CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A small earthquake was recorded in the Hickory area Monday morning, according to a report from the United States Geological Survey.
The 1.5 magnitude earthquake was reported near the intersection of River Road and Ponderosa Road a little before 8:15 a.m., according to the USGS.
The USGS said on its website that earthquakes with magnitudes of about 2.0 or less are called "microearthquakes" and are not commonly felt by people.
"It was a tiny earthquake," said NBC Charlotte's First Warn Storm Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich. "The only way we knew it happened was seismographs... It might have felt like a truck going by your house."
Panovich said earthquakes like the one that happened Monday morning are completely normal.
"Many folks may not realize that earthquakes in our part of the country are pretty normal," Panovich said.
While the Carolinas may not be as vulnerable to earthquakes as the western part of the United States, Panovich said it is not considered uncommon for the North Carolina mountains experience one.
"We don't get them with the same frequency like the west coast," Panovich said. "They tend to be weaker earthquakes."
Stick with WCNC.com for updates on severe weather in our area and the latest forecast.