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Exploding Trees: Can this really happen during a winter deep freeze?

  • On Thursday the National Weather Service issued an Extreme Cold Watch for much of Minnesota from Thursday night through Saturday morning, warning frostbite can occur in as little as 10 minutes and urging residents to follow updated forecasts and adjust plans.
  • Meteorologists say the polar vortex interacting with a warm upper atmosphere is driving Arctic air south; combined with moisture from California and the Gulf of Mexico, it fuels bitter cold, heavy snow, and life-threatening conditions.
  • West Texas A&M physicist Christopher Baird said `The crackling sound or gunshot pop you hear in the forest in the winter is the sound of trees freezing and bursting`, caused by sap freezing or wood contracting rapidly, which can cause trunks or limbs to crack with loud booms.
  • Residents are advised to avoid parking beneath large trees and limit outdoor time during extreme cold, as falling limbs can damage vehicles and power lines while travelers should prepare for delays.
  • While rare, historic observations and Lakota people note tree cracking during severe freezes, and scientific studies link rising extreme events to warming Arctic sea ice declines.
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  • 82% of the sources are Center
82% Center

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Krem2 News broke the news in Spokane, United States on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.
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