What Are Frostquakes?!

    Frost quakes, also knowns as cryoseism, is defined as a seismic event caused by a sudden cracking action in frozen soil or rock that is saturated with water or ice, or by stresses generated by frozen lakes.

Many reports of frost quakes have happened with the massive snowstorm that had just blazed its way through North America.  They commonly happen when there is a rapid temperature drop of at least 12-14 degrees, and will happen within about 24-48 hours of this drop. Following the temperature shock, the moisture and water freezes and pressure builds up, until there is a rupture and massive vibrations and shocks. Some have even reported seeing a distant flash of light with it, possibly from the friction and magnetic forces of rocks. Fortunately unlike earthquakes, rarely do frost quakes create any damage.  There has been rare cases where it might tumble a weak tree or put some cracks in a road, but nothing near to an actual earthquake.  

    Frost quakes in the United States tend to happen more often in the Midwest where the land is more flat and more rural where there isn't as much to warm areas up with cities or mountains to help buffer weather. This creates stronger temperatures and more drastic weather changes. 

    There is also something called glacial frost, which tend to be more common around Greenland and higher latitudes.  With their cold weather and being closer to the glaciers they tend to get frost quakes much more often.  When two glaciers scrape by each other in the ocean, it can kind of act almost like the tectonic plates moving and create seismic waves. Then places like Greenland, Iceland, and Finland feel what feels like an earthquake. The vibrations of the grinding glaciers send waves through the ocean that then rattle their lands.  They tend to be at least as strong as a category 5 earthquake! 

    So if you felt a little shake or witnessed a tree explode. You probably felt curious as to what was going on.  Now you have a little more knowledge than you did before.