Indianapolis, IN – If you hear a sudden boom or feel a brief jolt on a frigid winter night, don’t be alarmed — it’s likely a frost quake, not an earthquake. Experts say residents from Indianapolis to Fort Wayne could experience more of these icy ground-shaking events as temperatures plunge across Indiana.
According to the Indiana Geological and Water Survey, frost quakes — officially called cryoseisms — occur when water trapped in soil freezes too quickly. As that moisture expands into ice, it exerts intense pressure until the frozen ground suddenly cracks, releasing energy with a loud, explosive sound.
Meteorologists say conditions this week are prime for frost quakes across central and northern Indiana: saturated ground, little snow cover, and an expected rapid drop from above freezing to near zero in less than 24 hours. The perfect storm forms when rain or melting snow seeps into the ground just before an arctic blast arrives.
These mini-quakes typically strike between midnight and dawn, when temperatures are lowest. While frost quakes are brief and usually harmless, they can rattle windows and occasionally cause small cracks in pavement or foundations.
Experts recommend maintaining good drainage around homes and moving standing water away from foundations before deep freezes set in.
So if you’re awakened by a thunder-like crack on a calm, icy night from Indianapolis to Fort Wayne, it’s just winter — splitting the ground beneath your feet.
