Richmond, VA – Virginians from Richmond to Roanoke could soon be hearing mysterious booms echoing through frigid winter nights — but experts say it’s not blasting or thunder. According to the Virginia Department of Energy’s Geology and Mineral Resources Division, these startling sounds are likely frost quakes — sudden cracking events in frozen ground caused by extreme temperature swings.
Known scientifically as cryoseisms, frost quakes occur when moisture trapped in the soil freezes too quickly. As that water expands into ice, it builds intense underground pressure until the ground suddenly splits, releasing energy with a sharp, explosive crack that can shake windows or briefly jolt homes.
Meteorologists say Virginia’s weather pattern this week — wet conditions followed by overnight lows in the teens — sets the stage for frost quakes. The risk is highest in areas with little or no snow cover, since snow typically insulates the soil from freezing deeply. Residents in central and western Virginia, including the Roanoke Valley and Blue Ridge foothills, are most likely to experience them.
These events usually occur between midnight and dawn, when the cold is at its peak. Frost quakes are brief and harmless, though they can leave minor surface cracks in driveways or yards.
Experts recommend keeping water drained away from foundations and avoiding saturated soil before deep freezes.
So if you’re startled by a loud boom on a calm, icy night from Richmond to Roanoke, don’t panic — it’s just the frozen Virginia ground cracking under winter’s chill.
