Meteorologist Warns Of 'Exploding Tree' Risk As Extreme Cold Hits Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS–ST. PAUL, MN — As dangerously cold Arctic air settles over Minnesota later this week, one meteorologist is warning residents about a lesser-known side effect of extreme cold: trees cracking or splitting suddenly, sometimes with a loud bang.

In a social media post, meteorologist Max Velocity warned that "exploding trees" are possible across Minnesota as temperatures plunge well below zero.

Also known as "frost cracking," the term does not mean trees literally explode, but rather that extreme cold can cause trees to crack or split abruptly.

The phenomenon occurs when sap inside a tree freezes and expands, or when wood contracts rapidly in very dry, frigid air. The sudden stress release can sound like a gunshot or small explosion.

The risk increases during severe cold snaps like the one forecast for Minnesota, where overnight temperatures are expected to fall near or below 20 degrees below zero, with wind chills approaching 40 to 45 below in some areas.

While rare, tree cracking is most often reported overnight or in the early morning during the coldest part of an Arctic outbreak. The primary hazard comes from falling limbs rather than the cracking itself.

Weather officials advise residents to avoid parking vehicles beneath large trees, limit time outdoors during the coldest periods, and remain alert for falling branches as the extreme cold settles in.

The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Cold Watch for much of Minnesota from Thursday night through Saturday morning, warning that frostbite can occur on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.