Agent skill · writing content · mvanhorn
pp-usgs-earthquakes
Every USGS earthquake feed and event query in one terminal, with offline SQLite cache, agent-native output, and a... Trigger phrases: `any recent earthquakes`, `earthquakes near`, `aftershocks of`, `USGS earthquake feed`, `M5 earthquake`, `tsunami earthquake`, `swarm detection`, `use usgs-earthquakes`, `run usgs-earthquakes`.
Why this skill is useful
Adds specific commands and workflows for querying USGS earthquake data that the AI wouldn't reliably generate on its own.
What it needs
Requires usgs-earthquakes-pp-cli installed locally. About 9k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-08-06. 1,890 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
USGS Earthquakes — Printing Press CLI Prerequisites: Install the CLI This skill drives the usgs-earthquakes-pp-cli binary. You must verify the CLI is installed before invoking any command from this skill. If it is missing, install it first: 1. Install via the Printing Press installer. It defaults binaries to $HOME/.local/bin on macOS/Linux and %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\PrintingPress\bin on Windows: 2. Verify: usgs-earthquakes-pp-cli --version 3. Ensure the reported install directory is on $PATH for the agent/runtime that will invoke this skill. If the npx install fails (no Node, offline, etc.), fall back to a direct Go install (requires Go 1.26.6 or newer): If --version reports "command not found" after install, the runtime cannot see the binary directory on $PATH. Do not proceed with skill commands until verification succeeds. When to Use This CLI Reach for this CLI any time an agent needs to answer questions about USGS earthquakes — recent activity, historical search, single-event detail, aftershock sequences, regional comparisons, or live monitoring. It is the right choice when speed matters (offline SQLite cache), when output must be agent-friendly (--json, --select, --compact, --csv on every command), or when the workflow spans multiple events that the raw FDSN API would require stitching together. Not the right choice for non-USGS seismic networks (IRIS event service, EMSC) or for waveform/station data — those need an FDSN station-service client like obspy. When Not to Use This CLI Do not activate this CLI for requests that require creating, updating, deleting, publishing, commenting, upvoting, inviting, ordering, sending messages, booking, purchasing, or changing remote state. This printed CLI exposes read-only commands for inspection, export, sync, and analysis. Unique Capabilities These capabilities aren't available in any other tool for this API. …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills mvanhorn/pp-usgs-earthquakes--38b2e7