When temperatures plunge and the air goes painfully still, people in northern forests sometimes hear a sharp crack that sounds like a gunshot. That eerie noise has fueled a viral claim that trees ...
If you’ve been online lately, you may have seen alarming headlines claiming that “exploding trees” are waking people up across the country. The reports describe a loud bang in the middle of the night, ...
Social media posts warning of "exploding trees" in subzero temperatures are mischaracterizing a phenomenon known as frost cracks. Frost cracks form when water inside trees freezes and expands. As a ...
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Exploding trees may be taking over your social media feed, but a local gardening expert says you are unlikely to see them in your own backyard. Rick Vuyst, the former CEO ...
Jacksonville Journal-Courier on MSN

Exploding trees? A closer look at frost cracking

Frost cracks appear as vertical splits in the trunk of a tree and are the result of plant tissue expansion and contraction.
As much of the country braces for a big winter storm, some meteorologists and meteorology-adjacent influencers are warning about the dangers of “exploding trees.” Wait, what? Exploding trees?! What ...