Have you ever been snuggled up in bed on a cold winter night only to be awoken by a loud boom? While at first, you might fear the sound is a monster under your bed, it might just be something entirely different. When freezing temperatures roll into the Ocean State, Rhode Island has been known to experience frost quakes. Read on to learn more about this noisy winter phenomenon…
A cryoseism, also known as a frost quake or ice quake, is a weather-related seismic event that occurs when frozen water in soil or rock expands and cracks explosively. This winter phenomenon occurs in Rhode Island only when all the conditions are absolutely right.
For a frost quake to happen, the temperature must drop from just above freezing to near or below zero degrees Fahrenheit very rapidly in a short period of time.
The ground must also be previously saturated from either liquid precipitation or a thaw before the quick temperature drop occurs and everything freezes.
The ground must only have minimal snow cover of fewer than six inches. A large amount of resting snow on the ground provides insulation and prevents frost quakes from occurring.
When all of these things happen, the stage is set for a possible frost quake. The liquid trapped in the rocks and soil will quickly expand causing cracking. This movement can result in loud explosive noises that sound like trees falling or very loud thunder.
Frost quakes almost always occur at night after the sun sets when the temperatures are lowest. While it's shocking to be woken up suddenly by a loud boom, you aren't likely to experience one of these quakes during the day when the sun warms things up.
This wintertime seismic activity only occurs for the first three to four hours after a big temperature drop when all the conditions are right. So if your sleep is interrupted by these loud frost quakes, be assured it's only a temporary event.
Have you ever been woken up by a frost quake? Did it freak you out? Or were you just groggy and confused? Share your experiences in the comments section below. One of the more fun parts of winter in Rhode Island is hitting the slopes at this underrated snow tubing park.
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