Missouri Quakes Go Silent in January-Calm Before New Madrid Jolt?

There are two ways you can look at the total number of earthquakes along the New Madrid Fault in southern Missouri in January of 2026. You can choose to be glad that the earthquake rate has slowed down severely or you can wonder if this is the calm before the storm.

I will admit that I was genuinely surprised when I checked the USGS earthquake site and queried their database for New Madrid earthquakes in January. The total for the month is around half of the normal number I see.

There were only 17 New Madrid quakes confirmed by the USGS in January which is half of the normal rate. Over the span of a month, the normal rate of tremors averages out to around 1 per day or 30 per month. I haven't seen an earthquake in southern Missouri in days. Why has the New Madrid Fault suddenly gone quiet?

Does this silence of quakes mean the New Madrid Fault is gearing up for a major event?

I found a study done by Penn State University that inferred that while it is possible that a lack of earthquake activity could mean pressure is building, it does not necessarily mean a major event is imminent. There's an ebb and flow along seismic regions like the New Madrid Fault. While there may not be an earthquake for days, suddenly you'll see a mini-swarm with numerous quakes in a short span of time. That's why we shouldn't read too much into a quiet January of quakes along the New Madrid Fault - yet.