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1 month ago
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As a potentially historic winter storm prepares to slam the US, meteorologists have warned that conditions could become so brutal that trees could start exploding.
Meteorologist Max Velocity said this week temperatures in the Midwest and Northern Plains are predicted to fall to 20 degrees below zero Fahrenheit on Friday and Saturday, freezing the insides of local trees.
The phenomenon known as 'frost cracking' can literally cause trees to burst from the inside out as sap and water freeze and expand, building pressure against the bark.
Velocity singled out Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, and northern Iowa and Illinois and the states likely to see this take place in his strange but accurate warning.
The National Forest Foundation confirmed in a blog post: 'There are numerous historic and current observations of trees exploding due to extreme cold.'
More than half of the US and over 150 million Americans are in the path of the giant winter storm bringing feet of snow, inches of ice, and dangerous temperatures to the South, Midwest, and Northeast.
Between Friday and Sunday, severe ice storms are predicted to slam the South, flrom Texas to Virginia.
Meanwhile, up to two feet of snow may blanket many areas from Colorado to Maine, with temperatures in states north of this storm falling well below zero, making it dangerous to stay outside for more than a few minutes.
Meteorologist and social media influencer Max Velocity's post on exploding trees went viral on X, sparking widespread conversations about the phenomenon
Videos have previously captured the moment where trees exploded under the pressure of extreme cold temperatures
One person on social media was able to record a video of a tree exploding into a cloud of sawdust in Iowa on an extremely cold day.
Velocity's post on X quickly went viral, being viewed over 10million times since Tuesday and even being discussed on The Pat McAfee Show.
Multiple social media users responded to both influencers with pictures of local trees that had been split open after 'exploding' on dangerously cold days.
Meteorologist Adam Feick told McAfee: 'It sounds like a gunshot goes off as the bark is exploding a little bit.'
Feick explained that Americans in the northern Midwest could see this over the weekend because of a huge temperature swing brought by the incoming winter storm.
A low-pressure system flowing down from Canada, known as an Alberta clipper, is bringing extremely cold air into the US, sending temperatures from the 20s and 30s in many of these states to below zero almost overnight.
Feick added that when sap and moisture inside trees freeze suddenly under these conditions, the liquid begins to expand and build pressure against the wood, like a can of soda left in a freezer too long.
While it's not a fiery explosion that could endanger nearby residents, Feick noted that trees in these extreme conditions could legitimately burst from the inside.
Trees explode when sap and water inside the tree suddenly freezes and begins to expand
Trees typically split vertically when the fluid inside bursts, which is called 'frost cracking'
Exploding trees have even been seen in the South, where trees in North Texas began bursting during a sudden cold snap in 2022, causing loud booms, snaps, and pops witnessed by local arborists.
However, the phenomenon is more common in parts of the US where temperatures can fall to levels dangerous for both people and nature, including Alaska, Minnesota, and the Dakotas.
'I live in Alaska, and we have trees split or “explode” from the moisture drying out inside the trunks during periods of cold temps,' one person on social media said.
More than 200million people across parts of 30 states are in the path of the widespread winter storm predicted for Friday through Sunday.
When the blizzard hits, temperatures are expected to plunge by as much as 30 degrees below typical January averages in the Dakotas and Michigan, with the wind chill falling between 35 and 50 degrees below zero in some parts, according to the Weather Channel.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned that 'nearly everyone east of the Rockies' will see some effect from the snow, ice, or cold from Friday into early next week.
Meteorologists in Minnesota warned that the Arctic air flooding in from Canada will make it feel like it's between 38 and 54 degrees below zero throughout the entire state on Friday.
In the southern half of the US, bracing for this storm, a state of emergency has been declared in South Carolina and Texas.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp asked residents of his state on social media to 'take this time to secure food, fill up on gas and ensure you're prepared for any potential loss of power.'
Forecasts in Minnesota are warned that temperatures could fall well below zero throughout the state and feel even colder
Frigid temperatures as low as 50 below zero and 24 inches of snow, sleet, and ice are expected to hamper much of the country over the coming weekend
Snow is expected to start spreading across many areas on Friday, with heavier amounts developing over the weekend, especially Saturday night into Sunday in places like the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
In parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, and New England, snowfall could reach six to 12 inches or more, with some spots possibly seeing up to 24 inches or higher.
Farther north and in the Midwest and Ohio Valley areas, widespread snow totals of six to 12 inches are likely across more than a dozen states, including Oklahoma, Kansas, and extending into the mid-Mississippi Valley.
In southern regions like parts of Texas, the lower Mississippi Valley, northern Georgia, and the Carolinas, the storm may bring more ice and sleet along with some snow, which could cause power outages and major travel issues even if snow amounts are lower there.
