Montana's Largest Faultline Could Cause Massive Problems

If you are new to Montana, you might not know that our state can have some decent earthquakes from time to time.

When people think of the worst things that can happen in Montana, it's mostly wind, snow, or the yearly fire season. That's what Montanans have to deal with typically, but there is another possible problem you should be aware of that Montana isn't known for.

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The one problem is earthquakes.

That's right! Montana sees a lot of seismic activity throughout the year, but usually, it's nothing significant. Earthquakes have been felt in Manhattan, Livingston, Whitefish, and Yellowstone.

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The earthquakes are mild, usually in the 2 to 3-magnitude range, but there have been some massive ones. Quake Lake near Yellowstone was created after a colossal 7.5 magnitude earthquake created the lake, and several people lost their lives due to the landslide.

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Earthquakes usually occur around fault lines, and Montana has several tiny ones throughout the state. Does that mean the largest faultline in Montana is near Yellowstone National Park?

Surprisingly, no.

The largest faultline in Montana is The Mission Fault. The Mission Fault runs for miles below Flathead Lake and through the Mission Mountain Range.

Scientists believe the Mission Fault could create an earthquake of around 7.5. That could cause significant damage to several communities around the area. That would be catastrophic for towns like Bigfork and Polson that sit on the lake and have citizens that live close to or on these mountains.

Photo by Chandler Cruttenden via Unsplash

There isn't anything we can do but hope that any massive earthquake won't happen in our lifetime and the fault line stays dormant.

Who knew Montana is a place where you should worry about earthquakes? This beautiful land has so many underlying mysteries.

5 Winter Terms You Should Know When Living In Montana

Winter has arrived here in Montana as well as the surrounding states. You will constantly be hearing about road conditions, road closures, accidents, and total snow fall for the next few months.

There will also be terms that you hear throughout our winter season that you are not as familiar with, or think you might know what they mean but could use a little refresh. We put together 5 winter terms that anyone living in a snowy state, should all be aware of.

Gallery Credit: Megan Shaul

9 Ways To Avoid Hitting A Deer In Montana

State Farm Insurance came out with a list of states with the worst odds of hitting an animal, and Montana came in 2nd. There is a 1 in 44 chance, you will hit an animal while living and driving in Montana. The most common months for this to happen are October, November, and December. If you are traveling through the surrounding states, your odds of hitting a deer don't really get any better. North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Idaho are all considered "high risk" or "medium risk" for the odds of hitting an animal.

Here are State Farm Insurance's 9 ways to help avoid hitting a deer.

Gallery Credit: Megan Shaul