3.5-Magnitude Quake Jolts Saratoga Springs, Felt Widely Across Wasatch Front
On Feb. 7, 2026, at about 2: 53 p. m. ET, a magnitude 3. 5 earthquake rattled Utah County with an epicenter just west‑northwest of Saratoga Springs. The shallow temblor was widely felt across the valley but caused no immediate reports of structural damage.
What happened: time, size and location
Initial readings listed the event at magnitude 3. 4 before the measurement was revised to 3. 5. Seismograph stations placed the epicenter roughly 4 miles west‑northwest of Saratoga Springs, with an estimated depth of about 3. 4 miles. Sensors registered the quake across the Wasatch Front, with felt reports stretching from Layton in the north to Payson in the south.
Voices from the scene: residents describe the shaking
Office workers and motorists described a brief but unmistakable jolt. One worker on the fifth floor of an office building in Lehi said the shaking lasted about 10 seconds and was the most intense she had experienced there; nothing in the office was displaced. Others in single‑story buildings felt a sudden thump, while a driver on a lunch break described the sensation as if someone pushed against the car.
One caller from Saratoga Springs said his dogs panicked and the house shook, comparing the sensation to a previous larger temblor he had felt several years ago. Another resident described an explosive boom followed by car alarms in the neighborhood at the moment the ground moved.
Epicenter in a backyard: a couple recounts the moment
A local couple found the epicenter fell within their own property. They captured home‑security audio and video that recorded a sudden, loud rumble and the chorus of car alarms that followed. Standing in their yard as the quake hit, one homeowner said the ground felt like it lifted and rolled, and a smaller aftershock in the early morning hours left them awake and anxious.
Seismologists place the event in context
Researchers with the university seismograph stations noted the quake occurred near, but not on, major mapped faults in the area and that the depth was typical for regional events. Their records show dozens of magnitude‑2 or greater quakes have been located within 15 miles of this epicenter since 1981; the largest in that cluster was magnitude 4. 2 in March 1992.
Experts said the recent event is on a different fault strand than a magnitude 4. 7 quake felt two weeks earlier south of the state line. While small aftershocks are possible, seismologists do not anticipate a significant event to follow from this specific rupture. They added there is always a small chance any local quake could precede a larger one, but current observations suggest only modest additional activity is likely.
Preparedness reminders after the shake
Emergency management officials urged residents to use the quake as a prompt to check emergency kits and household plans. Basic guidance includes practicing drop, cover and hold on during shaking, and maintaining at least a three‑day supply of food and water—about one gallon per person per day—along with essential medications and a flashlight. Local authorities encouraged families to review their plans and secure heavy furniture and appliances to reduce damage and injury in future events.
No structural damage was city officials in the immediate aftermath. Authorities continue to monitor seismic data and urged the public to report felt shaking to help refine the event’s footprint.
