'Frost Quakes' Cause Thunderous Booms and Light Flashes Across Midwest
"Frost quakes" have been occurring in the Midwest states, often frightening residents who hear the loud booms from the icy ground cracking. A frost quake happens when moisture underground warms quickly due to fluctuating temperatures, resulting in the frozen soil splitting rapidly.
The frost quakes have been reported in various Midwest states, like Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, and even as far north as Canada over the past month. Frost quakes, known scientifically as cryoseism, are different from earthquakes in that they occur closer to the earth's surface, not miles beneath it.
The constant rise and fall in temperatures and widespread frost quakes led concerned residents to call 911 and report the noises and occasional flashing lights.
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"It wasn't the regular noise you hear when your house is creaking, blowing in the wind or ice is breaking," Lisa Kammes of Dekalb, Ill. told the Associated Press. "The louder ones sounded like somebody was throwing snowballs at the house."
The flashes of light reported are believed to be coming from electric charges that happen when frozen rocks are compressed.
Temperatures shifted from the mid-40s to single digits in Missouri last weekend, with similar occurrences in surrounding states. Somewhat warm weather for the season has been punctuated by quick drifts of blistering cold and blasts of snow.
"It has to get suddenly colder (in order for frost quakes to happen)," Alex Sosnowski, an AccuWeather meteorologist, explained. "If you have a mild winter, you're probably not going to have a lot of this going on."
