My opinion is that USGS could tell us the "odds" of a larger event following any 3.4M or better. Or they could do same if there was a small swarm in a certain area. Much of the time if not most--they do not do this...I am sure they feel that it will worry folks in a situation where no worry is needed, just precautions and be prepaired..

I forget when the USGS issued a Mammoth alert...back in the 80's sometime and the tourists dwindled down to nada therefore making the tourist industry very angry at USGS which has now modified its stance.

Pete Giddings, KGO's climatologist once issued a major snow storm event for the Tahoe Basin and told viewers NOT to go there unless they had to. The snow never developed and skiers were down to a trickle... Signs went up all over town diss'ing Giddings, even though he is part owner of one of the resorts...Prediction can be a tough business. I think he is still persona non grata in many locations of the Basin:-)

• Pinpoint Since 1992