A meteorologist is warning Michiganders to watch out for “exploding trees” as temperatures plunge below zero.
In a social media post, meteorologist Max Velocity warned that “exploding trees” are possible across the Upper Peninsula and northwest lower Michigan.
Also known as “frost cracking,” the term does not mean trees literally explode, but rather that extreme cold can cause trees to crack or split abruptly.
The phenomenon occurs when sap inside a tree freezes and expands, or when wood contracts rapidly in very dry, frigid air. The sudden stress release can sound like a gunshot or small explosion, and a risk of falling branches.
Air temperatures can reach as low as 11 degrees below zero with wind chills dropping to -30 degrees across those parts of the state.
While rare, tree cracking is most often reported overnight or in the early morning during the coldest part of an Arctic outbreak.
The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Cold Watch for much of Michigan from Thursday night through Saturday morning, warning that frostbite can occur on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.