It is an interesting mental exercise.

If my dog was any judge, not all earthquakes are the same [my interpretation]. Twice, he paced and whined and fussed for no obvious reason, and both times there was a mild earthquake within a couple of days. WE HAVE AN EARTHQUAKE-PREDICTION DOG!

Then the Sylmar Earthquake hit in 1971, with a magnitude of 6.6. It destroyed two hospitals, a dam, a couple of freeway interchanges, collapsed a dozen freeway overpasses, and killed over 50 people. The dog didn't see/hear/feel this one coming at all, although he was slightly ahead of me going out the door after the fact, and he was twitchy afterward (weren't we all!).

What was the difference? Did the Sylmar quake not give warning? Or did it not give the same kind of warning that the others did?

I, too, live in the PNW, and if I somehow thought there was going to be an earthquake, leaving would be rather pointless. Everything I own is here. I would just pitch the old tent in the backyard and sleep out there, and pick up the pieces afterward.

It WOULD be nice to know, though. Right now the dogs fuss when there's a raccoon on the roof. *sigh*

Sue