Home / Weather / Frost Quakes Rumble: Listen to the Ground Crack!
Frost Quakes Rumble: Listen to the Ground Crack!
28 Jan
Summary
- Sudden freezing of water in soil causes expanding cracks.
- Meteorologists confirm unusual booming sounds are cryoseisms.
- Events are rare but generally harmless, posing less risk than cold.
Residents in areas experiencing extreme cold may be startled by mysterious booming sounds and vibrations, a phenomenon meteorologists attribute to 'frost quakes' or 'cryoseisms.' These unusual noises occur when water rapidly freezes within the soil, causing it to expand and crack.
The process begins when rain or melted snow saturates the ground. As temperatures plummet quickly below freezing, this water solidifies and expands, building immense pressure on the surrounding earth. This pressure eventually causes the soil to fracture, resulting in loud booming sounds and slight tremors.
Meteorologists confirm reports of these 'loud booms' during bitter cold periods. They explain that while startling, particularly at night, these events are generally harmless and pose less risk than the extreme cold itself.
A massive winter storm recently left at least 30 people dead and tens of thousands without power. Nearly 180 million people were in the path of widespread heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain.
Power line companies reported 'catastrophic damage' in numerous states, warning that power restoration could take weeks instead of days for some customers affected by the severe weather.
