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Juan de Fuca Plate
The Juan de Fuca Plate is a small oceanic plate subducting beneath the North American Plate off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. It is a remnant of the ancient Farallon Plate that once dominated the eastern Pacific. This subduction zone is responsible for the Cascade Range volcanoes, including Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier, and poses significant earthquake risks to the region, including the potential for megathrust earthquakes.
Plate Information
Size: 250,000 km²
Movement: Eastward
Speed: 4 cm/year
Countries: 0
Countries & Territories
This plate is entirely oceanic with no land masses.
Key Facts
- Subducting under the North American Plate
- Responsible for Cascade Range volcanoes
- Remnant of the ancient Farallon Plate
- High earthquake risk in the Pacific Northwest