage in very populated areas.