Have You Heard Mysterious Booms This Winter In North Dakota?

Have you ever heard a strange noise during the dead of winter when the temperature plunges that you can't explain? There may be a slightly unnerving answer.

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Perhaps you are familiar with thundersnow. Perhaps you are an expert at preventing frostbite. However, the extremely low temperatures during an arctic blast can produce some unusual natural occurrences. One that appeared as several really loud "booms" was recently found in various locations of the country.

For once, if you've been believing that your neighbors are setting off fireworks outside in the cold, you're mistaken; the fireworks originate from the earth.

Dangers Of Mother Nature In North Dakota

You could feel like looking into these loud booms coming from outside before deciding you'd much prefer shotgun lutefisk juice before you walk outside if you don't have to.

Fireworks, shooting, a transformer bursting, or a tree falling can be your initial thoughts. The trees might give up and fall because there is so much snow and ice on them and it is so cold outside. Although there might not be a downed tree visible in the backyard, nothing particularly large fell to produce such a loud sound.

The sound may still be mysterious if there are no lights flashing in the sky, no sirens sounding, and the lights are still on.

Have you heard of a "frost quake"? Although it's an uncommon occurrence, it clarifies the situation.

When there is a lot of rain, the ground becomes saturated, causing frost quakes, also known as cryoseism. The water then freezes and naturally expands as a result of the abrupt drop in temperature.

The water keeps freezing until it pops, splits, and booms, waking you up at three in the morning with questions about what's going on outside.

In North Dakota, we've experienced extreme cold for more than a week. Thus, you still have time to hear the booms and remain in bed, certain that it was only a frost quake.