(WAND) – Central Illinois is not typically a place known for earthquakes, but what about frost quakes?
Wednesday morning numerous reports of loud booms and cracking noises were made from all across central Illinois. It’s no coincidence that on Wednesday morning, the Midwest saw some of the coldest temperatures in almost 20 years. These loud booms were coming from a phenomena known as Cryoseism, or frost quakes.
Frost quakes are when water seeps into the ground, making the soil beneath the ground become wet with moisture. When temperatures quickly become colder, the water freezes rapidly. As the water freezes, it expands and puts pressure on the surrounding surfaces. This pressure has to be relieved, so small explosions happen causing loud but harmless booms, sometimes even causing the earth to shake.
A similar example of frost quakes is when you leave an aluminum can of soda in the freezer for too long. The liquid inside freezes and quickly expands, putting pressure on the can. An explosion happens to relieve the pressure, and you’re left with a frozen mess of a freezer.
Since we’re settling into a deep freeze across central Illinois, don’t be alarmed if you hear more of these loud booms and pops, they generally pose no threat to safety.
