4.1 magnitude quake shakes western Montana early Saturday

HELENA — A 4.1 magnitude earthquake was recorded 15 miles east of Lincoln at 7 a.m. Saturday morning, according to a preliminary report from the U.S. Geological Survey.

Saturday's quake was centered 28 miles northwest of Helena. While hundreds of earthquakes are recorded near Helena every year, an online search of USGS archives did not show any of equal or greater magnitude within 50 miles of Lincoln in at least a decade.

The USGS reports it is common for people to feel earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.0-4.9, which may wake people up, rattle windows, dishes and doors, and even overturn unstable objects. A sensation like a heavy truck striking a building is also common with quakes of this magnitude.

When a 3.4 magnitude quake struck 3 miles northwest of Clancy in December, nearby residents reported feeling their walls rattling and hearing what sounded like an explosion.