What is the Difference Between an Earthquake Prediction And a Forecast?
An earthquake prediction involves assigning a specific date, location, and magnitude for an earthquake. A forecast assigns a series of probabilities and a range of years and magnitudes to a region. There is no way to accurately predict earthquakes, but forecasts have been calculated for different areas of the United States. The earthquake in northern California on October 17, 1989 was not predicted, but did fall within the magnitude range, time span, and region forecast by U.S. Geological Survey staff. 18. Does Animal Behavior Change Before Earthquakes? Changes in animal behavior before earthquakes have been observed and documented in different parts of the world, most recently in the northern California earthquake of October 17, 1989. It has been recorded that a fish in a high school biology lab in California would flip on its side before some earthquakes. Dogs, cats, snakes, and horses has also been known to behave strangely before earthquakes. Since behavior is not earthquake specif
