Frost quakes: Dropping temperatures can lead to mysterious booms
When arctic air blasts through the Northeast and New England this weekend, it could cause a rare weather phenomenon called frost quakes.
When arctic air blasts through the Northeast and New England this weekend, it could cause a rare weather phenomenon called frost quakes.
Frost quakes, also known as ice quakes or cryoseisms, are seismic events caused by a sudden fracturing or cracking action in frozen ground, soil or rock that is saturated with water or ice. If the cracking is big enough, the process can cause a shaking motion and a loud boom. For this reason, they are often mistaken for minor earthquakes.
Frost quakes occur when very cold air interacts with soil that is saturated after recent rain or snow has seeped into the ground.
Northeast hit by freezing temperaturesFeb. 4, 202302:10They are triggered by a rapid temperature drop in a short amount of time when the air is at or below freezing. The cold air suddenly freezes the liquid water in the ground, causing expansion, which then causes stress and pressure to build up. The result causes soil and rocks to crack, which can make a booming sound and produce minor shaking.
They are most likely to happen in locations that are susceptible to cold air masses, like Canada and the northern states in the U.S.
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