Extreme Cold Sets the Stage for Frost Quakes Across Michigan

If you hear a loud boom late Friday night or early Saturday morning, take a breath. Your house probably didn’t just get hit by a car or a tree branch.

With dangerously cold temperatures moving into Michigan on Friday, January 22, conditions are lining up for something that can seriously spook people who have never experienced it before, Frost quakes.

Forecasters are calling for extended brutal cold, with wind chills expected to sit between minus 15 and minus 25 for long stretches of time. Overnight lows from Friday into Saturday are expected to dip below zero. That kind of sudden, intense cold is exactly what can trigger frost quakes.

A frost quake happens when the ground freezes too fast. It happens primarily when rain, melting snow, or flooding soaks into the ground and fills tiny spaces in the soil. When Arctic air moves in and temperatures plunge well below freezing, that water starts to freeze. And water expands when it freezes.

As the water underground turns to ice, it takes up more space and pushes outward. Pressure builds until the frozen soil cracks. When that happens, the ground can split suddenly, creating a loud boom and shaking that feels a lot like a small earthquake.

People who have experienced frost quakes often describe it as feeling like a car slammed into their house or garage. Windows may rattle. Walls can shake. It can be alarming, especially in the middle of the night. On top of that we are in an area that is expected to see exploding trees for a similar reason (oh joy!)

The good news is that frost quakes are usually harmless. They happen close to the surface and do not cause the kind of damage associated with true earthquakes, which originate deep underground. Still, the sound and vibration can be intense enough to make anyone panic if they do not know what is happening.

With the extreme cold expected to settle in and stick around, frost quakes are possible across Michigan, especially in areas where the ground is saturated.

So if you hear a sudden boom during the cold snap, it’s just another reminder that Michigan winters always find a new way to keep us on edge.