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This winter has been the first time there have been sub-zero degrees Fahrenheit temperatures in Nashville since February 1996.īoyd, 68, said he is surprised that callers have likened the sound to a loud boom or believed it was an airplane crash. "It's just a sudden cracking in the frozen soil or rock that's saturated with ice."ĭuring his 49 years of experience, Boyd said he's been hearing more of this activity this winter, which he attributes it to the record-breaking cold. "Whenever we get really cold weather, with temperatures around zero, ice or snow on the ground or previous rain event, you'll usually hear this at night," said Bobby Boyd, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Nashville. This is thought to be caused by the electrical charges of the compressed rock during the event.People often hear this noise more acutely at night because ambient noise during the day tends to drown it out. Because of the extremely cold weather over the past several winters, many frost quakes have been reported in Illinois and Missouri.Īre you really able to see a frost quake?įlashing lights have been reported in the same area as frost quakes were heard and felt. They are more frequent in Canada and the U.S. What is the difference between frost quakes and earth quakes?įrost quakes are very shallow seismic events, unlike earthquakes that are caused my the moving of tectonic plates deep within the earth’s crust.įrost quakes can happen anywhere the temperatures can change from above freezing to below zero rapidly. There have been rare cases of small cracks in the ground, driveways, foundations, or roads thought to be caused by frost quakes.

Frost Quake FAQsĮven though frost quakes may cause the ground to shake, there is not enough power in frost quakes to do any major damage to structures. People report that the frost quakes make a sound like an explosion or like something is hitting their house. In rare cases, frost quakes can cause the ground to crack. Sometimes, this stress cracks the soil and rock with such force that it creates a loud sound and could even cause the ground to shake. This frozen water expands and causes stress on the soil and rock around it. The extreme temperature drop causes the water in the saturated ground to freeze. Learn more about the Science Of Frost What Is A Frost Quake?įrost quakes, or cryoseisms, are rare geological phenomena that occurs in when the ground or rock is saturated with water and there is an extreme drop in temperature, usually from above freezing to below zero. Then, the experts offered to clear things up by saying these noises were nothing to worry about and were caused by frost quakes. News started reporting strange popping and exploding noises all across the region. The brutal polar vortex swept in bringing with it wickedly low wind chills and a crazy phenomena called frost quakes. A deep freeze set in, and the temps went from 40 to almost zero nearly overnight. In true midwest fashion, the weather changed rapidly a few days later.

The creek behind our house ran high and fast. I have lived here my whole life and thought I had experienced it all, until the frost quakes.Ī few weeks ago, we had a lot of rain. The summers are sweltering, hot, and humid, and the winters are frigid, windy, and snow-covered. There can be tornadoes and blizzards in the same week. We might have 80 degrees one day and 30 degrees the next.