Providence, RI – Rhode Islanders from Providence to Warwick could soon hear sudden, thunder-like booms echoing through cold winter nights — but it’s not blasting or seismic activity. According to the Rhode Island Geological Survey and National Weather Service in Boston, those startling sounds are likely frost quakes — natural cracking events that occur when frozen ground suddenly splits under pressure.
Known scientifically as cryoseisms, frost quakes form when rain or melted snow soaks into the soil, then freezes too quickly. As the water expands into ice, it creates intense underground stress until the frozen ground fractures, releasing a loud, explosive pop or rumble.
Meteorologists say the conditions are ideal across Rhode Island this week: recent rain, minimal snow cover, and a fast-approaching cold front that will drop temperatures from the 30s into the teens overnight. Without an insulating snow layer, the cold penetrates the ground quickly — the key trigger for frost quakes.
These mini-quakes usually occur between midnight and dawn, when the cold is most severe. While they’re short-lived and rarely damaging, they can rattle homes, shake windows, and cause small surface cracks in driveways or foundations.
Experts recommend clearing standing water and ensuring good drainage around homes before deep freezes hit.
So if you hear a thunderous boom on a calm, icy night from Providence to Warwick, don’t panic — it’s Rhode Island’s frozen ground cracking under winter’s chill.
