Earthquake Strikes During Super Bowl Week in San Francisco: 4.2-Magnitude Quake Hits Bay Area
Super Bowl week in the Bay Area kicked off with a surprising 4.2-magnitude earthquake that jolted the region on Monday morning.
SAN FRANCISCO – The start of Super Bowl week came with an unexpected surprise on Monday morning when an earthquake hit the Bay Area. The 4.2-magnitude quake had an epicenter just south of San Ramon, California, according to the United States Geological Survey.
The earthquake was strong enough to be felt throughout the Bay Area, from Oakland to San Francisco and down to Santa Clara, where Super Bowl LX will take place on February 8. With major events in the area, the potential for earthquakes looms large, and this occurrence was no exception.
The first quake struck at 7:01 a.m. PT, as part of a series of shocks within a 30-minute window. A previous earthquake measuring 3.8 in magnitude was recorded at 6:27 a.m., followed by another tremor of 3.3 just two minutes later. In total, there were about 20 minor earthquakes during this period, according to the USGS.
Due to the tremors, the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system temporarily slowed train operations to perform track inspections.
Attention Passengers: An earthquake occurred within the area serviced by BART. Trains are running at reduced speeds while we complete safety track inspections. Please expect residual delays of up to 20 minutes systemwide. — BART Alert (@SFBARTalert) February 2, 2026
While it’s uncertain if the Seahawks and Patriots felt the tremors, many local residents did. Both teams arrived in the Bay Area on Sunday, lodging in hotels in Santa Clara and San Jose, approximately 35 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter, potentially allowing them to sense the tremors. Super Bowl Opening Night on Monday may very well bring questions regarding the incident.
As seismic activity continues in the Bay Area, it will be intriguing to observe whether another quake occurs on Super Bowl Sunday. In 2014, a significant 6.0 quake rattled the area just hours before the 49ers were to play at Levi’s Stadium. Such an occurrence did not prevent the game from proceeding. It would likely take a major earthquake on the day itself for the NFL to consider delaying the Super Bowl.
Interestingly, the history of earthquakes in the Bay Area cannot omit the Loma Prieta earthquake, which interrupted the 1989 World Series, postponing it for 10 days while the A’s and Giants prepared for Game 3.
