Recent Earthquake Near Amarillo Adds to Texas Panhandle Seismic Activity

It's rare to feel the earth move in Amarillo, but when you do, it's kind of a shocker. We don't live in a region where earthquakes are common, but they do happen.

For those not familiar with how an earthquake feels, you might not realize what’s happening. The walls of your house shake, and you feel a small vibration, but you just assume that a big truck rolled down the alley or in front of your house.

The Amarillo area isn’t a stranger to earthquakes, but they are rare.

Recent Amarillo Area Earthquake Details

The latest earthquake in the area took place on Saturday, January 10, 15 miles northeast of Amarillo. It measured 2.8 on the Richter scale.

This isn't the first earthquake in the area. According to All Quakes, the Texas Panhandle Region has experienced 19 earthquakes since 2024. Seventeen of those quakes were above magnitude 2. Two of those earthquakes were below a 2, so most people won't feel them. Here’s a look at recent earthquakes recorded in the region.

Panhandle Earthquake History Since 2024

• Jan 10, 2026, 2:33 am – 2.8 – 9.3 mi NE of Amarillo, Texas
• Dec 9, 2025, 3:11 pm – 2.5 – 2.5 mi E of Skellytown, Texas
• May 21, 2025, 10:16 pm – 2.6 – 4.2 mi Texas Panhandle Region
• Jan 21, 2025, 1:29 am – 2.6 – 3.4 mi northwest of Pampa, Texas
• Nov 10, 2024, 12:31 pm – 2.3 – 3.7 mi SE of Amarillo, Texas
• Jul 15, 2024, 8:39 pm – 2.1 – 5.6 mi ENE of Amarillo, Texas
• Jun 26, 2024, 5:54 pm – 2.8 – 3.7 mi E of Amarillo, Texas
• May 28, 2024, 9:26 pm – 2.6 – 4.3 mi E of Amarillo, Texas
• May 17, 2024, 4:05 am – 2.7 – 1.9 mi SSE of Hartley, Texas
• May 13, 2024, 12:08 am – 1.6 – 2.5 mi SSW of Groom, Texas
• Apr 21, 2024, 12:40 pm – 1.7 – 16.2 mi SSW of Adrian, Texas
• Apr 21, 2024, 12:36 pm – 2.7 – 14.9 mi S of Adrian, Texas
• Apr 12, 2024, 7:38 am – 2.2 – 3.7 mi N of Amarillo, Texas
• Feb 17, 2024, 10:48 pm – 2.2 – 5.8 mi southeast of Amarillo, Texas
• Feb 5, 2024, 3:23 am – 2.3 – 5.0 mi SE of Amarillo, Texas

On October 20, 2018, an earthquake struck 9.8 miles north of Amarillo, registering a 4.0 magnitude.

Read More: Amarillo Residents Felt Tremors From Earthquake in Ackerly, Texas

Biggest Quakes in Texas Panhandle History

Since 2000, the Amarillo area has experienced multiple quakes, but these are the five biggest quakes in the last 26 years.

• Apr 14, 2021, 6:54 pm – 4.3 – 21.1 mi NNE of Skellytown, Texas
• Oct 20, 2018, 1:04 pm – 4.0 – Texas Panhandle Region
• Dec 16, 2000, 5:08 pm – 3.9 – 11.8 mi N of Amarillo, Texas
• Aug 16, 2000, 8:08 pm – 3.9 – 11.2 mi N of Amarillo, Texas
• Feb 18, 2006, 12:49 am – 3.5 – 10.6 mi WNW of Fritch, Texas

When and Where Was the Biggest Earthquake in the Texas Panhandle?

According to Weather.gov, the biggest earthquake on record in the Texas Panhandle was in Panhandle, Texas, on July 30, 1925. The quake measured a magnitude of 5.4.

Before 1920, there wasn't a way to determine the size of an earthquake, so it's possible this area experienced some bigger earthquakes. Many earthquakes at the time are believed to have been linked to the oil boom in the area.

Read More: There's Been A Shocking Earthquake Surge In Texas

How to Track Earthquakes in Real Time

If you're curious about earthquakes, you can see where earthquakes are happening in real time through an interactive map with the United States Geological Survey (USGS).