Dangerously cold weather brought to parts of the US Midwest and Northeast this week by a polar vortex episode has Americans encountering a slew of unusual weather phenomenons.
Everything from snow squalls to steam fog and flash freezes have been causing mayhem in the US, forcing residents in affected areas to either gaze from afar or simply stay put indoors.
— Nick Ulivieri (@ChiPhotoGuy) January 31,2019
Most recently, local news station WGN9 reported that folks living in the Chicago area were beginning to hear loud booms, which were likely the sounds of frost quakes (aka cryoseisms). The sounds occur when the pressure of frozen underground water builds, ultimately cracking both soil and rock.
After the station did a segment on the quakes, their social media pages exploded, with viewers trickling in to share their experiences.
