People in north Missouri heard a loud boom last night and it wasn't aliens, it was an ice quake. According to the National Weather Service, Ice quakes occur when temperatures that have dropped below freezing affect water that is trapped underground. As the water rapidly freezes and expands, the ground around it is shifted. The sudden expansion and movement can result in the ground becoming cracked. Along with subzero temperatures quickly freezing the underground water, four main factors come into play in the formation and occurrence of frost quakes:
Deeply Saturated Soil
For a frost quake to occur, there must be sufficient water present, and this water must be located deep within the ground. This happens most frequently in areas where there has been a great deal of precipitation in some form in a relatively short period. The precipitation can be in the form of rain, sleet, or a mixture of wet weather conditions that have saturated the ground saturated deep down. The severity of the cracking of the soil depends on the amount of water present. Missouri had an unusual amount of rain in the weeks preceding the arctic blast it is now experiencing.
Quick-Freeze Regions Experience Frequent Frost Quakes
Frost is formed from molecules of water that are present in the air when temperatures plummet quickly to subzero levels. The presence of these two weather conditions is necessary for frost quakes to occur. At this time, temperatures are below zero, and are expected to remain that way for a few days. No doubt, the region will experience more loud booms in the coming days.
Tell your friends and neighbors so they don't think there is an alien invasion happening.
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